Posted on 12/02/2024 8:39:12 AM PST by raccoonradio
BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - Stephen King’s radio stations are signing off for good at the end of the month.
The Zone Corporation announced Monday morning that after 41 years of King’s ownership, Bangor area channels WZON, WKIT, WZLO will sign off on Dec. 31.
In a press release, King cited losses in the millions of dollars and his advancing age as reasons for the shut down.
“While radio across the country has been overtaken by giant corporate broadcasting groups, I’ve loved being a local, independent owner all these years,” said King. “I’ve loved the people who’ve gone to these stations every day and entertained folks, kept the equipment running, and given local advertisers a way to connect with their customers. Tabby and I are proud to have been a part of that for more than four decades.”
The Kings bought WZON in 1983.
The Zone Corporation said they would be making no further public comment nor conducting interviews on the subject.
You can read the full release below:
When internationally known author Stephen King first entered the radio business in 1983, it was with the enthusiasm and love of a lifelong rock and roll fan and as a listening member of the greater Bangor community.
He also was a young man of 36 with a lifetime of creativity ahead of him. Now, in good health but feeling his 77 years, King says it’s time to “get his business affairs in better order,” and that means saying good-bye to the radio stations that he personally has kept afloat and on the air all these years.
“While radio across the country has been overtaken by giant corporate broadcasting groups, I’ve loved being a local, independent owner all these years,” said King. “I’ve loved the people who’ve gone to these stations every day and entertained folks, kept the equipment running, and given local advertisers a way to connect with their customers. Tabby and I are proud to have been a part of that for more than four decades.”
In those four decades, however, the stations consistently have lost money. The amounts have varied from year to year but have been significant. King personally has covered those losses.
Flagship station WZON, which first went on the air in Maine in 1926 as WLBZ, was purchased by the Kings in 1983. The call letters were changed to WZON, a nod to Stephen King’s best seller The Dead Zone and a rock and roll format was instituted. The station never made money and for a time, even surrendered its commercial status to become a donor supported enterprise. In 1990, the station was sold, only for the Kings to re-acquire it three years later and bring back the commercial model.
Awww, that’s a shame.
more winning
M-O-O-N-B-A-T. That spells Stephen King. Laws, yes.
King, no doubt preparing to leave the country any minute now, is a big loudmouthed liberal.
The original miniseries version of The Stand showed a mike flag for WZON (”Rae”, a talk show host, is invaded by the military during the Superflu). In 11-22-63, WKIT is mentioned.
Elon Musk should ask how much it costs.
>>The station never made money and for a time, even surrendered its commercial status to become a donor supported enterprise.
When Air America was around I imagined a liberal talk station spending its time attacking corporate America and capitalism—and when it was time to play some ads, oops! Nobody wanted to advertise!
In NH prog talk host Deb “Arnie” Arensen went off air after attacking SUVs as “FUV”s. One major sponsor, a local car dealer...NOT pleased!
“While radio across the country has been overtaken by giant corporate broadcasting groups,….
They’re being bought out by giant corporate broadcasting groups on the left, ya dumbass….
RLTW
since i know nothing about this mini-group of Bangor radio stations, i was wondering if anyone here can tell me anything about them, for example, were they font of hard leftist pap and propaganda?
The mouth of hell is opening up to swallow him.
lol
The radio business has changed a lot. Revenues have declined, as ratings have gone down. There are internet based radio stations, and internet music sites, and satellite radio, which have pulled listeners away from terrestrial radio stations.
Awww. Is it a mourning period for his ego after coming out so strong for Harris?
Pity. He’s such a nice guy...
Terrestrial radio now seems completely dominated by pharmaceutical ads.
And tv.
WZON was oldies for a time and carried his beloved Red Sox until they went to another station without giving him an offer. Now it’s classic hits.
WKIT on its site mentions King and calls itself Bangor’s Rock and Roll Station.
WZLO is “Maine’s adult album alternative”.
I don’t think he ran political talk.
Portland used to have Air America type stuff on WLVP AM,
the call letters standing for Liberal Voice of Portland.
Now it runs standards, non profit, but he doesn’t own them.
I can recall seeing one of those Occupy Wall Street camps set up near Portland City Hall one year.
“How do I get to Millinocket?”
“Well, you could go up the shore route... or go up this way that the tourists use...hmm..come to think of it, you can’t GET there...from here...”
This was a love project for him. Or a vanity project for his ego.
But terrestrial radio continues to barely relevant, as just by advertising rates.
That said, I pay more for digital ads than my paper ads.
No great loss as King is a far left rabid liberal.
Propaganda can only be effective for so long until the populace becomes inoculated by repeated exposure. After 40 years only the cult-like true believers listen to his stations and therefor his advertising revenue went into the toilet. He lost, the jig is up and he is packing it up.
Lots of competition out there. Companies are consolidating.
iHeart will take a news staff and have them report on several different stations. Instead of having morning hosts in Boston, Providence, Springfield, and Hartford, they’ll have the same host on all of them. DJs are being laid off in favor of automation or young jocks who work for less.
There’s AM and FM. There’s also satellite radio, youtube,
Spotify, mp3 files, audiobooks, streaming of distant stations, HD radio, etc. Often people will just play songs off their ohone or media player instead of turning to a commercial station and be subjected to ads.
Local businesses need not advertise on AM or FM—the web can help them. Why spend money on an ad when you can go on facebook and say “hey everybody, we got a nice restaurant here for you to try...”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.