What did 95.7 air before The Beat debuted in November 2003? I remember it was Modern AC "Star 95.7", but don't know the length for that.
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95.7 History
- Thread starter ksradiogeek
- Start date
Are there any articles about any of these flips?
I have a Mix 96 bumper sticker somewhere...
If i can recall any of this..First I knew of WTAN-FM Scott Robbins was at the helm as WOKF doing dance/disco as OK96..at that time they. We're still on the circular drive that wrapped behind the courthouse in Clearwater in the WTAN transmitter/studio. I think Rowland Marshall had something to do with that station just after he sold WQYK to Great Huron Broadcasting... It got moved to the studios on Drew Street in Clearwater at the "executive center" where the Quick Red Fox lounge was also located...at that point it went to WCKX 96-KX with the famous "rainbow" logo...John Lander was mornings and PD. and it never sounded as good..even when I was there during the Magic 96 days..then it was WNLT "The new w-Lite 95.7" with the logo that looked like it was drawn in toothpaste..after that I got fuzzy..(too many trips to the Quick Red Fox)
Wasn't around March of 1998 when "The New" Star 95.7 was launched. I remember because I was in 1st Grade living in Polk County. Clear Channel just bought up my moms favorite radio station and really tightened up the playlist. The station was WHPT 102.5 back in the days of its AAA format. So she was flipping through stations trying to brainstorm different presets.
I listened some (Big fan of Dave Matthews Band) but preferred Mix 100.7 and The Bay at 107.3. This was after WHPT flipped from AAA to Classic Rock.
I listened some (Big fan of Dave Matthews Band) but preferred Mix 100.7 and The Bay at 107.3. This was after WHPT flipped from AAA to Classic Rock.
Spent a very limited time within daily range when I was at First Phone school in Sarasota in early 1980, and it was disco/R&B with some other top 40 crossover as Supermix 96.
95.7 OK96 was pretty short lived,I recall listening to their equipment tests.It sounded automated top 40. Of course old timers will always think of it as 96Fever(disco)
Jeff Laurence said:
I used to really like 96 fever. They had some good jocks and as I remember, it was the only FM station in town that played Rapper's Delight by the Sugarhill Gang. The old thinking guys at Q105 would not touch the song or genre, in general. Those of us, in high school, at the time made it a point to hate Q105 there and forever after.
As 96 Kix, wasn't the morning guy John Lanigan? I believe he was from and is currently back in Cleveland.
Hard to believe it was 2003 when it flipped. I was the PD and played the last song on the station: REM "It's the End of the World as We Know It" (which, by the way, was the first song I played when I flipped WTRG in Raleigh to AAA (shortlived before moving to classic hits). Star was coming off a huge Starfest and was STRONG outside of AM drive, unfortunately at the expense of FLZ. It was Modern AC, or alternative lite. I inherited 95.7 while programming 98ROCK while it was a struggling Hot AC & pulled the dance pop, added crossover alt tracks from 97X, and it soared for about a year...at least until we spent a ton on billboards and weeks later, flipped it in Oct. Cox was thrilled to have Star out of their path (Shark told me later) and the 97X HD2 became Star. CBS didn't have a stick to flip at that time,so the format hole was never filled and time passed. Loved the staff, loved the station...really disappointing.
I still have the clocks. Here is a sample hour:
Barenaked Ladies - Old Apartment
Evanescence - Bring Me to Life
Fountains of Wayne - Stacy's Mom
Dave Matthews Band - Where are You Going
Linkin Park - In the End
Blind Melon - No Rain
Matchbox 20 - Unwell
No Doubt - It's My Life
John Mayer - Bigger than My Body
Sublime - Santeria
Ataris - Boys of Summer
The Cure - Just Like Heaven
Foo Fighters - Times Like These (acoustic)
I still have the clocks. Here is a sample hour:
Barenaked Ladies - Old Apartment
Evanescence - Bring Me to Life
Fountains of Wayne - Stacy's Mom
Dave Matthews Band - Where are You Going
Linkin Park - In the End
Blind Melon - No Rain
Matchbox 20 - Unwell
No Doubt - It's My Life
John Mayer - Bigger than My Body
Sublime - Santeria
Ataris - Boys of Summer
The Cure - Just Like Heaven
Foo Fighters - Times Like These (acoustic)
That's a good playlist Rick, I listened to Star because it was the only station playing that mix of music. A station with a helping of those artists and a good acoustic playlist would still do good in Tampa today. How much airplay does the Barenaked Ladies get on WMTX, other than "One Week". Those other artists also do not get a lot of airplay anymore, well other than 97x.
azumanga said:
WBTP 95.7 C1 started out as WTAN-FM (co-owned with WTAN-AM 1340) becoming WOKF in the late 70s during its "OK 96" (Top 40) and "96 Fever" (Disco) era, just before becoming WCKX "96 Kix" (CHR) in 1981. That's a fact! Perhaps you are thinking of the WCKX era, since it was never WCKF unless it was very short lived. If you have anything to show otherwise, I'd like to see it.
badjef said:
I have often wondered the same thing, so your guess is as good as mine. I would imagine the most logical reasoning for not upgrading to full "C" status may have had much to do with cost, a lack of suitable locations for a 1,500 foot tower that met minimum FCC spacing requirements, FAA flight pattern protection and possibly local zoning restrictions.
When I was there..John Lanigan (from Cleveland) was on when it was WMGG Magic 96. The owners Bob and Norm Weiss were from Cleveland, and figured they would clean Scott Shannon's clock with John. Nice guy, and a good morning man. IIRC The antenna site at the time was relatively short and was in Largo. The signal got much better with an upgrade to the "Lodestar" tower on Gandy Blvd. the other large self supporter.
I assume it was as simple as the owners not wanting to spend the money until it was too late, similar to why 99.5 and 104.7 didn't.jmtillery said:
I tend to think that if it wasn't for the Power Pig, Q105 would have. I think it was in the works, Ted Watson alluded to it before he passed away. That was in September 1989.
Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!
badjef said:
The cost factor was most likely the biggest reason for not upgrading. WRBQ was going to upgrade to a full class "C" by moving to 104.5. This was to avoid the 10.7mHz IF between 104.7 and 94.1 Lakeland. Root Communications had made the proposal and was set to finance the WRBQ upgrade in exchange for WRBQ agreeing to change frequency so 94.1 C could move closer to Tampa Bay. The reason this did not happen is because of the new 104.3 "A" allocation at Inglis, Florida. Once the WRBQ / WEZY proposal was denied, this opened 104.3 "A" in Sarasota paving the way for WKZM to move frequency and open 105.5 New Port Richey to upgrade to a class "C1"
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