WOLZ
In today's world, WOLZ continues to be a topic of great relevance and interest to a large sector of the population. Over time, WOLZ has managed to remain at the center of attention of academics, professionals and amateurs, demonstrating its importance and impact in different areas of society. Throughout history, WOLZ has been the subject of numerous studies, debates and reflections, which has contributed to enriching knowledge on this topic. In this article, we will explore some key aspects related to WOLZ, with the aim of delving into its meaning, its evolution and its relevance today.
| Broadcast area | Southwest Florida |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 95.3 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 95.3 The Beach |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic Hits |
| Subchannels | HD2: Christian Contemporary WAYJ simulcast |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WBCG, WBTT, WCCF, WCKT, WCVU, WIKX, WWCD, WZJZ | |
| History | |
First air date | September 30, 1969 (as WFJY) |
Call sign meaning | Oldies (former format) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 13898 |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 79,000 watts |
| HAAT | 145 meters (476 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 26°30′18.00″N 81°51′14.00″W / 26.5050000°N 81.8538889°W |
| Translator | HD2: 100.5 W263BI (Fort Myers) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 953beach.iheart.com |
WOLZ (95.3 FM, "The Beach") is a commercial radio station licensed to Fort Myers, Florida, and serving Southwest Florida. It airs a classic hits radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. It carries two nationally syndicated shows on weekdays: Valentine in the Morning from KBIG Los Angeles is heard in AM drive time and The Martha Quinn Show airs in middays.
WOLZ is a Class C1 FM station. It has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 79,000 watts. WOLZ broadcasts using HD Radio technology.[2] Its digital subchannel carries Christian Contemporary music from WAYJ n Naples, known as "Way FM." That feeds FM translator W263BI at 100.5 MHz in Fort Myers.
History
The station signed on the air in September 30, 1969.[3] Its original call sign was WFJY. For its early years, it was powered at only 1,500 watts, a fraction of its current output. It later was WSOR, a non-commercial station owned by the Riverside Baptist Church of Fort Myers. It aired a Christian radio format, mostly religious music with some preaching shows.
In the 1980s, it was acquired by the Heritage Broadcasting Company. It became a commercial station with an oldies format. The call letters WOLZ were chosen to represent the word oldies. Heritage applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to boost the power to 100,000 watts.[4] That would allow WOLZ to be heard around much of Southwest Florida, including Fort Myers and Marco Island. In the 2000s, as the station shifted from oldies to classic hits, the branding avoided the word "oldies." In 2016, the station rebranded from "95.3 The River" to "95.3 OLZ." The playlist deleted early 1960s music, concentrating on the 70s and early 80s.
On May 28, 2021, WOLZ rebranded from "95.3 OLZ" to "95.3 The Beach." The playlist shifted to more 80s music with some 70s and 90s titles.[5]
References
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WOLZ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=65 HD Radio Guide for Fort Myers, Naples, and Marco Island, Florida
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-41. Retrieved Jan. 9, 2025.
- ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1992 page A-70. Retrieved Jan. 9, 2025.
- ^ WOLZ Fort Myers Is On The Beach Radioinsight - May 28, 2021
External links
- Facility details for Facility ID 13898 (WOLZ) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WOLZ in Nielsen Audio's FM station database