PORTLAND, ME (March 27, 2023) Portland Radio Group, a subsidiary of Saga Communications, Inc., has announced the rebranding of its WYNZ-FM from “Rewind 100.9” to “Whoopie 100.9,” effective immediately. Since its inception in 1976, the station had broadcast a variety of musical formats and been known as Rewind 100.9 since April 2013. In its most recent incarnation, the station’s playlist was tightly focused on pop songs from the 1980’s. The new Whoopie 100.9 will retain much of Rewind’s prior song library but will compliment with titles from the 90’s and 00’s, affording broader demographic appeal.
“This is not a decision we arrived at lightly,” said Portland Radio Group President and General Manager Phil Zachary. “Rewind 100.9 had a large and loyal following across Southern Maine and ranked among the Top-10 of all Portland area stations with weekly adult listeners, but we sensed a larger opportunity in the market. By expanding the playlist to include artists and songs from the last three decades, Whoopie 100.9 will fill a sizable void that presently exists in the Portland market.” Reflecting the new expanded on-air playlist, the station has adopted the slogan, “We play everything.”
The Whoopie name emerged from a survey of active radio listeners conducted in February 2023. Respondents were asked to state positive attributes, words and phrases that best describe Maine’s quality of life, and “Whoopie” ranked near the top of the list. In 2011, the Maine legislature designated the Whoopie Pie as the state’s official dessert treat. Station management chose to appropriate the name as a fun, colloquial way to rebrand the 100.9 frequency.
Saga Communications, Inc. is a broadcasting company whose business is devoted to acquiring, developing and operating broadcast properties. The company owns or operates broadcast properties in 27 markets, including 79 FM, 35 AM radio stations and 80 Metro signals. For more information on the new Whoopie 100.9 FM, contact Phil Zachary at 207-771-0101 or visit our website at www.whoopie1009.com.
