WIZR
Encyclopedia
WIZR is a radio station
that is currently broadcasting an oldies
format. Licensed to Johnstown, New York
, USA, the station serves the Mohawk Valley
area. The station is currently owned by 930 AM WIZR Radio, LLC and features oldies music from the 50s, 60s and 70s.
, initially airing a middle of the road format; four years later, former sister station WIZR-FM 104.9 (now WZMR
in Altamont, New York) signed on as a simulcast of the AM station's programming. In 1973, the stations flipped to a top 40 simulcast; with the FM side flipping to oldies
in 1980.
With the decline of top 40 formats on AM, WIZR flipped to Music of Your Life
under the call letters WMYL in 1981; WIZR-FM signed off in 1982 and returned after a one-year absence, simulcasting the AM's adult standards
format. In 1984, Joe Caruso acquired the stations, and reinstated the WIZR call letters on the AM side while the FM took on a new format and the WSRD call letters.
In early 1998, Joe Caruso sought to move FM 104.9 closer to the Albany market by securing a construction permit
to move WSRD to Altamont, New York; later that year, Pamal Broadcasting
acquired both stations for $2.2 million, upon the closure of the sale, former sister station WSRD moved to its new transmitter site and is now WZMR
, while WIZR began to carry ABC's now-defunct Timeless
radio network.
In December 2008, WIZR went silent as Pamal Broadcasting
prepared for a sale of the radio station; eventually, Thomas Kuettel would purchase the station in early 2010, who installed a country music
format under Dial Global
's True Country
satellite format in on March 15, 2010. On June 1, 2011, the station changed formats to Dial Global
oldies
.
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...
that is currently broadcasting an 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....
format. Licensed to Johnstown, New York
Johnstown (city), New York
Johnstown is a city and the county seat of Fulton County in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2000 Census, the city had population of 8,511. Recent estimates put the figure closer to 8,100. The city was named by its founder, Sir William Johnson after his son John Johnson...
, USA, the station serves the Mohawk Valley
Mohawk Valley
The Mohawk Valley region of the U.S. state of New York is the area surrounding the Mohawk River, sandwiched between the Adirondack Mountains and Catskill Mountains....
area. The station is currently owned by 930 AM WIZR Radio, LLC and features oldies music from the 50s, 60s and 70s.
History
WIZR originally signed on in 19641964 in radio
The year 1964 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.-Debuts:*28 March - Radio Caroline – a pirate radio station based on a ship anchored in international waters off the English coast – debuts as Europe's first all-day English-language pop music station.-Closings:*27 March - The...
, initially airing a middle of the road format; four years later, former sister station WIZR-FM 104.9 (now WZMR
WZMR
WZMR is a country music formatted radio station licensed to Altamont and serving New York's Capital District and surrounding areas. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting, and broadcasts at 6 kilowatts ERP from the Helderberg Mountains antenna farm in New Scotland...
in Altamont, New York) signed on as a simulcast of the AM station's programming. In 1973, the stations flipped to a top 40 simulcast; with the FM side flipping 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....
in 1980.
With the decline of top 40 formats on AM, WIZR flipped to 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...
under the call letters WMYL in 1981; WIZR-FM signed off in 1982 and returned after a one-year absence, simulcasting the AM's 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...
format. In 1984, Joe Caruso acquired the stations, and reinstated the WIZR call letters on the AM side while the FM took on a new format and the WSRD call letters.
In early 1998, Joe Caruso sought to move FM 104.9 closer to the Albany market by securing a construction permit
Construction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
to move WSRD to Altamont, New York; later that year, Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting, Ltd. is a family-owned radio ownership with stations in medium-to-small markets in the Northeast and Florida. Based in the Albany suburb of Latham, New York, Pamal Broadcasting was founded in 1986 as Albany Broadcasting when business man James J. Morrell entered broadcast...
acquired both stations for $2.2 million, upon the closure of the sale, former sister station WSRD moved to its new transmitter site and is now WZMR
WZMR
WZMR is a country music formatted radio station licensed to Altamont and serving New York's Capital District and surrounding areas. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting, and broadcasts at 6 kilowatts ERP from the Helderberg Mountains antenna farm in New Scotland...
, while WIZR began to carry ABC's now-defunct Timeless
Timeless (radio network)
Timeless was a 24-hour satellite music service of Citadel Media . It has distributed a mix of soft oldies and adult standards to radio stations around the USA...
radio network.
In December 2008, WIZR went silent as Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting, Ltd. is a family-owned radio ownership with stations in medium-to-small markets in the Northeast and Florida. Based in the Albany suburb of Latham, New York, Pamal Broadcasting was founded in 1986 as Albany Broadcasting when business man James J. Morrell entered broadcast...
prepared for a sale of the radio station; eventually, Thomas Kuettel would purchase the station in early 2010, who installed a 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...
format under Dial Global
Dial Global
Dial Global is a radio syndication company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triton Media Group and is a sister company to Townsquare Media, both of which are owned by Oaktree Capital Management....
's True Country
True Country
True Country is an American 24-hour music format produced by Dial Global Networks. Its playlist is composed of a diverse mix of classic and some handpicked modern country music from artists such as Brooks & Dunn, Toby Keith, Shania Twain, Keith Urban, Garth Brooks and dozens more artists.Recently,...
satellite format in on March 15, 2010. On June 1, 2011, the station changed formats to Dial Global
Dial Global
Dial Global is a radio syndication company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triton Media Group and is a sister company to Townsquare Media, both of which are owned by Oaktree Capital Management....
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....
.