History WFLF (AM)

1 history

1.1 top 40 wgto
1.2 country music era
1.3 swiitch oldies, sports
1.4 talk radio wfla
1.5 programming changes

history
top 40 wgto

on september 9, 1955 station first signed on 10,000-watt, daytime-only wgto. station licensed haines city. call letters stood gulf ocean, in gulf of mexico atlantic ocean, reference large coverage area afforded station s high power , low dial position. 3 years later, station s city of license changed cypress gardens , wgto boosted daytime power 50,000 watts, calling powerful station in nation due operating @ lowest frequency permitted maximum amount of power permitted.

wgto aired top 40 music format beginning until mid-1970s, when station experimented disco format.

country music era

on january 29, 1977, wgto made dramatic format change country music, billboards around orlando proclaiming awakening of market s sleeping giant. country station, wgto became ratings success , won accolades 1 of top country-formatted radio stations in nation, including being named billboard magazine s small market station of year 1978. around time, wgto added nighttime operations 1,000 watts of power.

but in 1980s, country music fans increasingly turned fm dial, wgto lost market share fm country competitors such 92.3 wwka. in 1982, wgto sold , format changed religious programming.

swiitch oldies, sports

another sale 4 years later brought format change, oldies cruisin oldies 54. station not profitable , of station s local personalities laid off in 1992 station switched satellite feed.

paxson communications, owned bud paxson, purchased wgto in 1994, dropping heritage call letters in favor of new call sign wwzn, , installing sports talk format, sports zone. in 1996, call letters again changed wqtm ( 540 team ), keeping all-sports format. in february 2001, wqtm s format , call letters moved 740, later changed call sign wygm, using moniker game. end of sports format on 540, station switched current talk radio format, calling newsradio 540 wfla.

talk radio wfla

former logo; station exclusively identifies 102.5 frequency.

in 2012, wflf began work on move fm. chief talk radio rival, 580 wdbo, had added simulcast on co-owned 96.5 fm frequency wdbo-fm. on fm dial, wflf simulcast programming on altamonte springs translator w283an @ 104.5 mhz. (that translator today broadcasts urban contemporary format). in february 2014, wflf s fm simulcast moved w273ca @ 102.5 mhz.

programming changes

through fall of 2007, wfla carried pat campbell show 6–9 a.m., , orlando affiliate mike gallagher show. in december 2007, 540 wfla began merge programming wygm 740 team, co-owned sports radio station preparing change spanish-language format. pat campbell fired, , show ended in december. simulcast of 740 s dan sileo show took place, , became permanent replacement in january 2008.

wfla retained glenn beck, rush limbaugh , bud hedinger. 6-9pm slot simulcast 740 s finish line starting in january 2008. after 1 week, however, host jerry o neill abruptly quit, , went rival sports station 1080 whoo. contributor mike tuck took on host role, shot doctor reprising color role.

during nfl playoffs, wqtm s contract tampa bay buccaneers football network , nfl on westwood 1 not picked up. sports broadcasts moved co-owned 104.1 wtks-fm.

in april 2009 dan sileo moved newly launched sports outlet 740 game wygm, owned clear channel. bud hedinger moved afternoons on 540 wfla morning drive while syndicated dave ramsey show picked fill afternoons. longtime wtks-fm real radio assistant program director , creative services director dan stone signed on run station assistant program director around same time.