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Wikipedia

WJTO

January 01, 1970

WJTO (730 AM) is an adult standards and oldies station licensed to Bath, Maine. WJTO is owned by Blue Jey Broadcasting Co. (Bob Bittner: 100% stockholder) and is a sister station to similarly owned WJIB in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

WJTO
Broadcast areaPortland and vicinity
Frequency730 kHz
Branding730 & 105.3 WJTO
Programming
FormatAdult standards; oldies
Ownership
Owner
  • Bob Bittner Broadcasting
  • (Blue Jey Broadcasting Company)
WLAM, WLVP
History
First air date
September 1957; 66 years ago (1957-09)
Former call signs
WMMS (1957–1964)
Call sign meaning
"Where Jets Take Off"
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID33287
ClassD
Power
  • 1,000 watts (day)
  • 6 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
43°52′39″N 69°50′49″W / 43.87750°N 69.84694°W / 43.87750; -69.84694
Translator(s)105.3 W287DD (Bath)
Links
Public license information
  • Public file
  • LMS
Websitewww.thememoriesstation.us

History edit

WJTO began broadcasting in September 1957 as WMMS ("Where Most of Maine is Served") under original owner Winslow T. Porter Sr. The callsign was changed in 1964 to WJTO for "Where Jets Take Off" — a reference to nearby Brunswick Naval Air Station.[2][3]

In the 1960s and 1970s, WJTO, with studios located in downtown Bath, gave several Portland stations real competition. In 1971, the modern two-story building was constructed at the transmitter site (the current site owned by Bittner), and all was well until the late 1970s when FM came into fashion. WJTO had a powerful FM (WJTO-FM), which later became WIGY and WKRH; all three incarnations co-owned with WJTO. With listenership drifting to FM, the original AM station was getting less attention, drifting through several ownership changes until both stations went into bankruptcy around 1990. Off the air for 11 months, the FM was finally sold to a Rhode Island broadcaster (which still owns it, with callsign changed to WBCI).

Bob Bittner edit

Bob Bittner bought WJTO in March 1997, as the fourth station under his ownership. (In 1996 and 1997, he sold two of his other stations, WNEB in Worcester, Massachusetts, and WKBR in Manchester, New Hampshire.) WJTO was a complete purchase: not just the station license, but also the equipment and real estate of 12 acres (49,000 m2), located on an ocean inlet. Later in 2003 and 2004, Bittner made two adjoining land and house purchases, creating a full residence 600' from the station, all situated on 220 acres (0.89 km2) in West Bath, Maine. Bittner used the premises as a summer residence and kept an extensive music collection for both stations at WJTO. On display at WJTO is much radio memorabilia, including many classic playlists from WABC during its "MusicRadio 77" days in the 1970s.

With Bittner's purchase in 1997, WJTO switched from talk to beautiful music with moderate results. Slowly, Bittner morphed it to an adult standards station with a lot of 1950s and 1960s oldies pop mixed in; in recent years,[when?] WJTO has had an audience equivalent to the prosperity days of the 1960s and 1970s.

Typical music heard on WJTO (and separately-programmed WJIB) includes a blend of music from 1937 to 1980 (with a few from before and after) not heard anywhere else on the mid- and southern coast of Maine, from Frank Sinatra to Linda Ronstadt. In addition to the hits, Bittner inserts about 4 LP tracks each hour, from same and similar artists. Amazingly, says Bittner, it all flows quite well.

Similar to Bittner's Boston station WJIB, WJTO does not air any commercials, but is big on local public service announcements, including fund-raising spots aimed at keeping the station on the air. WJTO's first fundraising drive in 2008 raised $29,676.11 from 657 different listeners (including a radio fan from Goshen, New York, who actually hunted down Bob and the station after hearing it on vacation) over an eleven-week period that summer. Later fund-drives (contributions from listeners) in 2009, 2010 and 2011 were quite successful, thereby solidifying this method of support. Having allegiance to the listeners, as opposed to commercial interests, allows WJTO to have what they call a "pro-people attitude" with public service announcements and editorial opinions rarely heard on other stations.

WJTO puts out a 1,000-watt daytime signal and can be heard as far away as Provincetown, Massachusetts, and Nova Scotia, with a daytime city-grade signal into Portland. (It also airs at night, but the signal does not get far with only six watts.)

Blue Jey Broadcasting has purchased translator W252BT in Freeport to rebroadcast WJTO and it became a licensed facility on May 8, 2013.

Owner Bob Bittner died on May 26, 2023.

Translator edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WJTO". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Call Letter Origins: The List".
  3. ^ "BROADCASTING YEARBOOK - Station and industry directory 1935-2010".

External links edit

  • WJTO in the FCC AM station database
  • WJTO in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
  • FCC History Cards for WJTO
  • A tour of the WJTO facility
FM translator
  • W287DD in the FCC FM station database
  • W287DD at FCCdata.org

January 01, 1970
wjto, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, january, 2012, learn,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources WJTO news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2012 Learn how and when to remove this message WJTO 730 AM is an adult standards and oldies station licensed to Bath Maine WJTO is owned by Blue Jey Broadcasting Co Bob Bittner 100 stockholder and is a sister station to similarly owned WJIB in Cambridge Massachusetts WJTOBath MaineBroadcast areaPortland and vicinityFrequency730 kHzBranding730 amp 105 3 WJTOProgrammingFormatAdult standards oldiesOwnershipOwnerBob Bittner Broadcasting Blue Jey Broadcasting Company Sister stationsWLAM WLVPHistoryFirst air dateSeptember 1957 66 years ago 1957 09 Former call signsWMMS 1957 1964 Call sign meaning Where Jets Take Off Technical information 1 Licensing authorityFCCFacility ID33287ClassDPower1 000 watts day 6 watts night Transmitter coordinates43 52 39 N 69 50 49 W 43 87750 N 69 84694 W 43 87750 69 84694Translator s 105 3 W287DD Bath LinksPublic license informationPublic fileLMSWebsitewww wbr thememoriesstation wbr us Contents 1 History 1 1 Bob Bittner 2 Translator 3 References 4 External linksHistory editWJTO began broadcasting in September 1957 as WMMS Where Most of Maine is Served under original owner Winslow T Porter Sr The callsign was changed in 1964 to WJTO for Where Jets Take Off a reference to nearby Brunswick Naval Air Station 2 3 In the 1960s and 1970s WJTO with studios located in downtown Bath gave several Portland stations real competition In 1971 the modern two story building was constructed at the transmitter site the current site owned by Bittner and all was well until the late 1970s when FM came into fashion WJTO had a powerful FM WJTO FM which later became WIGY and WKRH all three incarnations co owned with WJTO With listenership drifting to FM the original AM station was getting less attention drifting through several ownership changes until both stations went into bankruptcy around 1990 Off the air for 11 months the FM was finally sold to a Rhode Island broadcaster which still owns it with callsign changed to WBCI Bob Bittner edit Bob Bittner bought WJTO in March 1997 as the fourth station under his ownership In 1996 and 1997 he sold two of his other stations WNEB in Worcester Massachusetts and WKBR in Manchester New Hampshire WJTO was a complete purchase not just the station license but also the equipment and real estate of 12 acres 49 000 m2 located on an ocean inlet Later in 2003 and 2004 Bittner made two adjoining land and house purchases creating a full residence 600 from the station all situated on 220 acres 0 89 km2 in West Bath Maine Bittner used the premises as a summer residence and kept an extensive music collection for both stations at WJTO On display at WJTO is much radio memorabilia including many classic playlists from WABC during its MusicRadio 77 days in the 1970s With Bittner s purchase in 1997 WJTO switched from talk to beautiful music with moderate results Slowly Bittner morphed it to an adult standards station with a lot of 1950s and 1960s oldies pop mixed in in recent years when WJTO has had an audience equivalent to the prosperity days of the 1960s and 1970s Typical music heard on WJTO and separately programmed WJIB includes a blend of music from 1937 to 1980 with a few from before and after not heard anywhere else on the mid and southern coast of Maine from Frank Sinatra to Linda Ronstadt In addition to the hits Bittner inserts about 4 LP tracks each hour from same and similar artists Amazingly says Bittner it all flows quite well Similar to Bittner s Boston station WJIB WJTO does not air any commercials but is big on local public service announcements including fund raising spots aimed at keeping the station on the air WJTO s first fundraising drive in 2008 raised 29 676 11 from 657 different listeners including a radio fan from Goshen New York who actually hunted down Bob and the station after hearing it on vacation over an eleven week period that summer Later fund drives contributions from listeners in 2009 2010 and 2011 were quite successful thereby solidifying this method of support Having allegiance to the listeners as opposed to commercial interests allows WJTO to have what they call a pro people attitude with public service announcements and editorial opinions rarely heard on other stations WJTO puts out a 1 000 watt daytime signal and can be heard as far away as Provincetown Massachusetts and Nova Scotia with a daytime city grade signal into Portland It also airs at night but the signal does not get far with only six watts Blue Jey Broadcasting has purchased translator W252BT in Freeport to rebroadcast WJTO and it became a licensed facility on May 8 2013 Owner Bob Bittner died on May 26 2023 Translator editBroadcast translator for WJTO Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP W Class Transmitter coordinates FCC info W287DD 105 3 FM Bath Maine 201072 250 D 43 52 36 00 N 69 50 51 00 W 43 8766667 N 69 8475000 W 43 8766667 69 8475000 W287DD LMSReferences edit Facility Technical Data for WJTO Licensing and Management System Federal Communications Commission Call Letter Origins The List BROADCASTING YEARBOOK Station and industry directory 1935 2010 External links editWJTO in the FCC AM station database WJTO in Nielsen Audio s AM station database FCC History Cards for WJTO A tour of the WJTO facility FM translator W287DD in the FCC FM station database W287DD at FCCdata org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title WJTO amp oldid 1216984386, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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