WOLY (AM)
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WOLY (1450
kHz 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 uni ...
) is an AM radio station licensed to
Olean, New York Olean ( ) is a Administrative divisions of New York#City, city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. Olean is the largest city in Cattaraugus County and serves as its financial, business, transportation and entertainment center. It is ...
. The station is owned by Seven Mountains Media. It currently runs a 1970s to 1990s (and occasionally 1960s) classic hits format branded as "Big Oly 107.1 and 105.5," branding itself after its two FM
translators Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''transl ...
. The station was issued an initial
construction permit Planning permission or building permit refers to the approval needed for construction or expansion (including significant renovation), and sometimes for demolition, in some jurisdictions. House building permits, for example, are subject to bu ...
, with the sequentially issued call letters WHDL, in December 1928 to George F. Bissell in
Tupper Lake, New York Tupper Lake is a town in the southwest corner of Franklin County, New York, United States. The population was 5,147 at the 2020 census. The town contains a village also called Tupper Lake. Until July 2004, the town was known as "Altamont", not ...
. In 1934 the station moved to Olean as the oldest station in
Cattaraugus County Cattaraugus County (locally known as Catt County) is a county in Western New York, with one side bordering Pennsylvania. As of the United States 2020 census, the population was 77,042. The county seat is Little Valley. The county was created ...
, signing on there on December 11, 1934. It was affiliated with
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since its days as the
Blue Network The Blue Network (previously known as the NBC Blue Network) was the on-air name of a now defunct American Commercial broadcasting, radio network, which broadcast from 1927 through 1945. Beginning as one of the two radio networks owned by the ...
through the early 2010s. Former congressman James F. Hastings managed WHDL from 1952 to 1966. The station was historically an
oldies Oldies is a term for musical genres such as pop music, rock and roll, doo-wop, surf music from the second half of the 20th century, specifically from around the mid-1950s to the 1980s, as well as for a radio format playing this music. Since 2 ...
outlet known as "14 Karat Gold" since at least the 1980s, a format that was dropped in 2013 in favor of a 24-hour
ESPN Radio ESPN Radio, which is alternatively branded platform-agnostically as ESPN Audio, is an American sports radio network and extension of the ESPN television network. It was launched on January 1, 1992, under the banner "SportsRadio ESPN". The netw ...
feed, branded as "The Huddle" (a
backronym A backronym is an acronym formed from an already existing word by expanding its letters into the words of a phrase. Backronyms may be invented with either serious or humorous intent, or they may be a type of false etymology or folk etymology. The ...
of the station's long-established call sign). On August 8, 2016, WHDL changed its format from ESPN sports to top 40/CHR, branded as "Hot 107.1" (simulcast on FM translator W296DB in Olean). The format change took advantage of FCC regulations allowing an AM station to be broadcast on FM translators far removed from their city of license (the translator was relocated from Elmira). On July 26, 2019, the station changed its call sign to WOLY, taking on a new call sign for the first time in its 90-year history. On July 29, 2019, WOLY changed its format from top 40/CHR to classic hits, branded as "Big Oly 107.1", returning the station to a format of older music. (The concept is loosely based on that of another Seven Mountains station, WLUI, which goes by "Big Lewie" in deference to its home city of
Lewistown, Pennsylvania Lewistown is a borough in and the county seat of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the principal city of the '' Lewistown, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area'', which encompasses all of Mifflin County. It lies along the Juniata R ...
.)
WPIG WPIG (95.7 FM broadcasting, FM) is a radio station located in Olean, New York. Branded as "95.7 The Big Pig", the station operates a country music radio format, format. It is owned by Seven Mountains Media. History The station originally signed ...
disc jockeys serve double duty for the new format (including Gary Nease, who served as morning host during the 14 Karat Gold era and briefly reprised that role in Big Oly's opening months), which is attempting to compete with the markets's predominant classic hits outlet
WXMT WXMT (106.3 FM broadcasting, FM) is a commercially licensed radio station licensed to Smethport, Pennsylvania, the seat of McKean County. The station broadcasts with an effective radiated power of 1,030 watts. WXMT is owned by Ashley Midder, thr ...
, another classic hits newcomer that changed later in 2019 after a change in ownership; and indirectly with Buffalo classic hits outlet
WHTT-FM WHTT-FM (104.1 MHz) is a commercial radio station in Buffalo, New York, serving Western New York. It is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts a classic hits format, simply calling itself "Classic Hits 104.1". The studios and offices are o ...
, which also registered measurable listenership. WGWE eventually dropped out of the competition in 2021 after its owner (the
Seneca Nation of Indians The Seneca Nation of Indians is a federally recognized Seneca tribe based in western New York. They are one of three federally recognized Seneca entities in the United States, the others being the Tonawanda Band of Seneca (also in western New ...
) withdrew its support for the station; in May 2022, Seven Mountains set up a translator for WOLY in Salamanca on 105.5, a short distance down the dial from WGWE's former frequency of 105.9. The 105.5 translator broadcasts from the tower of sister station
WQRS WQRS (98.3 FM) is a radio station licensed to Salamanca, New York serving the Olean, New York broadcasting area. The station airs a classic rock format and is owned by Seven Mountains Media, the leading commercial broadcaster in Cattaraugus C ...
.


Programming

WOLY shares much of its programming with sister stations
WZHD WZHD (97.1 FM broadcasting, FM) is a classic rock-formatted radio station licensed to Canaseraga, New York, United States. It serves the Hornell/Dansville area and simulcasts programming from WQRS (98.3 FM), serving the Elmira, New York radio mar ...
,
WPHD-FM WCIM (104.9 FM) is a Christian radio station as part of the Family Life Network. Licensed to Montour Falls, New York and broadcasting to the Elmira- Corning area, the station was acquired by Family Life Ministries in 2021. History In 2020, WNG ...
, WLUI, WKYL and
WOGA The World Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA) is a two-facility gymnastics club located in Frisco and Plano. In 1994, WOGA was established by Yevgeny Marchenko, a World Sports acrobatic champion who guided Carly Patterson to her gold medal, an ...
, including morning host Lee Richey, midday host Nancy Plum, and afternoon host Chris Randolph.
Compass Media Networks Compass Media Networks is an American radio network. The company launched in January 2009. It is owned by former Westwood One CEO and former COO of Connoisseur Media, Peter Kosann. The company focuses on radio and offers representation and m ...
' ''The Night Shift with Craig Allen'' airs in evenings.


Translators

WOLY simulcasts on these two FM translators:


References


External links

* * * {{Seven Mountains Media OLY (AM) Classic hits radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1929 1929 establishments in New York (state) Olean, New York Seven Mountains Media