The WCIB call letters stand for Cape and Islands Broadcasting, the original company that signed the station on in August 1970 (not to be confused with WGBH-owned public radio station WCAI, which has the same call sign meaning).
For several years, WCIB programmed a top-40 format, but by late 1974 (after losing the top-40 battle to WCOD-FM) the station switched to an "Adult Gold" format. The station was later home to a soft adult contemporary format known as "Lite 102 WCIB", owned by Boston radio personality Larry Justice. After a short stint as "Country Thunder 101", the station was rebranded by its new owner, Al Makkay, as Cool 102, which quickly established itself as the market's ratings leader. Makkay Broadcasting sold WCIB, with its sister stations WRZE and WCOD-FM, to Qantum Communications in 2003 for $32M.
Clear Channel ownership
On May 15, 2014, Qantum Communications announced that it would sell its 29 stations, including WCIB, to Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia), in a transaction connected to Clear Channel's sale of WALK AM-FM in Patchogue, New York to Connoisseur Media via Qantum.[3] The transaction was consummated on September 9, 2014.
WCIB programs Christmas music during the holiday season. The station usually makes this change in the last week of November, but in 2017 did so on November 1. iHeartMedia Cape Cod market manager Allison Davis said that "Given the general malaise around the country, we decided this was the right time to launch a feel-good format."[4] It later discontinued the flip to Christmas music, except for Christmas Eve and Day.
Signal reduction and coverage change
On August 6, 2014, Clear Channel filed a contingent application involving WCIB, WBWL and WWBB. It would eliminate the directional pattern of WBWL in nearby Boston, giving WBWL a better signal. The application called for the reduction of WCIB's signal from a full 50,000 watts down to 13,000 watts with a directional null away from Boston, which also reduced their signal in the Providence, Rhode Island market and the Outer Cape area.[5]
The application was approved on October 6, 2014. WCIB's reduced power transmitter was put on the air December 9, 2014.[6] In August 2015, WCIB’s power was reduced to 12,000 watts to become a Class B1 (25,000-watt equivalent) radio station.[7][8]
