WKAL

WKAL signed on November 25, 1946, as a Mutual affiliate owned by the Copper City Broadcasting Corporation.{{cite book|title=Broadcasting Yearbook 1948|year=1948|page=178|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1948/Radio%20by%20State%20NE-Ter%20BC%20YB%201948%20B&W-10.pdf|accessdate=April 15, 2012}} Copper City Broadcasting was itself owned by Myron Kallet, who also controlled a chain of theaters that included the Capitol Theatre in Rome,{{cite web|title=Joseph Trela|url=http://www.uticaamradio.org/personalities_trela.html|work=Utica AM Radio|accessdate=April 15, 2012}} where WKAL placed its studios. The station was the second station in Utica-Rome, after WIBX (which had already been on the air for two decades). Kallet would also expand into television on December 1, 1949, when WKTV (then at channel 13; later on channel 2) went on the air from Utica.

File:WKAL-1974.jpg

In 1958, Kallet sold WKAL and WKTV to a group led by Paul Harron and Gordon Gray, who had previously owned WIBG AM-FM in Philadelphia and WPFH in Wilmington, Delaware.{{cite news|title=Closed Circuit|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/58-OCR/1958-11-10-BC-0005.pdf|accessdate=April 15, 2012|newspaper=Broadcasting|date=November 10, 1958|page=5}} The group, Mid-New York Broadcasting, changed the station's affiliation to ABC Radio by 1959;{{cite book|title=Broadcasting Yearbook 1960|year=1960|page=A-197|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1960/B%202%20Radio%20Yearbook%201960.pdf|accessdate=April 15, 2012}} it then sold WKAL to Jackson Maurer, former owner of WHKK in Akron, Ohio, in 1961.{{cite news|title=Changing hands|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/61-OCR/1961-05-22-BC-0052.pdf|page=52|accessdate=April 15, 2012|newspaper=Broadcasting|date=May 22, 1961}} The sale separated the station from WKTV, which remained under Harron ownership until 1992. In 1962, WKAL reaffiliated with Mutual;{{cite book|title=Broadcasting Yearbook 1963|year=1963|page=B-126|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1963/B%20N-Z%20Radio%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201963.pdf|accessdate=April 15, 2012}} by 1964, the ABC affiliation had ceased,{{cite book|title=Broadcasting Yearbook 1965|year=1965|page=B-107|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1965/B2-1965-YB-All.pdf|accessdate=April 15, 2012}} and by 1967, the station's studios had left the Capitol Theatre for its transmitter location on South Jay Street.{{cite book|title=Broadcasting Yearbook 1968|year=1968|page=B-114|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1965/B2-1965-YB-All.pdf|accessdate=April 15, 2012}} An FM sister station, WKAL-FM, was started in August 1968{{cite book|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999|year=1999|page=D-311|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1999/D-Radio-NE-Ter-BC-YB-1999..pdf|accessdate=April 15, 2012}} on 95.9 MHz as a simulcast of the AM station.{{cite book|title=Broadcasting Yearbook 1969|year=1969|page=B-117|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1969/B%202%20Radio%201969%20BC%20YB.pdf|accessdate=April 15, 2012}} During this time, WKAL's music programming included blocks devoted to middle of the road music, country music, and top 40. In 1977, WKAL-FM dropped the AM simulcast in favor of beautiful music.{{cite book|title=Broadcasting Yearbook 1977|year=1977|page=C-146|url=http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/1977/C-2%20Radio%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201977.pdf|accessdate=April 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101008175325/http://davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/1977/C-2%20Radio%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201977.pdf|archive-date=October 8, 2010|url-status=dead}}

Maurer Broadcasting Corporation sold WKAL AM-FM to Wooster Republican Publishing Company of Wooster, Ohio in 1980.{{cite news|title=Changing Hands|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/80-OCR/BC-1980-08-04-Page-0054.pdf|accessdate=April 15, 2012|newspaper=Broadcasting|date=August 4, 1980}} By 1983, WKAL had an adult contemporary format;{{cite book|title=Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1984|year=1984|page=B-179|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1984/B-Radio-All-BC-YB-1984.pdf|accessdate=April 15, 2012}} two years later, the station, along with what had become WTCO, were acquired by Howard Green and Donald Simmons, owner of WENY AM-TV and WLEZ in Elmira and WOND and WMGM FM-TV in Atlantic City, New Jersey.{{cite news|title=Changing Hands|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/84-OCR/BC-1984-12-10-Page-0092.pdf|page=92|accessdate=April 15, 2012|newspaper=Broadcasting|date=December 10, 1984}} By then, WKAL had an oldies format.{{cite book|title=Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1987|year=1987|page=B-200|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1987/B2-BC-YB-1987-B&W.pdf|accessdate=April 15, 2012}}

Target Communications bought WKAL and its FM sister station (which had reverted to WKAL-FM) from Green and Simmons in 1987;{{cite news|title=Changing Hands|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/87-OCR/BC-1987-09-21-Page-0074.pdf|page=74|accessdate=April 15, 2012|newspaper=Broadcasting|date=September 21, 1987}} soon after taking over, on February 1, 1988, the station's call sign was changed to WFRG,{{cite news|title=Call Letters|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-02-08-Page-0114.pdf|page=114|accessdate=April 15, 2012|newspaper=Broadcasting|date=February 8, 1988}} and it began simulcasting the "96 Frog" country music format of the FM station, which had become WFRG-FM at 96.1.{{cite book|title=Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1989|year=1989|page=B-207|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1989/B-2%20Radio%20Neb%20to%20Terr%201989-5.pdf|accessdate=April 15, 2012}} The AM’s callsign was changed to WZLB on November 29, 1991,{{cite web|title=Call Sign History|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=72067&Callsign=WKAL|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|accessdate=April 15, 2012}} as the station began simulcasting an adult standards format with WTLB in Utica;{{cite news|title=Format Changes|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1991-11.pdf|accessdate=November 17, 2018|work=The M Street Journal|date=November 18, 1991|page=1}} in February 1992, WZLB and WTLB switched to the Satellite Music Network's Kool Gold oldies programming.{{cite news|title=Format Changes|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1992-02.pdf|accessdate=November 17, 2018|work=The M Street Journal|date=February 24, 1992|page=1}}{{cite book|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1993|year=1993|page=B-250|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1993/B-Radio-AL-NE-Ter-YB-1993-B&W.pdf|accessdate=April 16, 2012}} WZLB's local marketing agreement with WTLB ended on April 1, 1993, and the station returned to simulcasting WFRG-FM;{{cite news|title=Format Changes|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1993-05.pdf|accessdate=November 17, 2018|work=The M Street Journal|date=May 19, 1993|page=2}} on May 15, 1993, WZLB reverted to the WFRG call sign. Target Communications eventually became Arrow Communications, which went into receivership in 1992;{{cite web|title=Application Search Details|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=174815|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|accessdate=April 15, 2012}} in November 1993, WFRG AM-FM was purchased by Forever Broadcasting, which renamed the stations WODZ and launched an oldies format, with the country format and callsign WFRG-FM moving to 104.3 MHz.{{cite book|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1994|year=1994|page=B-259|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1994/B-Radio-NE-Ter-BC-YB-1994-B&W.pdf|accessdate=April 15, 2012}} The AM’s callsign changed again on November 25, 1996, this time to WFRY; this was to warehouse the callsign for a sister station in Watertown,{{cite news|last=Fybush|first=Scott|title=Praise, Pirates, and More|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-970305.html|accessdate=April 15, 2012|newspaper=North East RadioWatch|date=March 5, 1997}} and the callsign reverted to WODZ on February 14, 1997.

Forever sold the station to the Bible Broadcasting Network (BBN) in 1999;{{cite news|last=Fybush|first=Scott|title=Snowbound!|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-990108.html|accessdate=April 15, 2012|newspaper=North East RadioWatch|date=January 8, 1999}} after the sale was completed that May, the station became WYFY, and replaced the simulcast of WODZ-FM with a 24-hour broadcast of BBN's satellite-fed religious programming.{{cite news|last=Fybush|first=Scott|title=CBM Leaves 940|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-990514.html|accessdate=April 15, 2012|newspaper=North East RadioWatch|date=May 14, 1999}} BBN sold the station to Tune In Broadcasting in 2011; Tune In chose to return the station to commercial operation,{{cite news|last=Seyler|first=Dave|title=Tune In Broadcasting reclaims one from the noncoms|url=http://rbr.com/tune-in-broadcasting-reclaims-one-from-the-noncoms/|accessdate=April 15, 2012|newspaper=Radio Business Report|date=February 16, 2011}} forcing WYFY to leave the air following the completion of the sale on May 6, 2011, as only noncommercial stations can maintain main studios outside of their broadcast area (the former studios at the transmitter site in Rome were demolished).{{cite news|title=Q&A: Why Has Rome's WRUY Been Silent Since May?|url=http://www.cnyradio.com/2011/10/10/qa-why-has-romes-wruy-been-silent-since-may/|accessdate=April 15, 2012|newspaper=CNYRadio.com|date=October 10, 2011}}{{cite news|title=FCC Approves More Silence for Rome's WRUY|url=http://www.cnyradio.com/2012/02/15/fcc-approves-more-silence-for-romes-wruy/|accessdate=April 15, 2012|newspaper=CNYRadio.com|date=February 15, 2012}} In addition, BBN retained the WYFY call letters; as a result, the station was renamed WRUY, swapping with the construction permit for a BBN station in Cambridge, Ohio.{{cite news|title=WYFY's New Call Letters: WRUY|url=http://www.cnyradio.com/2011/05/17/wyfys-new-call-letters-wruy/|accessdate=April 15, 2012|newspaper=CNYRadio.com|date=May 17, 2011}} WRUY tested its signal with public service announcements and station identification (which claimed service to the nearby Syracuse market) in late February 2012,{{cite news|title=Brief Signs of Progress for Rome's WRUY|url=http://www.cnyradio.com/2012/02/27/brief-signs-of-life-for-romes-wruy/|accessdate=April 15, 2012|newspaper=CNYRadio.com|date=February 27, 2012}} but on April 1 the call letters were changed back to WKAL. The station returned to the air again on May 4, 2012,{{cite web|last=Frisch|first=Ron|title=Resumption of Operations (1)|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1498728&Form_id=910&Facility_id=72067|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|accessdate=June 23, 2013|date=May 4, 2012}} but went silent three days later due to technical difficulties.{{cite web|last=Frisch|first=Ron|title=Notification of Suspension of Operations / Request for Silent STA (1)|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1499842&Service=AM&Form_id=910&Facility_id=72067|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|accessdate=June 23, 2013|date=May 16, 2012}} WKAL again resumed broadcasting on April 24, 2013,{{cite web|last=Frisch|first=Ron|title=Resumption of Operations (2)|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1553776&Form_id=910&Facility_id=72067|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|accessdate=June 23, 2013|date=May 6, 2013}} with nostalgia programming from the 1920s Radio Network, as well as a station identification announcing that the station was conducting an "engineering test broadcast" and that "a brand new WKAL" would launch soon.{{cite news|title=Rome's WKAL 1450 back on-the-air days before FCC deadline [AUDIO]|url=http://www.cnyradio.com/2013/05/05/romes-wkal-1450-back-on-the-air-days-before-fcc-deadline-audio/|accessdate=June 23, 2012|newspaper=CNYRadio.com|date=May 5, 2013}} However, on May 8, 2013, satellite problems, an interference complaint, and the theft of copper strapping from the station's tower led WKAL to again leave the air.{{cite web|last=Frisch|first=Ron|title=Notification of Suspension of Operations / Request for Silent STA (2)|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1556423&Service=AM&Form_id=910&Facility_id=72067|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|accessdate=June 23, 2013|date=June 10, 2013}}

Following further test broadcasts, WKAL finally resumed regular broadcasts March 11, 2014,{{cite web|url=https://www.uticaod.com/article/20140311/NEWS/140319852|title=WKAL back on the air in Rome|website=Uticaod}} providing a mix of lifestyle and regular talk radio (primarily syndicated, along with some drive time local programming), as well as coverage of Rome Free Academy athletics.{{cite news|title=WKAL-AM radio station returns to Rome airwaves|url=http://www.oneidadispatch.com/general-news/20140312/wkal-am-radio-station-returns-to-rome-airwaves|accessdate=March 13, 2014|newspaper=Oneida Daily Dispatch|date=March 12, 2014}} In 2018, WKAL became affiliated with the Salem Radio Network; it has previously been affiliated with ABC News Radio, CBS News Radio, and Cable Radio Networks.

On April 1, 2025, WKAL dropped its talk format and began simulcasting WNRS in Herkimer by arrangement with Arjuna Broadcasting, to allow full-market coverage of WNRS' Spanish language tropical music format.{{cite news|title=Rome's WKAL station now El Zorro Radio Latino|url=https://www.romesentinel.com/ce/rome-wkal-station-el-zorro-radi--latino/article_33d1a24e-b869-4a93-868e-eb5107543f9f.html|accessdate=May 17, 2025|newspaper=Daily Sentinel|date=April 2, 2025}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.wkal1450.com/}}

{{AM station data|72067|WKAL}}

{{Utica Radio}}

{{Spanish radio stations in New York (state)}}

KAL

Category:Radio stations established in 1946

Category:1946 establishments in New York (state)

Category:Tropical music radio stations

KAL