WYCL
Encyclopedia
WRGV is a radio station
licensed to serve the community of Pensacola, Florida
, United States. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications
and the broadcast license
is held by Clear Channel Broadcasting Licenses, Inc. WRGV broadcasts a Contemporary Hit Radio
music format to the greater Pensacola, Florida, and Mobile, Alabama
, area.
along with new call letters, WOWW-FM to become known as "WOW 107", moving its studios to Davis Highway in Pensacola.
As the 1980s progressed, "WOW 107" would rise up to become a country music power house, overthrowing the heritage Country in the market, WXBM-FM, and winning several Billboard Magazine's Station of the Year (small market) awards. It was also known for its full-time News department, winner of multiple AP news awards.
As the 1980s ended, so did WOW 107's run of being a ratings king, now owned by Sun Media Group. The 1990s saw several re-imaging attempts, including "The New WOW 107.3" and "107 Thunder Country", until its demise as a country station in 1994 when it became "New Rock One Zero Seven", flipping to alternative rock
.
In 1996, the station was purchased by Southern Broadcasting, which owned New Rock 107's only competition, WTKX
, "TK101". Two months later, both were purchased by Paxson Communications. After the Paxson purchase, TK101, being a heritage rock station since the mid-1970s, brought over WOWW's air staff and re-imaged itself as "The Rock Station", dropping the moniker "The New Rock Alternative", leaving WOWW without an airstaff or a format.
After stunting for two days playing "Macarena
" non-stop, WOWW changed formats to oldies
from the 1950s and 1960s, and changed its call letters to WYCL (think "Way Cool"). As time went on, they phased out the 1950s music to include more 1970s songs.
Then in late 2004, the station's owner, now Clear Channel Communications
, switched the music format to "My 107.3" and played 1970s and 1980s music. However, the "My 70s, My 80s" positioner was discontinued and the station used "My Variety" as its main positioner, in order to include a slightly wider variety of music. The playlist remained mostly 1970s and early 1980s, with a fair amount of 1960s and other 1980s songs, making it a basic classic hits
format.
For three years after the September 11, 2001 attacks
, the station played breaking news bulletins every hour on top of the hour (first provided by ABC News
, then by Clear Channel Worldwide News), as well as "The Star-Spangled Banner
" at the start and close of each workday.
In February 2010, the station ceased the "My 107.3" format and started airing the format of their sister station
, "Lite Mix 99.9". On February 26, 2010, at 8:00 a.m. WYCL launched a new rhythmic adult contemporary
format branded as "107.3 The Groove". On March 5, 2010, WYCL changed their call letters to WRGV to go with "The Groove" branding. After a year as a Rhythmic AC, WRGV evolved to Rhythmic Top 40, in April 2011. On September 2, 2011 WRGV changed their format to contemporary hits, branded as "107.3 Hit Music Now".
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 serve the community of Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
, United States. The station is currently owned by 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...
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 Clear Channel Broadcasting Licenses, Inc. WRGV broadcasts a Contemporary Hit Radio
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...
music format to the greater Pensacola, Florida, and Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, area.
History
In the 1970s, 107.3 FM belonged to WAJB-FM, which was a beautiful music station with studios at the Tiger Point Country Club in Gulf Breeze, until it was purchased by Colonial Broadcasting in 1979. The format was changed to country musicCountry 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...
along with new call letters, WOWW-FM to become known as "WOW 107", moving its studios to Davis Highway in Pensacola.
As the 1980s progressed, "WOW 107" would rise up to become a country music power house, overthrowing the heritage Country in the market, WXBM-FM, and winning several Billboard Magazine's Station of the Year (small market) awards. It was also known for its full-time News department, winner of multiple AP news awards.
As the 1980s ended, so did WOW 107's run of being a ratings king, now owned by Sun Media Group. The 1990s saw several re-imaging attempts, including "The New WOW 107.3" and "107 Thunder Country", until its demise as a country station in 1994 when it became "New Rock One Zero Seven", flipping to alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
.
In 1996, the station was purchased by Southern Broadcasting, which owned New Rock 107's only competition, WTKX
WTKX-FM
WTKX-FM is an active rock music formatted radio station licensed to serve Pensacola, Florida. The broadcast area reaches far into northwest Florida, nearly all of southwest Alabama and as far as Gulfport, Mississippi....
, "TK101". Two months later, both were purchased by Paxson Communications. After the Paxson purchase, TK101, being a heritage rock station since the mid-1970s, brought over WOWW's air staff and re-imaged itself as "The Rock Station", dropping the moniker "The New Rock Alternative", leaving WOWW without an airstaff or a format.
After stunting for two days playing "Macarena
Macarena (song)
"Macarena" is a Spanish dance song by Los del Río about a woman of the same name. Appearing on the 1994 album A mí me gusta, it was an international hit between 1995 and 1996, and continues to have a cult following. It was ranked the "#1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of all Time" by VH1 in 2002.The song...
" non-stop, WOWW changed formats 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....
from the 1950s and 1960s, and changed its call letters to WYCL (think "Way Cool"). As time went on, they phased out the 1950s music to include more 1970s songs.
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...
, switched the music format to "My 107.3" and played 1970s and 1980s music. However, the "My 70s, My 80s" positioner was discontinued and the station used "My Variety" as its main positioner, in order to include a slightly wider variety of music. The playlist remained mostly 1970s and early 1980s, with a fair amount of 1960s and other 1980s songs, making it a basic 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.
For three years after the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, the station played breaking news bulletins every hour on top of the hour (first provided by ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
, then by Clear Channel Worldwide News), as well as "The Star-Spangled Banner
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
" at the start and close of each workday.
In February 2010, the station ceased the "My 107.3" format and started airing the format of their sister station
Sister station
In broadcasting, sister stations or sister channels are radio and/or television stations operated by the same ownership....
, "Lite Mix 99.9". On February 26, 2010, at 8:00 a.m. WYCL launched a new rhythmic adult contemporary
Rhythmic Adult Contemporary
Rhythmic adult contemporary is a format used on stations in the United States and Canada. It usually gears toward an older audience, ages 25 to 54. Stations using this format play disco from the 1970s and early 1980s, dance/pop music, adult-friendly hip hop/old school tracks, R&B, dance/freestyle...
format branded as "107.3 The Groove". On March 5, 2010, WYCL changed their call letters to WRGV to go with "The Groove" branding. After a year as a Rhythmic AC, WRGV evolved to Rhythmic Top 40, in April 2011. On September 2, 2011 WRGV changed their format to contemporary hits, branded as "107.3 Hit Music Now".