WLOR
Encyclopedia
WLOR is a radio station
licensed to Huntsville, Alabama
, USA, that serves the greater Tennessee Valley
area. The station carries a mix of oldies
music, talk radio
, and sports coverage. WLOR is part of the Black Crow Media Group and the broadcast license
is held by BCA Radio, LLC, Debtor-in-Possession. Black Crow Media Group sought Chapter 11
bankruptcy protection on January 12, 2010.
The station originally started on November 10, 1946, as WHBS on 1490 AM, which was owned by The Huntsville Times
. It later added an FM simulcast in 1946 on 95.1 FM, which was discontinued around 1957. The station moved to 1550 kHz, with an increase of daytime power to 5000 watts, on November 4, 1952. From 1958 to 1989, this station used the call letters WAAY as the Top 40-formatted AM sister station of WAAY-TV
. The station went to 50,000 watts-daytime power in 1980 (the maximum output permitted for U.S. AM radio stations) and then operated from a separate daytime and nighttime site until 1991. WAAY-AM also was the first station to broadcast in AM stereo
in the Huntsville market in 1984, using the Kahn-Hazeltine stereo system. Both WAAY AM/TV stations were owned and operated by Smith Broadcasting, a local family that has since divested its broadcasting interests.
When the AM station was sold, the new owners were required to change the callsign. They chose WAAJ in April 1989 to accompany the station's change to a gospel music
and religious format. This format and callsign ran until April 1993 when the station became WLOR. Around 1998 WLOR returned to the air with a black gospel format (daytime only, as the nighttime site had been demolished).
In March 2000, the station was purchased by STG Media LLC (Steven J. Shelton, president) for a reported sale price of $425,000. In July 2002 the station began the "Jammin' 1550" branding and in early 2002 nighttime operations resumed from the daytime site.
programming was replaced with ABC's True Oldies Channel format. This "true oldies" format is programmed by legendary disc jockey Scott Shannon
.
An FM simulcast of WLOR started on May 1, 2009, on FM translator W251AC at 98.1 FM with a transmitter located on Drake Mountain. The station was re-branded as "Sunny 98". (The 98.1 translator was previously operated as a WQPR/WBUZ/WKDF translator on Capshaw Mountain
.)
, the station was granted a construction permit to downgrade from a class B to a class D station using a single transmitter site and a nighttime power reduction from 500 watt
s to just 44 watts. The station was licensed to operate as a class D at reduced nighttime power on April 24, 2008.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
licensed to Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
, USA, that serves the greater Tennessee Valley
Tennessee Valley
The Tennessee Valley is the drainage basin of the Tennessee River and is largely within the U.S. state of Tennessee. It stretches from southwest Kentucky to northwest Georgia and from northeast Mississippi to the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina...
area. The station carries a mix of oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
music, talk radio
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...
, and sports coverage. WLOR is part of the Black Crow Media Group and the broadcast license
Broadcast license
A broadcast license or broadcast license is a specific type of spectrum license that grants the licensee the privilege to use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum in a given geographical area for broadcasting purposes. The licenses are generally straddled with additional restrictions that...
is held by BCA Radio, LLC, Debtor-in-Possession. Black Crow Media Group sought Chapter 11
Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
bankruptcy protection on January 12, 2010.
Early days
The Huntsville Times
The Huntsville Times is the daily morning newspaper published in Huntsville, Alabama, and also serves the surrounding areas of north Alabama's Tennessee Valley region. The Times formerly operated as an afternoon paper, but moved to mornings after The Huntsville News ceased publication...
. It later added an FM simulcast in 1946 on 95.1 FM, which was discontinued around 1957. The station moved to 1550 kHz, with an increase of daytime power to 5000 watts, on November 4, 1952. From 1958 to 1989, this station used the call letters WAAY as the Top 40-formatted AM sister station of WAAY-TV
WAAY-TV
WAAY-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for the Tennessee Valley area of North Alabama that is licensed to Huntsville. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 32 from a transmitter at its Monte Sano Boulevard studios on top of Monte Sano Mountain. Calkins Media owns...
. The station went to 50,000 watts-daytime power in 1980 (the maximum output permitted for U.S. AM radio stations) and then operated from a separate daytime and nighttime site until 1991. WAAY-AM also was the first station to broadcast in AM stereo
AM stereo
AM stereo is a term given to a series of mutually incompatible techniques for wireless radio broadcasting stereo audio in the AM band in a manner that is compatible with standard AM receivers...
in the Huntsville market in 1984, using the Kahn-Hazeltine stereo system. Both WAAY AM/TV stations were owned and operated by Smith Broadcasting, a local family that has since divested its broadcasting interests.
Finding religion
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
and religious format. This format and callsign ran until April 1993 when the station became WLOR. Around 1998 WLOR returned to the air with a black gospel format (daytime only, as the nighttime site had been demolished).
In March 2000, the station was purchased by STG Media LLC (Steven J. Shelton, president) for a reported sale price of $425,000. In July 2002 the station began the "Jammin' 1550" branding and in early 2002 nighttime operations resumed from the daytime site.
True Oldies
In June 2008 ABC's The TouchThe Touch (radio network)
The Touch is a 24-hour music format produced by Cumulus Media Networks . It draws an adult audience between the ages of 25-49 with an Urban Adult Contemporary format since its inception by Satellite Music Network in 1972.In January 2010, Citadel Broadcasting has rebranded this network as...
programming was replaced with ABC's True Oldies Channel format. This "true oldies" format is programmed by legendary disc jockey Scott Shannon
Scott Shannon
Michael Scott Shannon is a radio disc jockey, current co-host of the "Scott and Todd in the Morning" show on WPLJ, host of The True Oldies Channel, and the official voice of The Sean Hannity Show.-Early Radio Career:...
.
An FM simulcast of WLOR started on May 1, 2009, on FM translator W251AC at 98.1 FM with a transmitter located on Drake Mountain. The station was re-branded as "Sunny 98". (The 98.1 translator was previously operated as a WQPR/WBUZ/WKDF translator on Capshaw Mountain
Capshaw Mountain
Capshaw Mountain is a mountain located in Harvest, Alabama. Capshaw Mountain forms a watershed that provides the water supply for the community. It extends upwards about 800 feet above the general elevation in the area...
.)
Technical changes
On June 19, 20072007 in radio
The year 2007 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*January 8: Nanci "The Fabulous Sports Babe" Donnellan returns to radio after a six-year absence, filling in for local hosts in Florida....
, the station was granted a construction permit to downgrade from a class B to a class D station using a single transmitter site and a nighttime power reduction from 500 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s to just 44 watts. The station was licensed to operate as a class D at reduced nighttime power on April 24, 2008.