WDYZ
Encyclopedia
WDYZ is a Radio Disney
station
serving the Orlando, Florida
market. WDYZ broadcasts on 990 kHz. WDYZ also broadcasts in HD Radio
.
Because of its signal strength, WDYZ can be heard throughout central Florida, from coast to coast, and from Sebring
to Palatka
, using a directional antenna to protect WMYM
in Miami
(also a Radio Disney station) and WGML
in Hinesville, Georgia
. At night, its signal is more directional towards the east, to protect clear channel station CBW
in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Ironically, during the nighttime transmission pattern, WDYZ does not have very strong coverage in the Walt Disney World area (Bay Lake, Florida
, and Lake Buena Vista, Florida
), however it is slightly stronger in Lake Buena Vista than in Bay Lake, based on the groundwave coverage.
. WHOO began in 1947 as the ABC
radio network affiliate for Orlando. In the late 1950s, WHOO shifted to a Top 40 music format and was a top-rated station in the market until slipping behind upstart AM 950 WLOF
"Channel 95" in the mid-1960s. WHOO then switched to country music
in 1968 and continued with this format until 1987, when the station switched its calls to WMMA "Magic 99", airing a satellite-fed adult contemporary format from Satellite Music Network which later changed to oldies
.
A succession of formats followed over the next several years: the station was briefly WHTQ-AM in 1988, simulcasting the rock format of WHTQ-FM, and then returned to the WHOO calls with a Music of Your Life
format later that same year, only to change to classic country
in 1989 and then return to simulcasting WHTQ (although still as WHOO) from 1990 to 1993. In 1993, WHOO-AM adopted the syndicated "Stardust" adult standards
music format from ABC Radio, which continued until 2001, when the station became WDYZ and a Radio Disney affiliate. The standards format and WHOO calls were shifted off onto AM 1080 in Kissimmee
, which continues as WHOO AM with a sports talk format from ESPN Radio, which also happens to be owned by the Walt Disney Company.
Radio Disney
Radio Disney is a radio network based in Burbank, California and headquartered out of the Disney Channel headquarters on West Alameda Ave., from where it has been based since November 2008. Prior to that, the network was based in Dallas, Texas...
station
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...
serving the Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
market. WDYZ broadcasts on 990 kHz. WDYZ also broadcasts in HD Radio
HD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
.
Because of its signal strength, WDYZ can be heard throughout central Florida, from coast to coast, and from Sebring
Sebring, Florida
Sebring is a city in Highlands County, Florida, United States, nicknamed "The City on the Circle", in reference to Circle Drive, the center of the Sebring Downtown Historic District...
to Palatka
Palatka, Florida
Palatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,796. It is the county seat of Putnam County and includes East Palatka. Palatka is the principal city of the Palatka...
, using a directional antenna to protect WMYM
WMYM
WMYM is a Radio Disney station serving the Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Florida market. It also reaches and covers Disney Cruise Line's private island, Castaway Cay. WMYM broadcasts on 990 kHz....
in Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
(also a Radio Disney station) and WGML
WGML
WGML is a radio station broadcasting a Gospel format. Licensed to Hinesville, Georgia, USA, the station serves the Savannah area. The station is currently owned by Powerhouse of Deliverance Church, Inc..-History:...
in Hinesville, Georgia
Hinesville, Georgia
Hinesville is a city in Liberty County, Georgia, United States. The population was 30,392 at the 2000 census. Hinesville is also known to have been the home of three signers of the Declaration of Independence: Lyman Hall, George Walton and Button Gwinnett. The city is the county seat of Liberty...
. At night, its signal is more directional towards the east, to protect clear channel station CBW
CBW (AM)
CBW is the callsign of the CBC Radio One station in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The station broadcasts at AM 990, and this frequency functions as a Class A clear channel under former North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement allocations.-History:...
in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Ironically, during the nighttime transmission pattern, WDYZ does not have very strong coverage in the Walt Disney World area (Bay Lake, Florida
Bay Lake, Florida
Bay Lake is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 23 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 22. It is named after Bay Lake, a lake east of the Magic Kingdom. Most of the Walt Disney World Resort, including...
, and Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Lake Buena Vista is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. It is mostly known for being home to the Walt Disney World Resort. It is one of two Florida municipalities controlled by The Walt Disney Company, the other being Bay Lake....
), however it is slightly stronger in Lake Buena Vista than in Bay Lake, based on the groundwave coverage.
History
For many years, what now is WDYZ bore the calls WHOOWHOO
WHOO is the callsign for ESPN Radio 1080 the Team, an AM sports radio station in Orlando, Florida, United States. It broadcasts at a medium-wave frequency of 1080 kHz. It is owned by Genesis Communications...
. WHOO began in 1947 as the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
radio network affiliate for Orlando. In the late 1950s, WHOO shifted to a Top 40 music format and was a top-rated station in the market until slipping behind upstart AM 950 WLOF
WTLN
WTLN is a radio station broadcasting a Religious format. Licensed to Orlando, Florida, USA, it serves the greater Orlando area. The station is currently owned by Salem Communications.Programming on WTLN is repeated on WHIM AM 1520 in Apopka....
"Channel 95" in the mid-1960s. WHOO then switched to country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
in 1968 and continued with this format until 1987, when the station switched its calls to WMMA "Magic 99", airing a satellite-fed adult contemporary format from Satellite Music Network which later changed to 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....
.
A succession of formats followed over the next several years: the station was briefly WHTQ-AM in 1988, simulcasting the rock format of WHTQ-FM, and then returned to the WHOO calls with a Music of Your Life
Music of Your Life
Music of Your Life is a satellite-delivered radio network featuring the Adult Standards music format. Created by record executive and jingle writer Al Ham, and now under the direction of Marc Angell, Music of Your Life has more than 50 AM, FM and HD-2 radio station affiliates, and has been in...
format later that same year, only to change to classic country
Classic country
Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country hits from past decades.This genre generally follows one of two formats: those specializing in hits from the 1920s through the early 1970s, and focus primarily on innovators and artists from country music's Golden...
in 1989 and then return to simulcasting WHTQ (although still as WHOO) from 1990 to 1993. In 1993, WHOO-AM adopted the syndicated "Stardust" adult standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
music format from ABC Radio, which continued until 2001, when the station became WDYZ and a Radio Disney affiliate. The standards format and WHOO calls were shifted off onto AM 1080 in Kissimmee
Kissimmee, Florida
Kissimmee is a city in Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 59,682. It is the county seat of Osceola County...
, which continues as WHOO AM with a sports talk format from ESPN Radio, which also happens to be owned by the Walt Disney Company.