WZAD
Encyclopedia
WZAD is country music
radio station licenced to Wurtsboro, New York
that serves the Catskill Mountains
region, Orange County, New York
, and Pike County, Pennsylvania
. The station is owned by Cumulus Media
and broadcasts on 97.3 MHz with 6 kilowatts ERP
from a tower between Wurtsboro and Monticello
.
WZAD's programming is a simulcast of sister station 94.3 WKXP
Kingston
, an arrangement that began in March 2006. Prior to this, WZAD had simulcast the programming of another sister station, 97.7 WCZX
Hyde Park
.
The station was sold in the early 90s and immediately fired all its on-air staff and changed to a satellite-based oldies format that had a playlist spanning from the birth of rock until the mid-1980s. The station later hired new DJs for its morning and afternoon hours, but was otherwise automated outside of some syndicated programming on weekends.
The oldies format would last until early 1996, when WZAD's second owner sold the station to the Poughkeepsie-based Crystal Radio Group. With this sale, Crystal saw an opportunity to strengthen its WCZX
(Oldies 97-7), an oldies station in Poughkeepsie by upgrading its format and simulcasting the programming to cover most of the Hudson Valley. When Crystal took control of the stations, WCZX and WZAD were merged into one station, Oldies 97-7/Oldies 97-3, from Crystal's headquarters in Poughkeepsie with some of WZAD's local staff making the move. However, with the move came a historical reduction on WZAD's end given that all post-1975 music was stricken from the playlist given WCZX's heavy 1955-69 musical base. The name would be modified to Oldies 97 in early 1999 to sound less unwieldy.
WZAD (and the rest of the Crystal stations) would change ownership twice in the early 2000s, first being sold to Aurora Communications in October 2000 and then to Cumulus Media
when that company purchased Aurora a year later. It was the second move that led to profound changes as new management came out as being against the Oldies format which led to the push of WCZX/WZAD to change format. In February 2002 WCZX/WZAD began a gradual evolution away from oldies. Initially they added some 80's music. By the Summer the pre 1964 oldies were nearly gone and they were known as "Oldies 97 The Hudson valley's Best Mix". By August of 2002, the station began focusing on the 70's and played music from 1964 to 1989. Labor Day weekend in 2002 saw the name change to Mix 97, which at that time was a 60's to 80's music format. Late in 2002, the station began adding 90's music as well as recent hits and would evolve into an Adult Contemporary format in 2003. They would spend 2004 evolving away from its gold base.
By 2005, the WZAD end of the simulcast was losing local listenership and advertising to locally based WVOS-FM
and its adult contemporary format. At the same time, Cumulus was looking to shore up the ratings of WKXP
, a poorly rated country station with coverage problems. Prior to the start of the Spring ratings in March 2006, Cumulus changed WZAD's simulcast from WCZX to WKXP in response to saving WKXP's format and to retaliate against locally-based WDNB
launching a country format. The first ratings book for the two stations saw a slight improvement though both stations lag considerably behind longtime leader WRWD
.
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...
radio station licenced to Wurtsboro, New York
Wurtsboro, New York
Wurtsboro is a village located on U.S. Route 209 in the town of Mamakating in Sullivan County, New York, United States, near its junction with New York State Route 17...
that serves the Catskill Mountains
Catskill Mountains
The Catskill Mountains, an area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. They are an eastward continuation, and the highest representation, of the Allegheny Plateau...
region, Orange County, New York
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
, and Pike County, Pennsylvania
Pike County, Pennsylvania
-National protected areas:* Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area * Middle Delaware National Scenic River * Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River -Demographics:...
. The station is owned by Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
and broadcasts on 97.3 MHz with 6 kilowatts ERP
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
from a tower between Wurtsboro and Monticello
Monticello, New York
Monticello is a village located in the Town of Thompson in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 6,512 at the 2000 census. It is the seat for the Town of Thompson and the county seat of Sullivan County...
.
WZAD's programming is a simulcast of sister station 94.3 WKXP
WKXP
WKXP is a country music station licensed to Kingston, New York and serving the Hudson Valley of New York state. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts at 6 kilowatts ERP from a tower in Kingston....
Kingston
Kingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
, an arrangement that began in March 2006. Prior to this, WZAD had simulcast the programming of another sister station, 97.7 WCZX
WCZX
WCZX is an hot adult contemporary radio station licensed to Hyde Park, New York and serving the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York state...
Hyde Park
Hyde Park, New York
Hyde Park is a town located in the northwest part of Dutchess County, New York, United States, just north of the city of Poughkeepsie. The town is most famous for being the hometown of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt....
.
History
WZAD first signed on in 1990 as part of a wave of new FM stations which signed on in the wake of the FCC's passage of Docket 80-90 which loosened class/frequency restrictions. The station began its life as The Wizard a locally-based open-format station allowing DJs to choose their own music, featuring everything from contemporary folk and rock to jazz and country, with an evening talk segment and new age, world and classical music on weekends.The station was sold in the early 90s and immediately fired all its on-air staff and changed to a satellite-based oldies format that had a playlist spanning from the birth of rock until the mid-1980s. The station later hired new DJs for its morning and afternoon hours, but was otherwise automated outside of some syndicated programming on weekends.
The oldies format would last until early 1996, when WZAD's second owner sold the station to the Poughkeepsie-based Crystal Radio Group. With this sale, Crystal saw an opportunity to strengthen its WCZX
WCZX
WCZX is an hot adult contemporary radio station licensed to Hyde Park, New York and serving the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York state...
(Oldies 97-7), an oldies station in Poughkeepsie by upgrading its format and simulcasting the programming to cover most of the Hudson Valley. When Crystal took control of the stations, WCZX and WZAD were merged into one station, Oldies 97-7/Oldies 97-3, from Crystal's headquarters in Poughkeepsie with some of WZAD's local staff making the move. However, with the move came a historical reduction on WZAD's end given that all post-1975 music was stricken from the playlist given WCZX's heavy 1955-69 musical base. The name would be modified to Oldies 97 in early 1999 to sound less unwieldy.
WZAD (and the rest of the Crystal stations) would change ownership twice in the early 2000s, first being sold to Aurora Communications in October 2000 and then to Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
when that company purchased Aurora a year later. It was the second move that led to profound changes as new management came out as being against the Oldies format which led to the push of WCZX/WZAD to change format. In February 2002 WCZX/WZAD began a gradual evolution away from oldies. Initially they added some 80's music. By the Summer the pre 1964 oldies were nearly gone and they were known as "Oldies 97 The Hudson valley's Best Mix". By August of 2002, the station began focusing on the 70's and played music from 1964 to 1989. Labor Day weekend in 2002 saw the name change to Mix 97, which at that time was a 60's to 80's music format. Late in 2002, the station began adding 90's music as well as recent hits and would evolve into an Adult Contemporary format in 2003. They would spend 2004 evolving away from its gold base.
By 2005, the WZAD end of the simulcast was losing local listenership and advertising to locally based WVOS-FM
WVOS-FM
WVOS-FM is a radio station broadcasting a Classic Hits format. Licensed to Liberty, New York, USA. The station is currently owned by Watermark Communications LLC and features programming from ABC Radio .-History:...
and its adult contemporary format. At the same time, Cumulus was looking to shore up the ratings of WKXP
WKXP
WKXP is a country music station licensed to Kingston, New York and serving the Hudson Valley of New York state. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts at 6 kilowatts ERP from a tower in Kingston....
, a poorly rated country station with coverage problems. Prior to the start of the Spring ratings in March 2006, Cumulus changed WZAD's simulcast from WCZX to WKXP in response to saving WKXP's format and to retaliate against locally-based WDNB
WDNB
WDNB is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Jeffersonville, New York, USA. The station is currently owned by Bold Gold Media Group, L.P..-History:...
launching a country format. The first ratings book for the two stations saw a slight improvement though both stations lag considerably behind longtime leader WRWD
WRWD-FM
WRWD-FM are the call letters of a country music radio station licensed to Highland, New York and primarily serving the mid-Hudson Valley of New York. The station broadcasts at 6 kilowatts ERP from a tower near Illinois Mountain in Marlborough, New York shared with sister station WBWZ...
.