WOLY (1450kHz) is anAM radio station licensed toOlean, New York. The station is owned by Seven Mountains Media. It currently runs a 1970s to 1990s (and occasionally 1960s)classic hits format branded as "Big Oly 107.1 and 105.5," branding itself after its twoFMtranslators.

The station was issued an initialconstruction permit, with the sequentially issued call letters WHDL, in December 1928 to George F. Bissell inTupper Lake, New York.^[3] In 1934 the station moved to Olean^[4] as the oldest station inCattaraugus County, signing on there on December 11, 1934.^[1] It was affiliated withABC since its days as theBlue Network through the early 2010s. Former congressmanJames F. Hastings managed WHDL from 1952 to 1966. The station was historically anoldies outlet known as "14 Karat Gold" since at least the 1980s, a format that was dropped in 2013 in favor of a 24-hourESPN Radio feed, branded as "The Huddle" (abackronym of the station's long-established call sign).

On August 8, 2016, WHDL changed its format from ESPN sports totop 40/CHR, branded as "Hot 107.1" (simulcast on FM translator W296DB in Olean). The format change took advantage of FCC regulations allowing an AM station to be broadcast on FM translators far removed from their city of license (the translator was relocated fromElmira).^[5]

On July 26, 2019, the station changed its call sign to WOLY, taking on a new call sign for the first time in its 90-year history. On July 29, 2019, WOLY changed its format from top 40/CHR to classic hits, branded as "Big Oly 107.1", returning the station to a format of older music. (The concept is loosely based on that of another Seven Mountains station,WLUI, which goes by "Big Lewie" in deference to its home city ofLewistown, Pennsylvania.)WPIG disc jockeys serve double duty for the new format (including Gary Nease, who served as morning host during the 14 Karat Gold era and briefly reprised that role in Big Oly's opening months), which is attempting to compete with the markets's predominant classic hits outletWXMT, another classic hits newcomer that changed later in 2019 after a change in ownership; and indirectly with Buffalo classic hits outletWHTT-FM, which also registered measurable listenership.^[6][7] WGWE eventually dropped out of the competition in 2021 after its owner (theSeneca Nation of Indians) withdrew its support for the station; in May 2022, Seven Mountains set up a translator for WOLY in Salamanca on 105.5, a short distance down the dial from WGWE's former frequency of 105.9. The 105.5 translator broadcasts from the tower of sister stationWQRS.

Both WXMT and WOLY havedrifted to a 1980s and 1990s-centered classic hits format since their launches, largely leaving the older music torimshot signals such asWJQZ andWKZA.

WOLY shares much of its programming with sister stationsWZHD,WPHD-FM, WLUI,WKYL andWOGA, including morning host Lee Richey, midday host Nancy Plum, and afternoon host Chris Randolph.Compass Media Networks'The Night Shift with Craig Allen airs in evenings.

WOLY simulcasts on these two FM translators:

• Facility details for Facility ID 2863 (WOLY) in theFCC Licensing and Management System
• WOLY inNielsen Audio's AM station database
• W288EK at FCCdata.org
• Facility details for Facility ID 49419 (W296DB) in theFCC Licensing and Management System
• W296DB at FCCdata.org

• Radio stations in New York (state)
• Classic hits radio stations in the United States
• Radio stations established in 1929
• 1929 establishments in New York (state)
• Olean, New York
• Seven Mountains Media

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