Ft. Myers Naples History questions (Help)

[thebeach33445]

Hey Guys:

How is everyone doing? I was hoping you all can help me with the history of Ft. Myers radio history with some questions. I got most of everything else.

Does anybody know:

1. Format of WRGI 93.5 from 1971 to 1983.

2. When did WLEQ 96-Q go from Top 40 to AC.

3. Any history of WINK 96.9 from 1964 to 1980's and when did it go Top 40.

4. What was 106.3 WROC AROUND 1994, 1995.

5. What was WSWF 107.1 format and WOOJ 107.1 format. I think WOOJ was AOR.

6. Any history of WINK 1240 from the 50's to 1984.

7. Any history of WNOG from the 50's to 1984.

8. Any history of WMYR 1410 UP TO 1987. Is it true that it was a ROCK station?

9. 1440 WAYK format from 1970 to 1976.

Thanks guys for all of your help on this one!!

T.J.

 

[RMarino]

4. What was 106.3 WROC AROUND 1994, 1995.

It was active rock. I used to work with a guy who left the station I was at for WROC.

8. Any history of WMYR 1410 UP TO 1987. Is it true that it was a ROCK station?

It was AC, although I remember they did devote a portion of their day to '50s & '60s rock & roll oldies.

 

[twinsfan]

1063 WROC was a rock station that had a monsterous debut book, then a combination of things, the highly popular morning man leaving for Orlando, their owners son starting fights with the heritage competition that his father had no intention of finishing, and a consultant being allowed to get wrist deep in the day to day programming and crapping all over the brand pretty much put an end to that. That consultant later went on to program WROC's direct competition for awhile. Facinating. That station was alot of fun, I miss it

1410 WMYR-it wasn't as much a rock station as it was a top 40 that was then flipped to country to partner up with the FM side of the roach infested trailer with WHEW, which is now Gator...The owner was a bizarre old man who used to dye his hair in pen ink (it was funny watching it roll down his collar in the midday sun) and was banned from a local convenience store because he'd go in there first thing in the morning and absolutely punish its mens room...ole wacky Bob, and his faithful sidekick Moose

 

[Obtuse1]

WROC was first known (at launch) as "Rock 106". The name (and calls, forget what they were) were changed to "Storm 106" after objections that it sounded too close to the name of their (then) very classic-leaning mainstream rock rival, 96 KRock. Early on I recall them playing Alternative and Hard Rock artists that KRock wouldn't touch (so George Thorogood could get more spins, I suppose).

It was also around that time (or not long after) WJBX (99X) flipped from Classic Rock to AAA, then transitioned to Alternative/Modern Rock. (a format Ft. Myers was very late to the party with, though some of the core artists were on WROC's playlist).

 

[DJ Mo]

Anyone remember WSRX "91.5 The Spark" / WBPT "Power 89.5"? That station was my favorite in the late-80's to early-90's!!

If you remember or know people/ DJ's who used to work for that station, direct them my way. I want to get them & their music back on the air!

 

[JayR]

Ft. Myers/Naples History questions (Help)

Anyone remember WSRX "91.5 The Spark" / WBPT "Power 89.5"? That station was my favorite in the late-80's to early-90's!!

If you remember or know people/ DJ's who used to work for that station, direct them my way. I want to get them & their music back on the air!

Hell yeah I remember that station!

It was the only station in the area that played freestyle.

They broadcasted out of an old movie theater-turned-nightclub off of East Tamiami Trail (US 41) in Naples called "Sparklers."

It was owned by the Youth Foundation of America. They later sold the station to a Christian group which, to this day, airs Christian programming.

 

[SCMcKinney]

I read in a book about Naples that Wonderful Naples Onthe Gulf at one time played Classical Music, and that more than once the DJ would be outside in a hammock, and not get back inside in time to flip the record.

 

[HadYourPhil]

WRGI was always Top-40, I believe. I was there in 1989-90 when its call letters were WLAZ (Lazer-93)
WEGI was G-93. In November of 1990, WLAZ flipped back to WRGI as oldies, using G-93 again.
Spark did very well with the teens, however they kept trying to run commercials, forbidden on that end of the FM dial. And they had signal problems.
770AM was WZRC, an AM-Stereo Z-Rock station when I got here in the late 80's. At the time 1200AM was AM Stereo WDCQ, a bizarre oldies station.
Bob Hecksher owned WMYR-AM and WHEW-FM from the start. There could be antire thread about him. WMYR was a Top-40, never a 'rock' station. It was Eagle Country for much of the 1990's, a Disney station in the early 2000's, then Catholic as Relevant Radio, and now is a True Oldies Channel affiliate.
More later.

 

[HadYourPhil]

Apparently I can't edit my own post.
WEGI=WRGI
antire= an entire
I don't recall 96 Super Q ever being an AC station. It's been AOR or Classic Rock since I've been familiar with it (21 years).

 

[DJ Mo]

Can't really tell you much about any of these stations after these responses...

As far as history goes, here's what I can remember off the top of my head right now that I don't think many of you know:

- WSRX 91.5 The Spark (Fort Myers) / WBPT Power 89.5 (Naples) in the late-80's to early-90's. (My favorite station of all-time!!!)
- WPRW Power 93.5 (Naples) in the mid-90's.
- I remember WINK 96.9 was "WINK-FM 97" (CHR/Top-40) in the mid to late-80's.
- Cool 98.3 was oldies.
- There used to be a station on the 100.5 frequency.
- WXKB B103.9 used to be on the 103.7 frequency.
- And 105.5 was some Dixieland station.

Hope this helps.

 

[jefflaurence]

As I recall the "Spark" and "Power" actually sort of re-wrote the rules regarding non-commercial stations running commercials.

As they were owned by a non-profit "Youth Foundation" they used the stations to train young people about the workings of radio. Partly to give wayward types a place to redirect thier energy..and also a way for (somebody) to make money with the spots. Yeah they did!

When challenged about the playing of spots on Spark/Power (iirc) they responded by saying that the "spots" were not commercial announcements but "an example of our member's work..much the same as a college or high-school is able to showcase the various projects that students participate in. In this case as the youth volunteers who are featured on the station are learing about media..it (happens to be) broadcast announcements produced by our members..."

Brilliant! And the subjects of these "broadcast announcements" happen to be "donors" like McDonalds of Naples..Dairy Queen, and good old Tom Stymus!

Actually that station(s) helped pave the way for the way more relaxed underwriting announcements we're hearing now.

And man were they ever processed well! You would have never heard audio procdessing like that on the non-comm band then. They ROCKED

 

[HadYourPhil]

They have "Rewritten the rules", but it was still illegal. And their processing was nothing special.

 

[swfl]

Hi there. As a long time resident a radio listener here in SW Fla maybe I can help clear up some information on the history of some of these stations.

WINK AM, I believe that this is the original station in SW Fla going on the air back in the 50's. It was always more a less a MOR/Full service type of station serving Ft Myers. In later year is did do some AC stuff before going all news/talk. In recent years it has become the typical syndicated station with Beck, Rush, Hannity and others. The only local programing is in the AM drive.

WINK FM, Was a beautiful music station until about 1980 when it became Top 40 which it carried for several years eventually becoming Hot AC which it still is. For much of the 80's this station carried large ratings.

WMYR AM, Another very old station. This station was the orginal Top 40 station in the area if my information is correct. It did always play some oldies though. Later on if did indeed become a Country station for a while then moved on to Disney programing. In recent years it carried Catholic programing until very recently when it switched to Scoot Shanon's True Oldies This station was the sister station to WHEW a long time country station locally. WHEW is now WWGR Gator Country and enjoys pretty good ratings.

WOOJ FM, This was originally a Lehigh Acres based station. It formats included Top 40, Disco, Oldies and Album Rock. In the late 80's it became Cat Country and for several years it ruled the airwaves locally until CC came in and pretty much self destructed the place. Currently it is still Cat Country. While the recent ratings seem to be improving it is still fighting an uphill battle with Gator Country.

WLEQ FM, This station actually started out in Immokalee and was moved to Bonita Springs sometime in the mid 70's. It was basically an Album Rock type of format for some time. Later on it did do some AC eventually becoming today's K-Rock. K-Rock enjoyed big ratings for many years until about 4-5 years ago when some of the competition caught up to them.

WNOG AM, This was the original station in Naples. It was a MOR/Full Service station for most of it's life. It was a major player in the Naples area covering local issues and sporting events etc. Later on it rolled into News/Talk but with a lot of local content. It was one of the first stations in the country to carry Rush Limbuagh. A few years the local owners sold it off to the owner of WINK. Since then it has become nothing more than a simulcast fo WINK AM with the usual syndicated stuff. Not really local at all anymore. It's sister station was WCVU which was Beautiful Music for years eventually becoming AC. That station is now ARROW 94 Classic Rock.

WRGI FM, This was the original Top 40 station in the Naples area. It too was a very locally based operation taking part in many community events. Over the years it did change its call's to WLAZ for a while but took back the WRGI calls when it became an Oldies Station. Later on it was sold off to WNOG owners. It was used to simulcast WNOG until WINK bought both stations. After that it did have a dance format for a while before becoming what it today Lite 93. WRGI did have a sister AM station. WRGI was a daytime operation simulcasting the FM before becoming WMIB with Standards/Big Band. This station is now running True Oldies out of Marco Island.

 

[HadYourPhil]

WMIB-AM was originally a daytimer on 1510, signing on in 1975, four years after WRGI-FM. It briefly was a country am as WWWO. It never (or only very briefly) used WRGI-AM as a call sign. Switched to 1480 as a full-time station in the mid-80's and has had a checkered history since. Now is WVOI with Scott (not Scoot, LOL!) Shannon's TOC, simulcasting with 1660 WCNZ and 1410 WMYR.
WNOG-AM has nothing to do with Naples anymore. Sad. They came on in '54. The FM was originally WNFM before WCVU. WINK-AM came on in 1939.
True about Cat Country. CC killed it, with a major mistake being the frequency shift to 100.1 in a misguided attempt to hurt Gator in North Ft. Myers. And, even more bizarrely, when they went back to 107.1, they acted like it was their "new" home!
Ths Smooth Jazz format likewise was killed by CC and of course now is gone from the airwaves locally.

 

[HadYourPhil]

Apparently, once you navigate away from this forum, you are not allowed to edit posts...
1510AM was WRGI briefly at first, and WRGI-FM was originally WALJ! WLEQ-FM, originally licensed to Immokalee, was relicensed to Bonita Springs, its current city of license, in 1975. It was originally on 95.9, and was WKEM 1490 in Immokalee's FM sister station at the time. WKEM was country, BTW.

 

[swfl]

Thanks for your added information Phil. I did not have all the exact dates of when things started or happened, I was just running off my memory.

It is a shame that there is no real local radio left in the Naples area any longer. It is all run out of Ft Myers as a rule and none of these stations really provide for any real local coverage.

 

[HadYourPhil]

swfl...
I tried to email you from here but it did not work. Try sending me a PM with a working email address, please!

Amazing how Naples is ignored, especially by the WINK bunch... even though they own Naples' only AM (and will own the new one as well).

 

[flasharps]

I love reading the posts, but this one I had to chime in on....

I worked as a jock at WSRX from 89-91. I did mornings. It was THE BEST place to work. Don't know if anyone mentioned this, but the nightclub that Spark was located in was haunted! I saw some weird stuff go on in there. Ask any of the jocks. Apparently there was a murder in that building when it was a movie theater. The station was way ahead of it's time. We put on some amazing concerts. Stevie B, Sweet Sensation, Johnny O. Good Times. I still have a station jacket and bumber stickers.

 

[DJ Mo]

I remember hearing DJ Magic Mike & MC Madness, DJ Laz, & Johnny O on "Spark" Saturday nights.

Flasharps, hit me up! I want to chat with you about "Spark". Are you still doing radio? Send e-mail to [email protected].

I currently do radio in 2 markets & would like to revive as much of it (music & voices) as I can. I got "DJ Fernando" back on radio a couple of months ago.

 

[DToTheJ]

WNOG AM, This was the original station in Naples. It was a MOR/Full Service station for most of it's life. It was a major player in the Naples area covering local issues and sporting events etc. Later on it rolled into News/Talk but with a lot of local content. It was one of the first stations in the country to carry Rush Limbuagh. A few years the local owners sold it off to the owner of WINK. Since then it has become nothing more than a simulcast fo WINK AM with the usual syndicated stuff. Not really local at all anymore. It's sister station was WCVU which was Beautiful Music for years eventually becoming AC. That station is now ARROW 94 Classic Rock.

WRGI FM, This was the original Top 40 station in the Naples area. It too was a very locally based operation taking part in many community events. Over the years it did change its call's to WLAZ for a while but took back the WRGI calls when it became an Oldies Station. Later on it was sold off to WNOG owners. It was used to simulcast WNOG until WINK bought both stations. After that it did have a dance format for a while before becoming what it today Lite 93. WRGI did have a sister AM station. WRGI was a daytime operation simulcasting the FM before becoming WMIB with Standards/Big Band. This station is now running True Oldies out of Marco Island.

FWIW:

1. WCVU still exists as a beautiful music (for the most part) station at 104.9 FM. It's licensed to the town of Solana, and can mostly be heard in North Fort Myers. And it's owned, if not be Clear Channel, then that "Aloha Trust" thing. They also own WKII 1040 AM. I was shocked one night about a year ago to hear a live jock doing a missing person report, and thought to myself, "CC owns this station?"

2. "Lite 93", WTLT, was at 93.7 FM but a few years ago moved back a notch to 93.5 FM. And its owner - as is the owner of WINK and WNOG - is known as Meridian Broadcasting, which I believe also owns part of The News-Press local newspaper.