WILI-FM

WILI-FM (98.3 FM, "Hit Music i-98.3") is a radio station broadcasting a Top 40 (CHR) format. Licensed to the village of Willimantic, Connecticut, it serves eastern Connecticut. Willimantic is a village within the town of Windham, Connecticut. It is the sister station to WILI/1400. The station is currently owned by Hall Communications. The studios are on Main Street in Willimantic, near the Willimantic Footbridge.

History

The history of 98.3 FM in Willimantic began in 1971, with two competing proposals for the allocation of 98.3 in Connecticut: A proposal for the allocation to go to Willimantic submitted by Colin K. Rice and his family’s Nutmeg Broadcasting, and a competing proposal from a group headed by Randal Mayer of WWUH and WHCN-FM and Kenneth N. Dawson of WKND to allocate the frequency to Enfield. In early 1972, the FCC allocated the frequency to Willimantic, making 98.3 the only FM in Windham County.

By December 1972, Nutmeg Broadcasting and the newly formed Windham Broadcast Group were competing for the 98.3 license in Willimantic. The Windham Broadcast Group was also backed by Mayer and Dawson, the petitioners to have the frequency allocated to Enfield. Also in 1972, Nutmeg Broadcasting received approval to build an FM tower on Gates Road at the site of two microwave towers owned by Southern New England Telephone, but allowed the permit to expire.