Stephen King's three Maine radio stations - WKIT 100.3 FM, WZLO 620 AM, and WZON 103.1 FM - will cease broadcasting on December 31, 2025, following years of financial losses sustained by the author.

King, who first purchased and rebranded WZON as a reference to his novel 'The Dead Zone,' maintained these independent stations despite ongoing financial challenges. General manager Ken Wood confirmed that King personally absorbed the stations' losses over decades.

"While radio across the country has been overtaken by giant corporate broadcasting groups, I've loved being a local independent owner all these years," King stated. Now at 77, the author explains it's time to "get his business affairs in better order."

The closure reflects broader industry challenges, coinciding with iHeartMedia's recent restructuring that affected hundreds of jobs nationwide. Wood noted, "Independent, locally owned radio stations used to be the norm. There's only a few left in Maine, and we're lucky we had these three as long as we did."

King, a lifelong rock and roll enthusiast, initially invested in these stations out of his passion for music and commitment to local broadcasting in the Bangor area. Under his ownership, the stations maintained their independent status while providing a platform for local advertisers and entertainers.

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