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103.7 WTOS The early years.

T

thebeach33445

Hey guys and gals. From Wikipedia​

Early years (1961-1971)​

edit
The original call sign was WTOS, a reference to its city of license when it signed on in 1961 with a MOR format. WTOS later flipped to a country music format that also featured ethnic programming.

Could anyone elaborate the format history from 1961 to 1969. Is Wikipedia right?

Thanks.
 
During the 60s, as one person noted here in a different thread, most FM stations didn't really have set formats like they do nowadays (or since the 70s). They often had block programming, had formats like classical music or easy listening, or simulcast an AM sister station (which WTOS did not have). FM didn't have as much listenership as AM, because FM wasn't on car radios. It was at-home listening.

Having said that, I have no idea what they did between 1961-69. I do recall that at one point, they were freeform rock like WZMF (98.3). But, for most of the 70s into the mid-80s, they were WEZW, with a beautiful music (easy listening instrumentals) format that was typical of FM stations at the time and got monster ratings, albeit in very old demos. My grandparents listened to that station. Around 1985 or so, they started to add more AC songs. I remember being in the car with Grandma when "Axel F" by Harold Faltermeyer (the theme from Beverly Hills Cop) came on, and she started bemoaning all the weird music her station was suddenly playing. They did eventually go full AC.
 
I remember listening to WTOS after my parents purchased their new stereo, which was in Summer 1968. I heard the song "Samba Pa Ti" by Santana from the "Abraxis" album, which is listed as a 1970 release. The next time I dialed in the station they were playing Beautiful Music and the call letters were WEZW. At that time I was taking a Music Appreciation course at UW Washington County and I began picking up on the "sound" of instrumental groups. My brothers and I used to listen periodically during the early 70's and we would try to guess which orchestra was playing the version of a certain song being heard. Sometimes we would even call the station with a list to determine who made the correct guess.
 


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