BANGOR, Maine — The vibrant rock ‘n’ roll radio station owned by Stephen King will cease operations at the end of the year.
The famous author and passionate musician, who once played with a band composed of literary figures called the Rock Bottom Remainders, announced on Monday that, at the age of 77, it is time to bid farewell to the trio of radio stations in Bangor, Maine, that have struggled financially over recent years. For decades, King has been the driving force keeping these stations afloat, and he expressed gratitude for being able to maintain them alongside his wife, Tabitha.
“In a time when many local radio stations are swallowed up by large corporate entities, I have cherished the experience of being an independent owner for all these years,” King remarked in a statement. “I’ve appreciated the dedicated staff who came to work at these stations each day, providing entertainment, managing the equipment, and helping local businesses connect with their communities.”
King’s venture into radio started when he purchased a station at the age of 36. In 1983, he renamed it WZON, inspired by his novel “The Dead Zone.” Although the station went through various changes and eventually closed, King reacquired it in 1990.
Currently, King’s radio portfolio under ZONE Corporation includes WKIT-FM, branded as “Stephen King’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio Station,” alongside WZON-AM Retro Radio, and the adult alternative music station, WZLO-FM. Unfortunately, all three will go off the air on December 31.
Ken Wood, the general manager of the stations, expressed mixed emotions about the ending of this chapter. “It’s bittersweet to see this era come to a close, but I’m grateful for the time we had,” he stated. “Once, independent and locally owned radio stations were commonplace, but now, there are only a handful left in Maine. We were fortunate to have these three for as long as we did.”
