BANGOR — K-LOVE 91.5 FM is the newest radio station to hit the northern Maine airwaves and the fourth station with a Christian format to broadcast in Bangor.

But K-LOVE — which originates at a California studio — has no studio and no transmitter in the state. Instead, it uses a 25-watt, satellite-fed repeater or minitransmitter to send a signal from its California studio.

K-LOVE targets small- to medium-sized markets, according to Joe Miller, the Sacramento-based company’s director of finance. The fact that there were three other Christian stations broadcasting in the Bangor area did not come to light until after plans were already made to enter the Maine broadcasting market.

“We program 57 minutes of music every hour,” he said in a recent phone interview. “Our target audience is between 25 and 44. Not having a local studio is a drawback, but local news and information are not the primary reasons people listen. Our audience listens for the music.”

K-LOVE’s Bangor repeater, located at a business on Perry Road, is one of 70 around the country. While the station will not be promoted at a local church as is WJCX at Calvary Chapel, the expense of operating such devices is low and that is the future of radio, according to Miller.

The granddaddy of religious radio in northern Maine is WHCF 88.5 FM. It was the lone Christian station from 1981 until 1997, when WJCX 99.5 FM joined the Christian broadcasters. In 1998, WHCS, whose studio is on Outer Broadway next to Bangor Baptist Church, launched a sister station geared to a younger audience — WHMX 105.7 FM.

Each station has its own descriptive label. K-LOVE is adult contemporary Christian. WJCX is described as praise and worship. WHMX is contemporary Christian, and WCHS is traditional and Southern gospel. K-LOVE cannot generate any local programming, while WJCX airs local segments featuring Ken Graves, pastor of Bangor’s Calvary Chapel, and the local Christian rock band Godsword.

WHCF and WHMX generate much of their programming locally, feature segments with local ministers and lay leaders, and promote the music of area Christian performers. The stations also bring national Christian performers to the area for concerts.

Tom Obey, station manager for WHCF and WHMX, said that he was not worried about the added competition from another station.

“There is no competition in Christian radio. We have alternatives,” he said. “In a way, the formats of the four stations give listeners choices similar to what is on the `secular’ dial. However, we feel that local radio sells and to succeed, you must have a local presence. Our signal is 50,000 watts, so we can reach northern and central Maine, and into the Maritimes. The other station’s signals are not nearly as strong.”

WJCX’s transmitter is 6,000 watts, while K-LOVE’s is just 250.

“The most powerful reason [that Christian music affect’s people’s lives] is the lyrics of songs can penetrate the heart of a person,” said Larry Wayne, K-LOVE’s morning show host. “They may not be a believer. There is powerful ministry in a three-minute song.”

Obey said that the ability to promote concerts like the two planned this spring by WHMX is one more reason for having a local presence in a community and is important to the success of Christian radio stations.

Michael W. Smith will perform March 2 at the Bangor Auditorium and the Newsboys will perform April 5 on outer Broadway in their own mobile 3,200-seat performance space.