WBGI-FM

WBGI-FM (105.5 MHz) is a radio station broadcasting a country music radio format. It is licensed to Bethlehem, West Virginia, and it serves the Wheeling metropolitan area. WBGI-FM is owned by Cody Barack through licensee Ohio Midland Newsgroup LLC.

WBGI-FM

Bethlehem, West Virginia
Broadcast area	Wheeling metropolitan area
Frequency	105.5 MHz
Branding	Big Willie 105.5
Programming
Format	Country music
Affiliations	Fox News Radio
Ownership
Owner	Cody Barack (Ohio Midland Newsgroup, LLC)
Sister stations	WOMP, WLYV, WRQY, WEIR, WCDK
History
First air date	1985; 40 years ago (1985)
Former call signs	WHLX (1982–1996) WRIR (1996–1997) WZNW (1997–2001) WZNW-FM (2001) WVKF (2001–2004) WUKL (2004–2021)
Call sign meaning	"Biggie"
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	4996
Class	B1
ERP	13,500 watts
HAAT	95 meters (312 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	40°03′17″N 80°42′26″W
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Webcast	Listen Live

The station has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 13,500 watts. The transmitter is on Highland Lane in Bethlehem, near Interstate 470.^[2]

History

The station first signed on the air in 1985; 40 years ago (1985). Its original call sign was WHLX.

In 1997, WHLX was flipped to a Modern AC—WZNE—THE ZONE, a Hit based Alternative Pop station programmed by Doug Daniels. The station then transitioned to a Mainstream CHR in 1998.

Beginning in 2001, the station changed call letters to WVKF and become KISS FM remaining CHR. But the CHR/Top 40 format moved to 95.7 in 2004. After Kiss-FM moved, 105.5 flipped to Classic Hits as "Kool 105.5" under the WUKL call sign.

On August 12, 2021, the station cluster was sold by Forever Media to Cody Barack's Ohio Midland Newsgroup, LLC. The properties included WBGI-FM, WLIE (now WLYV), and WRQY. The price tag was $1,250,000 along with the sale of FM translator W235BX.^[3]

On December 28, 2021, Ohio Midland Newsgroup announced that WUKL and WBGI-FM would swap formats on January 3, 2022, at 5:30 a.m. The switch put the classic hits format on 100.5 as a revived "WOMP-FM”, and the country format on 105.5 as "105.5 Biggie Country", with both stations exchanging call signs before the announcement on December 24, 2021.^[4]

On September 22, 2022, after stunting with a one day loop of "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus, WBGI-FM changed its format to classic country as "Big Willie 105.5", positioned as "The Greatest Country Hits of the 80s, 90s & More".^[5] In early 2025, the station playlist was tweaked to add more current music while retaining the Big Willie branding. The station is now positioned as “Your Country” and is also the local Nascar affiliate.