Horror author Stephen King’s rock radio station will continue to rock out 24/7 into the new year.
Two businessmen purchased the station from the best-selling author after he announced that WKIT-FM and two other stations would go off the air after New Year’s Eve. The buyers were Greg Hawes and Jeff Solari of Maine, who formed Rock Lobster Radio Group to operate the station.
“WKIT is the most legendary station in the region. It has a rich history. We cannot let it die,” they said in a statement.
King is a lifelong rock musician who has performed with the Rock Bottom Remainders, a group that performs for charity after literary icons. Earlier this month, he announced that at the age of 77, he decided it was time to say goodbye to radio.
“I am deeply sorry to be closing WKIT and its sister stations,” King posted on social media earlier this month. “I delayed the proceedings as long as I could.”
General manager Ken Wood, who has been with the network for 10 years, also acknowledged the end of an era but appreciated the Kings’ commitment to local broadcasts.
“Independent, locally owned radio stations used to be the norm,” Wood said. “There are only a few left in Maine, and we’re lucky that we’ve had these three for so long.”
The prolific author purchased WLBZ in 1983 and renamed it WZON in homage to his 1979 novel death zone. The station was sold in 1990, but was reacquired by the Kings three years later. Despite King’s passion for radio and his efforts to maintain local and independent stations, the three stations continued to lose money, and King personally made up the deficit.
Since entering the terrestrial broadcasting business in 1983, King has written more than 50 novels, including it, suffering, dark tower series, pet cemetery, under the dome, skeleton crew, green mile and 11/22/63etc.
