WODZ-FM
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WODZ-FM
| logo = WODZ961.png
| logo_size = 200px
| city = Rome, New York
| area = Utica–Rome, New York
| branding = 96.1 The Eagle
| frequency = 96.1 MHz
| airdate = August 1968 (as WKAL-FM at 95.9)
| format = Classic hits
| erp = 7,400 watts
| haat = 184 meters
| class = B1
| facility_id = 72068
| coordinates = {{coord|43|8|39|N|75|10|45|W|region:US-NY_type:landmark}}
| callsign_meaning = ODZ = "Oldies" (previous format)
| former_callsigns = WKAL-FM (1968–1984)
WTCO (1984–1986)
WKAL-FM (1986–1988)
WFRG-FM (1988–1993)
| former_frequencies = 95.9 MHz (1968–1988)
| owner = Townsquare Media
| licensee = Townsquare Media Licensee of Utica/Rome, Inc.
| affiliations = Compass Media Networks
Premiere Networks
United Stations Radio Networks
| sister_stations = WIBX, WOUR, WLZW, WFRG-FM
| webcast = [https://961theeagle.com/listen-live/ Listen Live]
| website = [https://961theeagle.com 961theeagle.com]
| licensing_authority= FCC
}}
WODZ-FM (96.1 MHz), branded as "The Eagle", is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format. Licensed to Rome, New York, United States, the station serves the Utica–Rome market. The station is owned by Townsquare Media as part of a cluster with news-talk station WIBX, classic rock-formatted WOUR, hot AC-formatted WLZW (Lite 98.7), and country-formatted WFRG (Big Frog 104).
History
WODZ-FM signed on 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|access-date=April 15, 2012}} as WKAL-FM, owned by Maurer Broadcasting Corporation and operating at 95.9 FM. The station originally simulcast its AM sister station, WKAL (1450 AM).{{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|access-date=April 15, 2012}} In 1977, WKAL-FM dropped the 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|access-date=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|df=mdy-all}}
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|access-date=April 15, 2012|newspaper=Broadcasting|date=August 4, 1980}} In July 1984, WKAL-FM changed its call letters to WTCO,{{cite news|title=Call letters|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/84-OCR/BC-1984-07-09-Page-0072.pdf|page=80|access-date=April 15, 2012|newspaper=Broadcasting|date=July 9, 1984}} and became a country music station, "Top Country." The following year, the station, along with WKAL, was 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|access-date=April 15, 2012|newspaper=Broadcasting|date=December 10, 1984}} The new owners reverted the station's call letters to WKAL-FM on February 10, 1986,{{cite web|title=Call Sign History|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=72068&Callsign=WODZ-FM|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=April 15, 2012}} and implemented a soft adult contemporary 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|access-date=April 15, 2012}}
Target Communications bought WKAL AM-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|access-date=April 15, 2012|newspaper=Broadcasting|date=September 21, 1987}} soon after taking over, on February 1, 1988, the call sign was changed to WFRG-FM,{{cite news|title=Call Letters|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-02-08-Page-0114.pdf|page=114|access-date=April 15, 2012|newspaper=Broadcasting|date=February 8, 1988}} and the station returned to country music, this time branded "96 Frog".{{cite web|last=Herkimer|first=Matt|title=Happy 24th Anniversary Jeremiah B. Frog! [AUDIO]|url=http://bigfrog104.com/happy-24th-anniversary-jeremiah-b-frog/|publisher=Big Frog 104|access-date=April 16, 2012}} The new format was simulcast on 1450 AM, which also took the WFRG call letters (save for a short time in the early 1990s when the AM station broke away to become oldies station WZLB);{{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|access-date=April 16, 2012}} in addition, the station moved to its current frequency, 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|access-date=April 15, 2012}} 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=174816|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=April 15, 2012}} and then in November 1993, WFRG AM-FM was purchased by Forever Broadcasting, owners of WIBX and dominant market leader WLZW. Forever renamed the stations WODZ and launched an oldies format, with the country format and WFRG-FM call letters moving to 104.3 FM.{{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|access-date=April 15, 2012}} The simulcast on AM 1450 continued until May 1999, when that frequency was sold to the Bible Broadcasting Network and became WYFY{{cite news|last=Fybush|first=Scott|title=CBM Leaves 940|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-990514.html|access-date=April 15, 2012|newspaper=North East RadioWatch|date=May 14, 1999}} (it has since reclaimed the WKAL call sign). Forever sold its stations in the market, including WODZ-FM, to Regent Communications (the forerunner to Townsquare Media) several months later.{{cite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-990806.html|title=Sales Galore!|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=August 6, 1999|work=North East RadioWatch|access-date=April 16, 2012}} On January 2, 2015, WODZ shifted to classic hits and rebranded from "Oldiez 96" to "96.1 The Eagle."{{cite news|last1=Venta|first1=Lance|title=WODZ Relaunches As 96.1 The Eagle|url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/91460/wodz-relaunches-as-96-1-the-eagle/|access-date=January 5, 2014|work=RadioInsight|date=January 4, 2014}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{FM station data|72068|WODZ-FM}}
{{Utica Radio}}
{{Classic Hits Radio Stations in New York}}
{{Townsquare Media}}
Category:Classic hits radio stations in the United States