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FM stations that use/used "1/2" instead of ".5"

T

tanim_95

In the late 80's and early 90's, WZPL/Indianapolis (99.5 FM) was a Mainstream CHR that referred to itself as '99 1/2 WZPL' -- pronounced as "ninety-nine-and-a-half, WZPL". Any printed material (i.e. bumper stickers) actually said "1/2" instead of ".5".

At some point in the 90's, I think they changed the "1/2" to ".5" on printed material, but they still said "and-a-half" on the air. These days, the station is Hot AC as "Z99.5", pronounced as "Z ninety-nine-point-five".

Have any other stations ever used "1/2" instead of ".5" on the air, on printed material, or both?
 
> Have any other stations ever used "1/2" instead of ".5" on
> the air, on printed material, or both?

Los Angeles: ABC's AOR station started off as "95½ KLOS" and kept that identity until digital tuners were ubiquitous. IIRC, sister station WPLJ New York did likewise.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
> > Have any other stations ever used "1/2" instead of ".5" on
>
> > the air, on printed material, or both?
>
> Los Angeles: ABC's AOR station started off as "95½ KLOS"
> and kept that identity until digital tuners were ubiquitous.
> IIRC, sister station WPLJ New York did likewise.
>
KAUM 96.5 (now KHMX)in Houston used 96 1/2 for awhile during the 70's and early 80's. I think 92.5 KYND (now 92.9 KKBQ) used 92 1/2 at one point, as well.<P ID="signature">______________
You can't kill rock-n-roll, it's here to stay
R.I.P. KEGL-Dallas & KLOL-Houston</P>
 
> In the late 80's and early 90's, WZPL/Indianapolis (99.5 FM)
> was a Mainstream CHR that referred to itself as '99 1/2
> WZPL' -- pronounced as "ninety-nine-and-a-half, WZPL". Any
> printed material (i.e. bumper stickers) actually said "1/2"
> instead of ".5".
>
> At some point in the 90's, I think they changed the "1/2" to
> ".5" on printed material, but they still said "and-a-half"
> on the air. These days, the station is Hot AC as "Z99.5",
> pronounced as "Z ninety-nine-point-five".
>
> Have any other stations ever used "1/2" instead of ".5" on
> the air, on printed material, or both?
>

In Cleveland, WLTF was known as "Lite Rock 106 1/2" throughout the 80s and into the 90s--practically until they killed the lite rock format for Mix 106.5.

In Pittsburgh, KQV-FM and later WDVE were identified in print materials as "102 1/2".
 
> > > Have any other stations ever used "1/2" instead of ".5"
> on
> >
> > > the air, on printed material, or both?
> >
> > Los Angeles: ABC's AOR station started off as "95½ KLOS"
> > and kept that identity until digital tuners were
> ubiquitous.
> > IIRC, sister station WPLJ New York did likewise.
> >
> KAUM 96.5 (now KHMX)in Houston used 96 1/2 for awhile during
> the 70's and early 80's. I think 92.5 KYND (now 92.9 KKBQ)
> used 92 1/2 at one point, as well.

IIRC, WCOZ 94.5 (now WJMN) in Boston was 94-and-a-half for a while in the early 80's.
 
> Have any other stations ever used "1/2" instead of ".5" on
> the air, on printed material, or both?

The prevalence of digital tuners in recent years is the reason why most stations now identify with "0.5" in their frequency instead of "1/2".

But "1/2" used to be pretty common. When I was growing up in Tacoma, Seattle's KZOK (102.5) identified itself at "OK 102 and a half" on the air. That was back in the mid-seventies. KZAM-FM also identified that way, as "92 1/2" during this same time period. When I moved to Dallas in the mid-eighties, we had then top-40 formatted KAFM identifying as "92 1/2 KAFM". A couple years later, they became KZPS, "Z92.5"...

Aside from using the "1/2" frequency identifier, something else that seems to have become much less common is stations that round their frequencies. I guess it caused too much confusion for folks with digital tuners who didn't understand that "Q97" might actually be at 96.9, 97.1, or 97.3.
 
> Have any other stations ever used "1/2" instead of ".5" on
> the air, on printed material, or both?
>
I recall KZOM (now KKMY) in Beaumont, TX calling themselves "Zoom 1041/2" and KPLX in Dallas using "991/2" in the early '80s. These days, KHTQ in Spokane still embraces the old-school ID as "Rock 941/2."
 
> > Have any other stations ever used "1/2" instead of ".5" on
>
> > the air, on printed material, or both?
>
> Los Angeles: ABC's AOR station started off as "95½ KLOS"
> and kept that identity until digital tuners were ubiquitous.
> IIRC, sister station WPLJ New York did likewise.
>
I have to disagree...I been listening to WPLJ since 1976, and I don't ever remember them saying anything other than 95.5 WPLJ New York's Best Rock or whatever slogan/format they used.<P ID="signature">______________

Co/Moderator: New York,Miami,Airchecks,Classic Radio and Where Are They Now?</P>
 
> Have any other stations ever used "1/2" instead of ".5" on
> the air, on printed material, or both?
>
I have seen old bumper stickers for "WRSI 95⅓" (then 95.3 Greenfield MA) in various places over the years, probably as old as the station itself, which first signed on in the early '80s(?). Never heard them refer to themselves as such on the air, but at one time they apparently did.

The only other instance of using fractions instead of decimals that I have personal knowledge of is 94½ WCOZ Boston, circa 1980, mentioned down-thread.

Peace,
User 11648
 
> In the late 80's and early 90's, WZPL/Indianapolis (99.5 FM)
> was a Mainstream CHR that referred to itself as '99 1/2
> WZPL' -- pronounced as "ninety-nine-and-a-half, WZPL". Any
> printed material (i.e. bumper stickers) actually said "1/2"
> instead of ".5".
>
> At some point in the 90's, I think they changed the "1/2" to
> ".5" on printed material, but they still said "and-a-half"
> on the air. These days, the station is Hot AC as "Z99.5",
> pronounced as "Z ninety-nine-point-five".
>
> Have any other stations ever used "1/2" instead of ".5" on
> the air, on printed material, or both?
>

I remember hearing 96.5 WMT-FM in Ceader Rapids, IA in an E Skip opening about 5 years ago, calling themselves "Mix 96 and a half." I heard them a couple years later, and it had changed to Mix 96.5.
 
In Chicago, during the late 70's & early 80's there was WMET on 95.5 and they ID'd as 95 1/2. I don't know if their successors did or not, but once it became new age in 1986, then smooth jazz, WNUA (calls since 1986) ID'd as 95.5. I don't remember is heritage WUSN ever ID'd as US 99 1/2 at all or not. I alreways remembered them ID'ing as US 99. They now ID as US 99.5.
 
> > IIRC, sister station WPLJ New York did likewise.
> >
> I have to disagree...I been listening to WPLJ since 1976,
> and I don't ever remember them saying anything other than
> 95.5 WPLJ New York's Best Rock or whatever slogan/format
> they used.

I was thinking somewhere in the neighborhood of 1972 or 1973, which was around the same time as KLOS adopted the "95½" positioner.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
> In Chicago, during the late 70's & early 80's there was WMET
> on 95.5 and they ID'd as 95 1/2. I don't know if their
> successors did or not, but once it became new age in 1986,
> then smooth jazz, WNUA (calls since 1986) ID'd as 95.5. I
> don't remember is heritage WUSN ever ID'd as US 99 1/2 at
> all or not. I alreways remembered them ID'ing as US 99.
> They now ID as US 99.5.
>

When Wilmington, DE's WJBR was playing B/EZ in the early 70's, it used "FM 99 and a half" or "Radio 99 and a half", I forget which one. It's now "99 point 5" and Hot AC.

ixnay
 
107 and 1/2 WBLM....

107.5-WBLM Lewiston-Auburn-Portland, Me was 107 and a half, during the early and mid-80's. I still have some of the old large blue bumper stickers, from that period. Previously, they had called themselves WBLM-108, but rounded it down, after hiring on WCOZ-Boston's programming consultant. (94 and 1/2-WCOZ,
Boston's Best Rock.) Eventually, WBLM moved down the dial to 102.9.



In Chicago, during the late 70's & early 80's there was
> WMET
> > on 95.5 and they ID'd as 95 1/2. I don't know if their
> > successors did or not, but once it became new age in 1986,
>
> > then smooth jazz, WNUA (calls since 1986) ID'd as 95.5. I
>
> > don't remember is heritage WUSN ever ID'd as US 99 1/2 at
> > all or not. I alreways remembered them ID'ing as US 99.
> > They now ID as US 99.5.
> >
>
> When Wilmington, DE's WJBR was playing B/EZ in the early
> 70's, it used "FM 99 and a half" or "Radio 99 and a half", I
> forget which one. It's now "99 point 5" and Hot AC.
>
> ixnay
>
 
Re: 107 and 1/2 WBLM....

> 107.5-WBLM Lewiston-Auburn-Portland, Me was 107 and a half,
> during the early and mid-80's. I still have some of the old
> large blue bumper stickers, from that period. Previously,
> they had called themselves WBLM-108, but rounded it down,
> after hiring on WCOZ-Boston's programming consultant. (94
> and 1/2-WCOZ,
> Boston's Best Rock.) Eventually, WBLM moved down the dial to
> 102.9.
>
>
>
> In Chicago, during the late 70's & early 80's there was
> > WMET
> > > on 95.5 and they ID'd as 95 1/2. I don't know if their
> > > successors did or not, but once it became new age in
> 1986,
> >
> > > then smooth jazz, WNUA (calls since 1986) ID'd as 95.5.

> I
> >
> > > don't remember is heritage WUSN ever ID'd as US 99 1/2
> at
> > > all or not. I alreways remembered them ID'ing as US 99.
>
> > > They now ID as US 99.5.
> > >
> >
> > When Wilmington, DE's WJBR was playing B/EZ in the early
> > 70's, it used "FM 99 and a half" or "Radio 99 and a half",
> I
> > forget which one. It's now "99 point 5" and Hot AC.
> >
> > ixnay
> >
>
What is now NJ 101.5 was once WKXW "Kix 101 and a devastating half."
 
Re: Philadelphia & Trenton

In Philadelphia in 1980 104.5 WSNI changed from calling itself "Sunny 104" to "Sunny 104 and a Half" saying "It's The Half that Makes all the Difference". The station started as 'beautiful country' then 'soft MOR'; when it went to 'the Half' it went more uptempo gold-based AC format with local legend Hy Lit added for mornings.

In nearby Trenton, NJ in the early 1980's 101.5 WTRT became WKXW "Kicks 101" with a contemporary music format. After complaints from easy listening WEAZ in Philadelphia thinking people would confuse the two stations, they changed to "Kicks 101 and a half", and in the '90's to "New Jersey 101.5".

Other .5 stations in Philadelphia & nearby never used "and a half" (92.5, 94.5, 96.5, 107.5).

> When Wilmington, DE's WJBR was playing B/EZ in the early
> 70's, it used "FM 99 and a half" or "Radio 99 and a half", I
> forget which one. It's now "99 point 5" and Hot AC.
>
> ixnay
>
 
On a somewhat related but completely different topic...

There is, or used to be, a Maine station (Portland area?) that ID'd itself as "Q-ninety-seven-dot-nine". I dont recall the actual call letters.

How many stations ID using "dot" rather than "point"...or even nothing at all?
 
Re: On a somewhat related but completely different topic...

> How many stations ID using "dot" rather than "point"...or
> even nothing at all?

KTWV Los Angeles: "94-7 The Wave"

I'm sure there are others in this market, but that's the only one I'm certain about and I'm too lazy to tune around and check the rest ...<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
Re: On a somewhat related but completely different topic...

> There is, or used to be, a Maine station (Portland area?)
> that ID'd itself as "Q-ninety-seven-dot-nine". I dont
> recall the actual call letters.

It's WJBQ 97.9, COL'd to and serving Portland. And it still is Q-97-dot-9.
 
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