WHTP-FM (104.7 FM) is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Kennebunkport, Maine, serving York County and southern Cumberland County, Maine. Its signal is broadcast from the same location. Established in 1994, WHTP-FM is owned by Mainestream Media. The station broadcasts a rhythmic top 40 format. WHTP-FM is simulcast in northern Cumberland, Androscoggin, Sagadahoc, and Kennebec counties on WHTP (1280 AM and 100.3 FM), as well as in Bangor and surrounding areas on WHZP (1400 AM and 102.9 FM).

History

WHTP-FM began broadcasting December 1, 1994 as WQEZ, an easy listening/ adult contemporary station owned by Vega Corporation, which also owned WBQQ (99.3 FM). Vega sold the stations to Mariner Broadcasting on June 16, 1997. Mariner sold its stations to Nassau Broadcasting Partners in 2004. That April, Nassau relaunched the station as WHXQ, a classic rock station branded as ''The Bone'' and simulcasting with WHXR (106.7 FM, now WXTP). During the summer of 2006, WHXQ/WHXR expanded their playlist and shifted to

active rock Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock stations play a balance of new hard rock songs with valued classic rock favorites, normally with an emphasis on the harder edge o ...

. WHXQ and WHXR had planned to switch to sports talk provided by Boston's WEEI in January 2008, but the deal between Nassau and WEEI owner Entercom ended up collapsing. W-BACH logo

WHXQ swapped formats and call signs with WBQW (106.3 FM, now the current WHXR) on October 6, 2008, and began to carry WBACH's

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...

programming (which had originated on WBQQ in 1991; concurrent with the WHXQ/WBQW swap, WBQQ became a simulcast of WTHT). Nassau Broadcasting entered bankruptcy in 2011, which culminated in an auction of its stations. Prior to the conclusion of the auction, the Maine Public Broadcasting Network expressed interest in running the WBACH stations. As part of the bankruptcy proceeding, WBQW was auctioned in May 2012 to local owner Mainestream Media for $150,000, while the other WBACH stations ( WBQX in Thomaston and

WBQI WBAK (104.7 MHz "Big 104 FM") is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Belfast, Maine. It is owned by Blueberry Broadcasting, and broadcasts a classic hits radio format. Its programming is also simulcast on WBKA (107.7 FM) in Bar H ...

Bar Harbor Bar Harbor is a resort town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population is 5,089. During the summer and fall seasons, it is a popular tourist destination and, until a catastrophic fire i ...

) went to Bill Binnie's WBIN Media Company. (updated May 23, 2012) Mainestream Media dropped WBACH's programming at 5 p.m. on September 13, 2012, and began stunting with

Christmas music Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music regularly performed or heard around the Christmas season. Music associated with Christmas may be purely instrumental, or, in the case of carols or songs, may employ lyrics whose subject m ...

, making the claim of being the first station to switch to Christmas music in 2012, and promoting the "104 Days Of Christmas", saying they would give Portland special "gifts" through the holidays, with the first to come the following day at 5 p.m.. At that time, the station adopted its permanent

rhythmic top 40 The Rhythmic chart (also called Rhythmic Airplay, and previously named Rhythmic Songs, Rhythmic Top 40 and CHR/Rhythmic) is an airplay chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The chart tracks and measures the airplay of songs played on ...

format, branded as "Hot 104.7". The first song on "Hot" was LMFAO's "

Party Rock Anthem "Party Rock Anthem" is a song by American music duo LMFAO, featuring British singer Lauren Bennett and American music producer GoonRock. It was released as the first single from their second album '' Sorry for Party Rocking'' in 2011. The singl ...

". On October 1, WBQW's call letters were changed to WHTP, fitting the "Hot" branding. WHTP currently competes with longtime Top 40 station WJBQ, which has a more mainstream feel to it as compared to WHTP's Rhythmic approach (similar to the former WRED). In February 2013, WHTP was added to

Mediabase Mediabase is a music industry service that monitors radio station airplay in 180 US and Canadian markets. Mediabase publishes music charts and data based on the most played songs on terrestrial and satellite radio, and provides in-depth analyti ...

's Rhythmic panel, reflecting its choice of musical direction. WHTP began simulcasting on WJYE (1280 AM and 100.3 FM) in

Gardiner Gardiner may refer to: Places Settlements ;Canada * Gardiner, Ontario ;United States * Gardiner, Maine * Gardiner, Montana * Gardiner (town), New York ** Gardiner (CDP), New York * Gardiner, Oregon * Gardiner, Washington * West Gardiner, Maine ...

and WCYR (1400 AM and 102.9 FM) in Veazie on January 13, 2020; to reflect its expanded reach, the station rebranded as "Hot Radio Maine". The station added the "-FM" suffix to its call sign on March 6, 2020.

References

External links

* * {{Contemporary Hit Radio Stations in Maine HTP-FM Radio stations established in 1995 Rhythmic contemporary radio stations in the United States York County, Maine 1995 establishments in Maine