WYNZ

WYNZ
City South Portland, Maine
Broadcast area Southern Maine Coast, Mid Coast Maine
Branding Rewind 100.9
Slogan Amazing Variety from the '70s, '80s and '90s
Frequency 100.9 MHz (also on HD Radio)
First air date 1976 (as WRQN)
Format Classic hits
ERP 25,000 watts
HAAT 93 meters
Class B1
Facility ID 58536
Former callsigns WRQN (1976-1978)
WLOB-FM (1978-1980)
Owner Saga Communications
(Saga Communications of New England, LLC)
Sister stations WBAE, WGIN, WGAN, WZAN, WMGX, WCLZ, WPOR
Webcast Listen Live
Website rewind1009.com

WYNZ (100.9 FM, "Rewind 100.9"), is a Classic Hits FM radio station licensed to South Portland, Maine, and broadcasting at 100.9 MHz. Until 2007, the station was an oldies formatted radio station known as Oldies 100.9.

History

100.9 FM began broadcasting in 1976 as adult contemporary station WRQN. In 1978, it was sold to the owners of 1310 AM WLOB, whose management changed the FM station to album-oriented rock as WLOB-FM. During those years, it was known as "FM 101 - Portland's Best Rock", giving progressive rock station 107.5 WBLM some serious competition and sometimes beating WBLM in the ratings as well.

In late-1980, the station was sold to Eastman Broadcasting, which was also in the process of purchasing 970 AM WCSH (now WZAN), Portland, Maine. Eastman changed the call letters to WYNZ-FM in December 1980, but initially left the AOR format untouched. For the next year, the station was known as "Z101 - Portland's Best Rock".

Some of the DJs on "FM101/Z101-Portland's Best Rock" included Danny Shewster, G.V. Rapp, John Clark, Karen (Tucker) Payson, Bennie Green, Scott Schuster, Will Jackson, and Jeff Spicer. Eastman changed WYNZ-FM to an adult contemporary music format in November, 1981, calling the station Y101. At that point, the on-air line-up included morning man Bob Rose as well as Dean Rogers, Andy Kosinski and others.

The station was sold to Buckley Broadcasting in the mid-1980s and the Y101 adult contemporary format remained in place. Bob Rose, Dean Rogers and Andy Kosinski were joined by Ted Talbot.

In 1989, WYNZ changed formats to Oldies, re-branding to "Portland's Solid Gold, Y101-FM" playing hits from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Bob Rose remained on mornings as well as Ted Talbot handling afternoons. Andy Kosinski was the evening voice. Chuck Igo joined the station to handle middays. Bob Rose exited the station in the early 90's and Dean Rogers returned to the FM side of the WYNZ operation to handle mornings.

In 1993, the station was sold to Saga Communications and the format was kept in place, re-branding as "Oldies 100.9 WYNZ." The Oldies on-air staff included Dean Rogers, Chuck Igo & Ted Talbot. After the departure of Igo (1994) and Rogers (1997), Bob Anderson assumed mornings until his untimely passing in 2003 while hosting his Saturday morning shift. Anderson was 59. Igo, who had returned to the station in late 2001 to handle afternoons, assumed the morning show he still hosts. Corey Garrison, Ken McGrail, Gary "The K" Koblara, Mike Kimball, Ed Petty, and the late Tom Kelly (Tom Pagnotti) have handled air duties - just to name a few.

In 2007, WYNZ evolved, eliminating the hits of the 1950s and moving the format forward to incorporate hits from the 1980s, re-branding as "Big Hits Y100.9."

In 2009, the station changed its city of license from Westbrook to South Portland.

In April 2013, WYNZ re-branded to "Rewind 100.9", still playing the biggest hits from 1964 through 1989.

As of 2016, the station continues to play Classic Hits but has shifted its focus to playing songs from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. The on-air line-up includes Chuck Igo in mornings, Sarah Sullivan in midday and Jeff Pierce on afternoon drive. The main competitor for WYNZ is the rival Classic Hits radio station WFNK, Frank FM.

Coordinates: 43°41′28″N 70°19′05″W / 43.691°N 70.318°W / 43.691; -70.318


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