WLW-FM

[Cincinnati Kid]

Many years ago, I heard a story that Crosley/AVCO once planned to have a radio station in Cincinnati on the FM band with the call-letters: WLW-FM. I understand this was in the early days when FM was just starting to come around and frequencies were more plentiful. I also heard the possible FM frequency that was being considered was 90.9 which is where WGUC, the University of Cincinnati station, was later placed. Does anyone have any thoughts or remembrances of this?

 

[kirkiefan]

You may be referring to WLWA-FM at 101.1 which is now WIZF.

There was also a short lived WLWB-FM in Dayton at 97.5 (currently WTGR-FM Union City/Greenville) and WLWF in Columbus at 96.3 which later became WTVN-FM in the 1960s and has been WLVQ since the late 70s.

See the Wikipedia article on Crosley Broadcasting Corporation.

 

[FRR]

How about WLWS , 96.5 on New London Rd in Hamilton in the mid 79's.

 

[HafDawg]

I always wondered if WLW would get a FM stick, like WHIO in Dayton.

 

[philrandy]

Hi I always liked WLWS (was the s for stereo?) but I don't think anyone could hang Q102 or EBN back then...
I think the voice over guy was the same as on 700 and Burbank's Sports or consequences. John Bogart?

 

[Arbitorn]

Bogart's voice wasn't on anything in Cincinnati until he came the WLW in 1985. By then, WLWS was 96 Rock (the first generation).

Bogart is the guy that hired Bob & Tom to come to Indy from Petosky, Michigan.

 

[schmave]

I always wondered if WLW would get a FM stick, like WHIO in Dayton.

Would they need one? WHIO-FM helps fill in deficient coverage areas far outside Dayton itself, especially at night when the signal pattern basically shoots straight north up I-75. WLW doesn't have deficient coverage areas anywhere within 200 miles of Cincinnati.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

That was much the case when WHIO-FM was at 99.1 in the 60's, 70's & 80's. WHIO-FM now at 95.7 doesn't get a very good signal into many parts of Greater Cincinnati. There was talk about having it's transmitter & tower in the Sharonville area over a year ago, but I haven't heard anything recently.

 

[microbob]

I think the voice over guy was the same as on 700 and Burbank's Sports or consequences. John Bogart?

The VO guy on Stereo 96 WLWS was Hugh Lutton who also worked for the old Newstalk 1530 WCKY.

 

[philrandy]

Thanks MicroBob, do you know how long WLWS was in operation?

 

[KFodor]

I always wondered if WLW would get a FM stick, like WHIO in Dayton.

Under today's FCC rules, it wouldn't be possible.

Fact is: The late Governor James M. Cox barely got WHIO-FM on the air and on that stick right before the FCC changed the rules. Getting it on the air in time allowed WHIO-FM to be grandfathered in under the old rules. Today, a Class "B" FM is limited to a 500 foot maximum tower height.

And, as the story has it: finding out the rules were going to change, the Governor put tower crews on duty 24/7 to get the new tower finished.

 

[microbob]

Thanks MicroBob, do you know how long WLWS was in operation?

According to Wikipedia, WLWS ran from 1974-1979 when it changed to top 40 WSKS KISS 96.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WFTK

 

[jcr]

I don't remember WLWS coming into existence until sometime in early 1977. Prior to that it was known as WQMS, playing religious-type programming, they had a DJ named Tom Smithers, as I recall.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

I remember WQMS from the very early 1960's. At that time, they featured eassy-listening music and on Saturday nights they played: Guy Lombardo, Jan Garber and Eddy Howard records. I was told that back then, the station's studio was in the garage of the owner, somewhere in Hamilton. WQMS was said to stand for "Quality Music Station" and station ID's consisted of what sounded like an older gentleman saying, "This is your quality music station...WQMS..Hamilton, Ohio".

 

[JerryK]

jcr..You're right about Tom Smithers. He left for Florida and spent a number of years at WSBB in New Smyrna Beach (near Daytona). Last I heard from him he was working at the educational UHF in Daytona.
Nice guy.

 

[gr8oldies]

At least in the summer of 1975 (while I was attending IBS..predecessor to ICB in Dayton), 96.5 was still WQMS with the fire and brimstone preacher stuff. Think that may have been one place I heard Cash Ambuergey.

 

[kirkiefan]

I remember 'ol Kash Amburgy..he was on countless stations over the years. There wasn't a station in Cincy and in Dayton where you didn't hear Kash shout "Follow the signs and follow the cars to Kash's Big Bargain Barn in South Leb-ba-non, O-hi-ho...save cash with Kash!"

Colorful fellow he was God rest his soul. WLWS-FM was right in his back yard..so was WGIC in Xenia where he continued to bang his drum up to the end.

 

[nmoore6676]

I remember Kash's Bargain Barn and also he had annual Holy Land excursions and tract homes for sale as I recall. Didn't an afternoon personality on WLW get fired for making fun of him? It was of course years ago but what I remember is that they were promoting some kind of riverfront event and the person in question tacked on something about Kash walking on the river to the actual events scheduled.

 

[Unregistered]

Kash

I remember 'ol Kash Amburgy..he was on countless stations over the years. There wasn't a station in Cincy and in Dayton where you didn't hear Kash shout "Follow the signs and follow the cars to Kash's Big Bargain Barn in South Leb-ba-non, O-hi-ho...save cash with Kash!"

Colorful fellow he was God rest his soul. WLWS-FM was right in his back yard..so was WGIC in Xenia where he continued to bang his drum up to the end.

We once ran a tongue in cheek spoof of kash Amburgey on the old WOXR radio in Oxford, Ohio, in the early 70's. It was all in fun but Kash threatened to sue so we pulled it.