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Frank FM is the branding used by Binnie Media for its radio stations airing aclassic hitsradio format. The Frank FM format was similar to theJack FM format in that these stations play around 1000 songs in regular rotation at any time as opposed to the average number of 300 to 600 songs heard regularly on mostcommercial radio stations. In 2023, the station’s programming was changed to a way broader format, which plays songs from every genre and decade. The new playlist includesRap,hip-hop,R&B, country, and also songs from its older format. During that change, the station changed its slogan to “We Play It All.”[1] Some Frank FM playlists resemble to classic hits stations rather than that ofvariety hits stations.
The Frank FM stations are:
The two Maine-based Frank FM stations have aplaylist that leans towardclassic rock, while the New Hampshire-based stations include a mix of rock, pop and dance hits in their playlists.
The Frank FM logo and branding are also employed onWRFK inBarre, Vermont, andWWFK inPlattsburgh West, New York, asimulcast on 107.1 FM owned by Great Eastern Radio. WRFK had once played classic hits and still calls itself Frank FM, but now airs aclassic rock format, using the slogan "Everything That Rocks." The Frank FM branding is also used on a station onCape Cod, 93.5WFRQ inHarwich, Massachusetts. WFRQ was formerly owned by CodComm, Inc., headed byJohn Garabedian, until it was sold to current owner, Steve Chessare of Coxswain Communications Inc.[2] It was once co-owned with the other Frank FM stations. WFRQ's playlist is similar to the New Hampshire-based Frank FM stations, including past hits from the rock, pop and dance genres. It calls itself "Cape Cod's Greatest Hits."
Most of these stations were owned byNassau Broadcasting Partners until 2012. At that time, WBIN Media acquired the Frank FM stations in Maine and New Hampshire, WRFK was sold to Great Eastern Radio, and WFRQ was acquired by Codcomm, Inc. WBYY was owned by Garrison City Broadcasting until its 2016 sale to WBIN Media; WWFK was owned byRadioactive, LLC until its sale to Great Eastern Radio in 2021.
During 2021, the three Frank FM stations in New Hampshire shifted from classic hits to ahot adult contemporary format, while retaining the Frank FM branding. The classic hits format remained on the Maine Frank FM stations.[3] On February 1, 2023, the New Hampshire Frank FM stations returned to playing a classic hits format. The New Hampshire stations also dropped their remaining on air staff who were moved to other positions within Binnie Media or otherwise laid off.[4] The Maine Frank FM stations remain separately programmed.
In March 2009, WFKB inBoyertown, Pennsylvania (servingReading), ended the Frank FM format after three years. That station is owned by a Christian broadcaster, WDAC, Inc., but was managed by Nassau Broadcasting from the fall of 2005 to the spring of 2009. Its owner took back the station's programming and reverted to theWBYN-FM call sign andChristian contemporary music, with some preaching and teaching shows. The change occurred due to Nassau's unwillingness to finance alocal marketing agreement (LMA) or purchase the station outright for the amount of money that WDAC Inc. wanted.
On April 27, 2009, a corporate reorganization began that required Nassau to divest two stations in central New Hampshire,WWHQ andWNNH. They were transferred to a divestiture trust. This caused the Frank FM simulcast of WNNH inHenniker andWLKZ inWolfeboro to end on November 4, 2009. WLKZ immediately picked up WWHQ's formerclassic rock format, while WNNH, after a period of timeoff-the-air and a subsequent simulcast of Maine-basedclassical music stationWBACH, returned to the classic hits format and Frank FM branding in November 2012. On August 31, 2015, WNNH replaced Frank FM with atalk radio format.[5] That lasted until 2017, when WNNH became anaffiliate ofScott Shannon’sTrue Oldies Channel. On April 1, 2019, WNNH returned to the Frank FM branding and classic hits format, this time simulcasting WFNQ to fill in coverage holes in the northern part of the Manchester market and the Concord area;[6] this simulcast was itself replaced by anactive rock format on September 3, 2021.[7]
Until April 1, 2013, Cape Cod's Frank FM was simulcast on the station now known asWHYA. (For most of this period, the WFRQ call letters were assigned to that station, and the current WFRQ broadcast as WFQR). WHYA now broadcasts acontemporary hit radio format.
Until February 18, 2017, the Frank FM branding was used in theMidcoast Maine area onWBYA inIslesboro. WBYA's format was then moved to WBQX, replacing the WBACH classical music format.[8] WBYA now airs acountry music format.