Radio B101 (WWBB)

WWBB (101.5 FM, "B101" or "Big Hits B101") is a radio station in Providence, Rhode Island. The station mainly plays classic hits and oldies from the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s. The station is also carried as background music on several local access channels in southeastern Massachusetts. B101's offices and studios are located on 75 Oxford Street Providence, Rhode Island, USA 3rd and 4th floors respectively of the Roland Building adjacent to Interstate 95 in the city of Providence. WWBB's transmitting antenna is located on the former WNAC-TV analog tower, located on Pine St, in Rehoboth, MA. WWBB transmits a directional signal to reduce interference to WFNX in BostonWWBB hit the air in 1989 with an Oldies format, which was very popular across the nation at that time. However, its history dates back to May 30, 1955 when it began broadcasting in Providence as WTMH; these call letters reflected the initials of its owner, T. Mitchell Hastings. In 1958, Hastings reorganized his General Broadcasting Corporation as Concert Network, Inc., and changed the call letters to WXCN. As a Concert Network affiliate, it broadcast classical music. The station was sold in 1963 and after another change in ownership the following year, it became WCRQ. At some point later in the sixties, the station changed owners again, and became WLKW-FM, a sister station of WLKW-AM. As WLKW, it aired a Beautiful Music format. In 1987, the station was sold, and two years later became WWBB.As the 21st century dawned, B101 started to see changes in its playlist. Music from the 1950s was phased out until, around 2003, it was almost gone completely. More music from the 1970s began to appear, and the slogan changed from "Good Times And Great Oldies" to "Big Hits Of The 60s And 70s". It was around this time, that former program director Bill Hess repositioned the station as "Big Hits, B101", a moniker which still exists today. In the last year or so, music from the 1980s began to be aired. Over the years, the number of songs in rotation has shrunk from approximately 1,500 down to 300.