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WLOL (FM)
Encyclopedia
WLOL-FM was the call sign
used primarily for a station at 99.5 FM
, serving the Twin Cities region. Throughout the 1980s, WLOL was most known as a top-rated CHR
station.
The current inhabitant of the 99.5 FM frequency is KSJN
, owned by Minnesota Public Radio
, which purchased the station in 1991. Since then, the WLOL call letters have been used by several AM and FM stations in the area. The WLOL call letters currently reside at 1330 AM, the original station to hold them.
when AM station WMIN
started broadcasting on the new FM band. WMIN-FM was sold in 1956
to the owners of WLOL, becoming WLOL-FM, which remained until being sold to MPR in 1991
.
The history of the WLOL call letters is intertwined with many other area stations. WLOL was first used in 1940 by 1300 AM and was a part of the Mutual Broadcasting System
. The station moved up to 1330 in March 1941 as required by the North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement (NARBA) under which most American, Canadian and Mexican AM radio stations changed frequencies.
For many years, WLOL-FM had a variety of formats. The original classical music format gave way to easy listening
in 1973
, then later soft rock
as "FM100". The AM station was sold to MPR in 1980
. The owner held on to WLOL-FM, and in 1981
, the station dumped soft rock and became "Musicradio 99½ WLOL", the only Twin Cities FM station at the time playing Top 40 music. The new WLOL became a massive success, eventually achieving a 10-share in the Arbitron
ratings.
in 1975, then later soft rock
as "FM100". The AM station was sold to MPR in 1980 and it became KSJN-AM. The owner held on to WLOL-FM, and in 1981, the station dumped soft rock and became "Musicradio 99½ WLOL", the only Twin Cities FM station at the time playing Top 40 music. The new WLOL became a massive success, eventually achieving a 10-share in the Arbitron
ratings. At the time, WLOL was noteworthy for their presentation. They combined typical top 40 programming philosophies with a local touch. Local artists such as Prince
were given heavy airplay, and the station relied heavily on unusual jingle
packages, including the longer, song-like "Get Me Up" jingle.
The station was purchased by Emmis Broadcasting in 1983. New competition arrived later that year when longtime AM top 40 station KDWB
returned to their co-owned FM frequency after several years playing album oriented rock. WCCO-FM also briefly switched to top 40 in the fall of 1982, but with dismal results. WLOL and KDWB would go on to have a bitter rivalry throughout the 1980s, with WLOL dominating the format in the Twin Cities for the next five years. In 1988, KDWB, which had been in a massive slump for years, hired a new program director and new airstaff, updated the on-air presentation and promotion, and created a new logo.
By the late 1980s, the tables were turned. Some listeners felt WLOL had grown stale, while KDWB suddenly became the hip new CHR station. From that point on, KDWB jumped ahead of a slumping WLOL, and would, from that point on, be the dominant CHR station in the market. Playing catch-up, WLOL started tweaking the programming and airstaff, shook up its longtime morning show, and finally, in May 1990 teased a format change. Suddenly, WLOL became a rhythmic top 40 station, dropping rock product from bands like Aerosmith
and added more dance music
, commercial hip-hop and R&B music. They aired dance mix
es of songs, sometimes creating their own in-house custom mixes. Labeling themselves as "Today's Best Music", the new "99.5 WLOL" hired a new airstaff and rejuvenated themselves in the minds of many local listeners.
's Seattle Mariners
. They started selling off some of their most successful stations, including WFAN
in New York and KXXX in San Francisco. In 1991, Emmis found a buyer for WLOL. The shocking news was that the buyer was MPR, who desired to use it as the new location for KSJN (while moving their news/talk
station KNOW from 1330 AM). After years of trying to purchase another FM station in the market, MPR agreed to buy the station for $12.5 million. This meant that WLOL would be no more. Pop music fans in the Twin Cities were furious as WLOL slowly counted down to their last day, February 26, 1991. The staff spent WLOL's last day paying tribute to the station by playing assorted music and jingles from the CHR station's entire ten-year history. Former air personalities dropped by or recorded farewell messages. And in a move seen by some as ghoul
ish, other stations such as KQRS-FM, K102
(where longtime WLOL morning man John Hines was just hired) and even longtime bitter rival KDWB
bought advertising time on WLOL, inviting listeners to tune in to their stations. Finally, WLOL signed off just after 6PM, with the last song being "Miss You Much" by Janet Jackson
. The next morning, 99.5 FM became the new home of KSJN, and 91.1 was now KNOW-FM.
became the new parking spot for the historic calls. This continued until 1999, when AMFM Broadcasting (soon to be absorbed into Clear Channel Communications
purchased the WLOL calls for a new station to make its debut at 100.3 FM
, in an attempt at bringing back the WLOL 80s-era excitement, albeit with a 1970s-oriented classic hits
format. The new WLOL lasted until 2002, when it flipped to smooth jazz
. Hubbard Broadcasting considered putting the call letters on one of their stations, even putting a ten-day hold on them with the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC), but eventually declined. In 2005, when Starboard Media sought out new call letters following their purchase of 1330 AM, they decided on the unclaimed WLOL, hence bringing the well-travelled call letters back to their place of origin.
in the Twin Cities.
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
used primarily for a station at 99.5 FM
KSJN
KSJN is the flagship station of Minnesota Public Radio's classical music network, serving the Twin Cities region. Prior to 1991, 99.5 was known as WLOL, best known as a top-rated CHR station during the 1980s.-KSJN intellectual unit:...
, serving the Twin Cities region. Throughout the 1980s, WLOL was most known as a top-rated CHR
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
station.
The current inhabitant of the 99.5 FM frequency is KSJN
KSJN
KSJN is the flagship station of Minnesota Public Radio's classical music network, serving the Twin Cities region. Prior to 1991, 99.5 was known as WLOL, best known as a top-rated CHR station during the 1980s.-KSJN intellectual unit:...
, owned by Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio , is the flagship National Public Radio member network for the state of Minnesota. With its three services, News & Information, Classical Music and The Current, MPR operates a 42-station regional radio network in the upper Midwest serving over 8 million people...
, which purchased the station in 1991. Since then, the WLOL call letters have been used by several AM and FM stations in the area. The WLOL call letters currently reside at 1330 AM, the original station to hold them.
History
The 99.5 frequency dates to 19451945 in radio
The year 1945 saw a number of significant happenings in radio broadcasting history.-Events:*25 February – The CBC's International Service begins regular broadcasts in English and French from Canada....
when AM station WMIN
KMNV
KMNV is a radio station in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota that airs a Spanish-language music and entertainment format.-History:The station began as WMIN in the summer of 1936, when Saint Paul furniture retailer Edward Hoffman began broadcasting at 1370 kHz...
started broadcasting on the new FM band. WMIN-FM was sold in 1956
1956 in radio
The year 1956 saw a number of significant happenings in radio broadcasting history.-Events:*February 13 - NBC and Westinghouse Broadcasting consummate a station ownership trade which saw NBC attaining owned-and-operated AM and TV stations in Philadelphia , and Westinghouse receiving NBC's AM, FM...
to the owners of WLOL, becoming WLOL-FM, which remained until being sold to MPR in 1991
1991 in radio
The year 1991 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:* January 18 - Brian Beirne became one of the few celebrities from radio to get a "star" on the Hollywood Walk of Fame....
.
The history of the WLOL call letters is intertwined with many other area stations. WLOL was first used in 1940 by 1300 AM and was a part of the Mutual Broadcasting System
Mutual Broadcasting System
The Mutual Broadcasting System was an American radio network, in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the golden age of U.S. radio drama, MBS was best known as the original network home of The Lone Ranger and The Adventures of Superman and as the long-time radio residence of The Shadow...
. The station moved up to 1330 in March 1941 as required by the North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement (NARBA) under which most American, Canadian and Mexican AM radio stations changed frequencies.
For many years, WLOL-FM had a variety of formats. The original classical music format gave way to easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
in 1973
1973 in radio
The year 1973 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.-Events:*15 October – Dutch public-broadcasting station Hilversum 3 begins round-the-clock transmission....
, then later soft rock
Soft rock
Soft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...
as "FM100". The AM station was sold to MPR in 1980
1980 in radio
The year 1980 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:* 20 March - The pirate radio station Radio Caroline sinks.* 29 October - President Carter on a visit to Pittsburgh gives a nationally broadcast campaign interview to KDKA-AM of that city....
. The owner held on to WLOL-FM, and in 1981
1981 in radio
The year 1981 in radio involved some significant events.-Debuts:* September 22 - WCAU-FM in Philadelphia debuts a new Hot Hits format called "98 Now!" which sweeps the local ratings and inspires parent company CBS to look at converting its other FM stations to similar formats.* October — "The...
, the station dumped soft rock and became "Musicradio 99½ WLOL", the only Twin Cities FM station at the time playing Top 40 music. The new WLOL became a massive success, eventually achieving a 10-share in the Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
ratings.
"Hitradio 99½ WLOL"
For many years, WLOL-FM had a variety of formats. The original classical music format gave way to easy listeningEasy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
in 1975, then later soft rock
Soft rock
Soft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...
as "FM100". The AM station was sold to MPR in 1980 and it became KSJN-AM. The owner held on to WLOL-FM, and in 1981, the station dumped soft rock and became "Musicradio 99½ WLOL", the only Twin Cities FM station at the time playing Top 40 music. The new WLOL became a massive success, eventually achieving a 10-share in the Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
ratings. At the time, WLOL was noteworthy for their presentation. They combined typical top 40 programming philosophies with a local touch. Local artists such as Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
were given heavy airplay, and the station relied heavily on unusual jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
packages, including the longer, song-like "Get Me Up" jingle.
The station was purchased by Emmis Broadcasting in 1983. New competition arrived later that year when longtime AM top 40 station KDWB
KDWB
KDWB-FM is an American commercial radio station broadcasting in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, the radio format was known for over fifty years as a major contemporary hit radio Top 40 pop music outlet. Its transmitter is located in Shoreview, Minnesota. It broadcasts in 5.1 cinema-quality...
returned to their co-owned FM frequency after several years playing album oriented rock. WCCO-FM also briefly switched to top 40 in the fall of 1982, but with dismal results. WLOL and KDWB would go on to have a bitter rivalry throughout the 1980s, with WLOL dominating the format in the Twin Cities for the next five years. In 1988, KDWB, which had been in a massive slump for years, hired a new program director and new airstaff, updated the on-air presentation and promotion, and created a new logo.
By the late 1980s, the tables were turned. Some listeners felt WLOL had grown stale, while KDWB suddenly became the hip new CHR station. From that point on, KDWB jumped ahead of a slumping WLOL, and would, from that point on, be the dominant CHR station in the market. Playing catch-up, WLOL started tweaking the programming and airstaff, shook up its longtime morning show, and finally, in May 1990 teased a format change. Suddenly, WLOL became a rhythmic top 40 station, dropping rock product from bands like Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
and added more dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
, commercial hip-hop and R&B music. They aired dance mix
Dance mix
Dance mix is a form of music, created by mixing Techno House and Electronica. It reached its peak of popularity in the mid to late 1990s. However, it can also imply manipulating alternative rock and adult contemporary songs that are otherwise not dance songs so that "pop songs" can be more...
es of songs, sometimes creating their own in-house custom mixes. Labeling themselves as "Today's Best Music", the new "99.5 WLOL" hired a new airstaff and rejuvenated themselves in the minds of many local listeners.
The end of WLOL, and relocation of KSJN
After the retooling, ratings started to improve for WLOL, and they almost caught up to their rival KDWB (whom WLOL personalities derided on-air as "K-DWeeB"). Unfortunately, Emmis, the station's owner, fell on financially tough times due to their purchase of baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
's Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. They started selling off some of their most successful stations, including WFAN
WFAN
WFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
in New York and KXXX in San Francisco. In 1991, Emmis found a buyer for WLOL. The shocking news was that the buyer was MPR, who desired to use it as the new location for KSJN (while moving their news/talk
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
station KNOW from 1330 AM). After years of trying to purchase another FM station in the market, MPR agreed to buy the station for $12.5 million. This meant that WLOL would be no more. Pop music fans in the Twin Cities were furious as WLOL slowly counted down to their last day, February 26, 1991. The staff spent WLOL's last day paying tribute to the station by playing assorted music and jingles from the CHR station's entire ten-year history. Former air personalities dropped by or recorded farewell messages. And in a move seen by some as ghoul
Ghoul
A ghoul is a folkloric monster associated with graveyards and consuming human flesh, often classified as undead. The oldest surviving literature that mention ghouls is likely One Thousand and One Nights...
ish, other stations such as KQRS-FM, K102
KEEY
KEEY-FM is a country music formatted radio station serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul market of Minnesota. It is the most popular country station in the area, and often comes in just below area powerhouses KQRS-FM and WCCO in overall ratings. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications...
(where longtime WLOL morning man John Hines was just hired) and even longtime bitter rival KDWB
KDWB
KDWB-FM is an American commercial radio station broadcasting in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, the radio format was known for over fifty years as a major contemporary hit radio Top 40 pop music outlet. Its transmitter is located in Shoreview, Minnesota. It broadcasts in 5.1 cinema-quality...
bought advertising time on WLOL, inviting listeners to tune in to their stations. Finally, WLOL signed off just after 6PM, with the last song being "Miss You Much" by Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
. The next morning, 99.5 FM became the new home of KSJN, and 91.1 was now KNOW-FM.
Future locations of WLOL call letters
Shortly after WLOL's demise on 99.5, KXLV, a station located north of the Twin Cities in Cambridge at 105.3 FM, picked up the WLOL call letters for its Hot AC format. When the station was purchased and turned into WREV, its new sister station at 1470 AMKZTG
KMNQ is a radio station in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. The station currently simulcasts the Spanish-language programming of sister station KMNV. Prior to February 2008, the station aired a gospel music format...
became the new parking spot for the historic calls. This continued until 1999, when AMFM Broadcasting (soon to be absorbed into Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
purchased the WLOL calls for a new station to make its debut at 100.3 FM
KTLK-FM
KFXN-FM 100.3 —branded 100.3 FM KFAN: The Fan—is a commercial radio station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, broadcasting a sports talk format. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications, and serves the Twin Cities market. KFXN-FM's transmitter is located in the suburb of Shoreview on...
, in an attempt at bringing back the WLOL 80s-era excitement, albeit with a 1970s-oriented classic hits
Classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
format. The new WLOL lasted until 2002, when it flipped to smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
. Hubbard Broadcasting considered putting the call letters on one of their stations, even putting a ten-day hold on them with the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC), but eventually declined. In 2005, when Starboard Media sought out new call letters following their purchase of 1330 AM, they decided on the unclaimed WLOL, hence bringing the well-travelled call letters back to their place of origin.
Technical aspects of 99.5
In 1971, while it was WLOL-FM, the station participated in "quadcast" (quadraphonic stereo) experiments with KSJN, when that station was located at 91.1 FMKNOW
KNOW-FM is the flagship radio station of Minnesota Public Radio's "news and information" network, primarily broadcasting a talk radio format to the Minneapolis-St. Paul market...
in the Twin Cities.
External links
- Radiotapes.com Historic airchecks of WLOL and other Twin Cities radio stations
- WLOL studio exterior photo, 1966 from the Minnesota Historical Society
- 1983 aircheck
- 99½ WLOL Minneapolis/St. Paul tribute page
- A recollection by Jim Stokes, an announcer during WLOL-FM's classical music period
- KARE-TV 11 news report about WLOL-FM morning show with Hines and Berglund (and Roger, too), 1984
- KMSP9-TV news report about WLOL-FM new format, Spring 1982