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Status of 1500 WAKE

Posted by John from Wisconsin <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=John+from+Wisconsin' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 6, 2023, 2:10 pm

I'm in WI, thus have to ask. I've read WAKE will be off now as moving to Hobart from Valparaiso. Just wanted to verify they are off.
Thanks much, BUT,years ago, then WZUU AM moved (on 1290) from Milwaukee,WI to Greenfield,WI. They didn't leave the air for days, weeks or months to do the CP. My question is, aren't they (WAKE-AM) tossing away the audience that might never come back?
(WZUU is now WZTI Fonz FM)

Thank you for your patience!

Re: Status of 1500 WAKE

Posted by PhilJSmith <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=PhilJSmith' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 6, 2023, 10:16 pm, in reply to "Status of 1500 WAKE"

I cannot be absolutely certain, but I used to get 1500 WAKE in Beecher IL (5 miles west of the state line) daytime, and now I get absolutely nothing, even when I completely null out 1510 WWHN Joliet.

I recall seeing that their new pattern when the move to Valpo will cast a null in my direction, so I suspect I’ll never know if they return to the air from home.

Re: Status of 1500 WAKE

Posted by JJSPC1372 <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=JJSPC1372' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 7, 2023, 7:22 am, in reply to "Re: Status of 1500 WAKE"

They have a silent STA which allows them to be off until 9/1. As posted above with WZUU, you would think WAKE would have built the new site first before leaving the air for an extended period of time.

Re: Status of 1500 WAKE

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 7, 2023, 11:24 am, in reply to "Re: Status of 1500 WAKE"

These type of STA are to "buy" or "push" time to figure out what to do. You shut off the old site then the new one has issues, you are pushing off even more before returning on air. You have to ask, do they even care about the audience? New format on the horizon? Do not be surprised if they hand in the license.

Has the owner Larry Langford Jr tried to tether this to a translator?

Z

Re: Status of 1500 WAKE

I should have included this yesterday:
https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?sr=Y&s=C&call=WAKE&nav=home

Thank you for your honest answers!!!

To Z.... at that time, WZUU flipped to WLZZ (Wheelz) on 9 13-82. They were "Solid Gold 13z!" with LIVE jocks. I believe Wolfman Jack was on the first night.

The FM was Top40. Scott Shannon (then Malrite owned, like WHTZ) would liven it up in 1984. Didn't work tho.

Milwaukee had 4 CHRs!!!! B97 (WLPX-WBTT), WKTI (bland, Too adult-ish, ut bland), Z95 (WZUU) and the great "Hit-radio 1 doule Oh-7 WRKR" out of Racine.
Pat Martin to me, was a genius. Both B97 and WRHR used the Hit-Radio slogan, Z95 was "Hot Rockin', Flame Throwin') and then there was "94 WKTI"

John

Re: Status of 1500 WAKE

WZUU. Zeeee 95! Ernie Anderson as the voice dude. Priceless.

When WZUU-FM was on were they simulcasting with the AM?

I am honestly amazed how long WKTI lasted posing as a CHR, blander than bland.

Z

Re: Status of 1500 WAKE

Posted by Jeremy Andrews <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeremy+Andrews' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 7, 2023, 4:34 pm, in reply to "Re: Status of 1500 WAKE"

The Top-40 on WZUU and WZUU-FM launched in '72 or so. The "Hot Rockin' Flame Throwin' Z95" era was around 1983 or so.

The AM flipped to Oldies, first as 13Z and later WLLZ (Solid Gold Wheelz) in the early 80s.

Willie Davis bought it in the late 80s and changed the format to Urban and the calls to WMVP. It was to replace 1590 WAWA. They ended up running a bulldozer over the WAWA tower site and smashing all of the equipment intact into the ground because it had PCB and they didn't want to dispose of it.

They got the current setup, plus 24 hours in 1980 or so. The studio for WLLZ was at the transmitter site. Pretty dangerous. Bunch of phasor equipment on the wall. Anybody touched it, they'd get zapped.

WMCS didn't make much money in it's final years, so they flipped it to Standards first, then Rhythmic Oldies, then Oldies as it is now. Both translators have bad coverage. They focus on mom and pop businesses for advertising. Offer them affordable rates.

Re: Status of 1500 WAKE

By the way, typo for me. WLZZ were the calls. Not WLLZ

Re: Status of 1500 WAKE

Posted by JJSPC1372 <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=JJSPC1372' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 8, 2023, 6:49 am, in reply to "Re: Status of 1500 WAKE"

A little of the original topic of WAKE but a bit more history on WZUU. The then WMIL 1290 and WMVM 95.7, (Country and Beautiful Music respectively) were switched to Top 40 WZUU AM/FM in (I believe it was June 1st) of 1972. The station was originally consulted by Mike Joseph and ran the Hot Hits format with the slogan "Super Hit Music". Even in 1972, the AM at that time being daytime only was barely promoted. The station was referred to as "Stereo 96, The Super ZOO". The call letters only being said in the frequent jingles. A couple years later WZUU AM/FM became more of a mainstream Top 40. By 1978, the stations transitioned to more of an Adult Contemporary format. They continued to simulcast until December of 1979, when as was posted above the AM split off with the exception of Larry The Legend in morning drive and began the oldies format on 1290. WZUU-FM later returned to Top 40 in late 1983 as "Z-95".

Re: Status of 1500 WAKE

Agreed on the day of the beginning. As a teenager I was glued to 1290 for the (5:30am ??) sign on and what it was, was a battle of song A vs. song B, jingles between everything. Once that was over with, NO oldies were ever played unless it was "XXXX Greatest Hits" album. It was "Stereo 96, WZUU" or "Super Hit Music, on the Super Zoo!" The chart was a Top 29 (as in the never mentioned 1 29 0.)

http://las-solanas.com/surveys/WZUU/WZUU_1973-03-14_1.jpg

They MIGHT have mentioned a #1 or something, but the rotation drove me nuts!!!!!!

Stereo or not, I went back to WOKY. (Every other song was an oldie, Q format coming soon!)
WOKY added TWELVE SONGS to their Top 30 June 26,'72:
http://las-solanas.com/arsa/survey.php?sv=75825

1340-WRIT, now, was an also ran vs "the mighty 92" & "Stereo 96" and would run NBC's News & Information in 1973.

God, do I miss counter programming, and GOOD radio battles!

Re: Status of 1500 WAKE

Posted by JJSPC1372 <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=JJSPC1372' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 8, 2023, 10:53 am, in reply to "Re: Status of 1500 WAKE"

Just one more mention if I may on a Chicago board about Milwaukee radio. There was also of course WNUW Stereo 99 who ran SEVERAL formats over the years including Drake-Chenault's Hitparade, Solid Gold, and then different variations of Top 40/Rock before going Beautiful Music and finally Disco.

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