WABI is no more

[Doug Drown]

Scott Fybush reports in this week's North East Radio Watch that Maine's oldest radio station, WABI in Bangor, has changed its call letters to WAEI (AM) to reflect its recent affiliation with the WEEI Sports Network.  This may seem insignificant, but the call letters have been the same since the station first went on the air in 1924.  The FM counterpart, which it simulcasts, became WAEI-FM about two months ago.  The historic WABI calls now rest solely with Bangor's Channel 5 (5.1 DT), which is under separate ownership.  

Sad, I think, and unnecessary . . . but not surprising. 

WABI was originally placed on the air by the First Universalist Church in Bangor, then later was sold to the Bangor Hydro-Electric Company.  Gov. Horace Hildreth bought it in the late '40s, and subsequently established the FM and TV stations.  Diversified Communications (owned by his heirs) sold the radio outlets about ten years ago, IIRC.   

-Doug