WBLI
WBLI is a commercial FM radio station owned by Cox Radio and licensed to Patchogue, New York. It airs a Top 40 radio format. The station mainly serves Suffolk County, New York on Long Island. The studios and offices are located on Sunrise Highway in West Babylon, New York.
WBLI is a Class B FM station with an effective radiated power of 49,000 watts, the highest powered station on Long Island. In order to protect two adjacent channel stations from interference, 105.9 WQXR-FM, Newark, New Jersey, and 105.9 WHCN Hartford, Connecticut, WBLI uses a directional antenna. The station's transmitter is located in Farmingville, New York.
History
Early Years
The station signed on the air on December 13, 1957 as WPAC-FM. It was the FM counterpart to WPAC. The two stations were owned by the Patchogue Broadcasting Company. Because WPAC was a daytimer, WPAC-FM simulcast its programming in the daytime and continued it after WPAC signed off the air at sunset.At first it was only powered at 7,800 watts on a 115-foot tower, only heard in and around Western Suffolk County. It would take several decades before the station expanded its coverage area.
Contemporary Hits
In January 1971 the station was purchased by Beck-Ross Communications, owner of WGLI in Babylon, New York. The call sign was changed to WBLI. President Martin F. Beck switched the station to a contemporary format as "The New FM 106 WBLI". After Beck-Ross took ownership, the station initially broadcast from a trailer located behind the WPAC building in Medford, New York. In March 1971, WBLI moved to new studios at 31 West Main Street in Patchogue.WBLI's original air-staff included George Taylor Morris, Barry Neal, Jay Mitchell, Jimmy "Stoney Brook" Ryan, Brian Quinn, Mike "Scalzi" Josephs, with Tony "Dusty Hudson" Marzocco, and Pauly "Captain Jack Blight" Zarcone. Other DJs during the 1970s & 1980s included Alan "Al Nouveau" Bandiero, Mike "Davis Parke" Riccio, Randi Taylor, Bruce Michaels, Nick O'Neil, Chris Tyler, William "Billy Terry" Whitnum, Jeffrey Thomas, Scott Taylor, Don Nelson, Rick Sommers, Keith Allen, Rob McLean, Mary Ann "J.J. Kennedy" Rourke, Carlton Dayton, T.K. Townsend, Brooke Daniels, Larry "Addams" Wachs, with Scotty Miller, and Kelly Hart. WBLI had a Saturday night dance show called Club 106 during the disco music era, hosted by Long Island club DJ Rory J. Thompson. On Sunday nights BLI aired an oldies show known as Only Gold during the 1970s through the mid-1980s, hosted by Bruce Michaels and later by Jerry St. James and then Donnie Nelson. Although technically a Top 40/CHR hitmusic radio station, WBLI had a more AC sound in certain day parts and avoided such harder rocking Top 40/CHR hits such as "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts during their initial chart runs.
Shift to Hot AC
By 1991, with the CHR format on the decline across the country, WBLI evolved into more of a hot adult contemporary sound. Steve Harper and news director Ken Rhodes hosted the morning show. The station often ran special weekend programming such as the "Almost Made It But Didn't Weekend" and "The Ladies of the 80s Weekend." Musically the station was slightly hotter than New York City's WPLJ and Mix 105 WMXV.In March 1994, Beck-Ross Communications was acquired by Liberty Broadcasting, the owners of two other Long Island stations, 1240 WGBB and 102.3 WBAB-FM.
Back to their Top 40/CHR roots
By February 1995, WBLI gradually began to move back to Top 40. Long time New England Top 40 DJ Alan "Al On The Scene" Levine joined WBLI as their new Music Director and nighttime jock. The station also began to run a music video countdown show on Friday nights called the "BLI's SEGWAY" hosted by Steve Harper and simulcast on Channel 55 WLNY-TV. WBLI also picked up the syndicated Saturday night show Open House Party - which had previously been run on the station in the late 80s.In July 1996 WBLI was acquired by Chancellor Broadcasting. Ken Rosato exited mornings and Kelly Nash exited afternoons, but WBLI started adding more CHUrban and dance product especially at night.
In September 1996, Kenneth "Doctor Ken" Medek was hired to be Program Director after serving in that role in 98.5 WKRZ Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Under Ken and Al the station created special features like the "BLI's The Fresh Five at Nine", and the "BLI's New Music Challenge" returned. The station used the imaging voice of the late great Billy Moore and had a new jingle packages by TM Century. By 1997, WBLI was one of the more rhythmic mainstream CHRs in the Northeast, including "Classic Dance Weekends". Ken Medek left the station in September 1998 to return to WKRZ.
Cox Ownership
-based Cox Media acquired the station in 1998. When Cox Radio took over WBLI, it evolved into a more mainstream CHR with less dance product and a tighter playlist of hits. New imaging station voices was added to replace Billy, like Kurt Flood, Mark Driscoll, with Jennifer Vaughn, and the late great Brian James, but then on March the 29th, of 2006 incredible voice actor Beau Weaver took over as the new voice of 106.1 'BLI as well as an all brand spankin' new jingle package was debuted at the same time.In June 2019, Cox announced it would sell the majority interest in its radio stations to Apollo Global Management. The new broadcasting company will continue to use the name Cox Media.
Personalities
Previous Morning Shows
On July 11, 2016, Cooper Lawrence, formerly of WPLJ, and Anthony Michaels, took over mornings 5:30 - 9am on the station. The show had its last broadcast on September 14, 2018.On June 30, 2016, the station announced on its Facebook page that Dana and Jayson in the Morning had ended its run. It featured Dana DiDonato, Jayson Prim, John Mingione, Shawn "Puffy The Producer" Novatt, and Ted Lindner with news and traffic.
Steve Harper had hosted "'BLI in the AM" for 25 years before being let go in the Summer of 2006. Maria Garcia was the co-host since 1998. The show was called "Steve and Maria in the Morning." Maria left in 2005. Dana DiDonato joined Harper in January 2006. Harper's last show was on July 19, 2006. Dana then assumed hosting duties along with Randy Spears and Drew Appelbaum. Randy and Drew exited the station on December 16, 2010.
On January 10, 2011, the radio station introduced "The New BLI in the Morning," which featured Dana with new co-host Jeffrey Jameson Shawn "Puffy The Producer" Novatt also returned. The show was syndicated to Cox sister station "Hot 100.9" WHTI in Richmond, Virginia, and renamed "Dana and Jeffrey in the Morning" on Monday, June 4, 2012. Syndication ended when WHTI was sold to another owner in June, 2013.
Jeffrey Jameson announced he was leaving in December, 2013. Jayson Prim debuted on January 6, 2014.