WBGI-FM (105.5

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...

) is a

radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...

broadcasting a

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

radio format A radio format or programming format (not to be confused with broadcast programming) describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. The radio format emerged mainly in the United States in the 1950s, at a time when Radio broadcasting, ...

. It is

licensed A license (American English) or licence (Commonwealth English) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another part ...

Bethlehem, West Virginia Bethlehem is a village in Ohio County, West Virginia, United States. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,499 at the 2010 census. Geography Bethlehem is located at (40.048761, -80.6936 ...

, and it serves the

Wheeling metropolitan area The Wheeling, WV–OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia and one in eastern Ohio, anchored by the city of Wheeling. As of ...

. WBGI-FM is owned by Cody Barack through licensee Ohio Midland Newsgroup LLC. The station has an

effective radiated power Effective radiated power (ERP), synonymous with equivalent radiated power, is an IEEE standardized definition of directional radio frequency (RF) power, such as that emitted by a radio transmitter. It is the total power in watts that would ha ...

(ERP) of 13,500

watt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of Power (physics), power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantification (science), quantify the rate of Work ...

s. The

transmitter In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter (often abbreviated as XMTR or TX in technical documents) is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna (radio), antenna with the purpose of sig ...

is on Highland Lane in Bethlehem, near Interstate 470.

History

The station first

signed on A sign-on (or start-up in Commonwealth countries except Canada) is the beginning of operations for a radio broadcasting, radio or television station, generally at the start of each day. It is the opposite of a sign-off (or closedown in Commonw ...

the air in . Its original

call sign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally as ...

was WHLX. In 1997, WHLX was flipped to a Modern AC—WZNE—THE ZONE, a Hit based Alternative Pop station programmed by Doug Daniels. The station then transitioned to a Mainstream CHR in 1998. Beginning in 2001, the station changed call letters to WVKF and become KISS FM remaining CHR. But the CHR/Top 40 format moved to 95.7 in 2004. After Kiss-FM moved, 105.5 flipped to Classic Hits as "Kool 105.5" under the WUKL call sign. On August 12, 2021, the station cluster was sold by Forever Media to Cody Barack's Ohio Midland Newsgroup, LLC. The properties included WBGI-FM, WLIE (now WLYV), and

WRQY WRQY (96.5 FM) is an active rock formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Moundsville, West Virginia, serving Wheeling in West Virginia and St. Clairsville in Ohio. WRQY is owned and operated by Cody Barack through licensee Ohio Midland ...

. The price tag was $1,250,000 along with the sale of

FM translator A broadcast relay station, also known as a satellite station, relay transmitter, broadcast translator (U.S.), re-broadcaster (Canada), repeater ( two-way radio) or complementary station (Mexico), is a broadcast transmitter which repeats (or tr ...

W235BX. On December 28, 2021, Ohio Midland Newsgroup announced that WUKL and WBGI-FM would swap formats on January 3, 2022, at 5:30 a.m. The switch put the classic hits format on 100.5 as a revived "WOMP-FM”, and the country format on 105.5 as "105.5 Biggie Country", with both stations exchanging call signs before the announcement on December 24, 2021. On September 22, 2022, after stunting with a one day loop of "

Achy Breaky Heart "Achy Breaky Heart" is a song written in 1990 by Don Von Tress. First released in 1991 by the Marcy Brothers with the title "Don't Tell My Heart", it was later recorded by American singer and actor Billy Ray Cyrus and released on his debut al ...

" by

Billy Ray Cyrus William Ray Cyrus ( ; born August 25, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. Having released 16 studio albums and 53 singles since 1992, he is known for his hit single "Achy Breaky Heart", which topped the U.S. Hot Country Songs cha ...

, WBGI-FM changed its format to classic country as "Big Willie 105.5", positioned as "The Greatest Country Hits of the 80s, 90s & More". In early 2025, the station playlist was tweaked to add more current music while retaining the Big Willie branding. The station is now positioned as “Your Country” and is also the local

Nascar The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...

affiliate.

References

External links

* BGI-FM Country radio stations in West Virginia Classic country radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1985 1985 establishments in West Virginia Ohio County, West Virginia {{WestVirginia-radio-station-stub