WZLR

WZLR (95.3 FM) known as "95.3 and 101.1 The Eagle" is a radio station broadcasting an 80s classic rock format. Licensed to Xenia, Ohio, USA, it serves the Dayton area. According to the FCC's website, the station has transmitted at 6,000 watts since 1998. Its studios are co-located with the Dayton Daily News, WHIO-AM-FM-TV and two more radio stations in the Cox Media Center building near downtown Dayton. WZLR has a transmitter in Xenia. The station is currently owned by Cox Media Group. This is the third time the station has been an 80's format, once as Power 95 in the early 90's, once as The Point in the early 2000s and now as The Eagle.

History

WBZI I-95 (Country)

Originally WBZI the FM sister of the former WGIC-AM which employed numerous formats from southern gospel in the mid 70s, adult contemporary in the late 1970s (as "I-95" following a format and AM/FM frequency swap) then switching to country in 1980. The station was always the 'also ran' to WONE which owned the country music audience in the 70s and 80s.

WDJK DJK95 (Adult Contemporary)

In 1988 the station flipped from country to a national AC satellite format. It was a low ratings performer since both WVUD-FM (99.9) and WWSN-FM (107.7) both were successful Adult Contemporary stations. In the later part of 1989 the station dumped the satellite format in favor of local AC. During the year the station began adding CHR titles and completed the move to CHR/POP in 1990.

WDJK DJ 95/Power 95 (CHR)

In the latter part of 1990, the station became CHR/Pop "DJ 95". This name lasted for two years until June 1992, when the station retained the CHR/Pop format and became known as "Power 95", following the playing of Boyz II Men's "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" 953 times in a row. The CHR/Pop format would last until July, 1993, when the station was put up for sale, at which time the station decided to flip to an 80s Oldies format, the first time such a format had been tried in the country. Once the station was sold, on August 10, 1993, following the playing of Night Ranger's "Goodbye", the 80s Oldies format was dropped as well as the entire airstaff for an FM simulcast of sister station 1500 WBZI, retaining the WDJK calls.

WZLR Kool 95/Oldies 95 (Oldies)

The station was sold to Dick Hunt (owner of WCLR/WPTW in Piqua, Ohio) again in 1994 and eventually became a simulcast with Piqua's WCLR "Kool 95" becoming repeater WZLR. In 1998 the station was sold to Cox Media Group and tweaks to the format were made including a branding change to Oldies 95 in its final year of operation.

WDTP 95.3 The Point (80's Hits)

Another format and call letter change took place in October 2000 becoming WDTP the repeater of 95.7 WDPT "Dayton's Point" playing 80s Adult Hits until September, 2002. The simulcast was branded as "95.7 Northside and 95.3 Southside." 95.7 The Point continued on the 95.7 WDPT frequency with the 80s Adult Hits format until October 30, 2006 when the station became a simulcast of News/Talk WHIO-AM.

WZLR 95.3 ZLR (Classic Rock)

At this point the station flipped to Classic Rock after a full day of stunting with the opening riffs of Queen's "We Will Rock You" playing in the background and reverting to the WZLR calls. The original 95.3 ZLR was a mainstream 70s Classic Rock format. The station used a 'no DJ' approach and promoted the fact they were Dayton's first radio station without DJ's. Until recently the station did not use DJ's.

WZLR 95.3 The Eagle (Classic Hits)

In 2006, the station evolved and softened into a Classic Hits format and picked up the handle "95.3 The Eagle-Dayton's Classic Hits Station", as well as retaining the WZLR calls. Core artists during this era of the station included Fleetwood Mac, Bob Seger, The Eagles, and The Doobie Brothers.

In March 2009, the station added the nationally syndicated Bubba The Love Sponge morning show.

WZLR 95.3 and 101.1 The Eagle (80's Classic Rock)

The station's website mentioned that a format change would be coming to 95.3 Thursday, January 7, 2010 following the Bubba the Love Sponge show. It was announced at 11 AM on Thursday, Jan. 7th that the station was shifting its focus to 80s ("Now more 80s and the same great 70s"). It also included short intercuts of old radio imaging from 104 DJX, 105 WTUE, and Z-93. The connection was made to the great stations playing hit music in the late 70s and 80s in the market. The first song after the change was announced was "Nothin' but a Good Time" by Poison. Core artists at that time included Def Leppard, AC/DC, Tom Petty, Foreigner, Journey, The Police, Van Halen, John Mellencamp, Billy Squier, Bryan Adams and Aerosmith.

Bubba The Love Sponge was dropped from the station on March 2, 2011. According to the station's Facebook Page, the station completed its evolution to its new format and listener demand for music in the morning.

On May 27, 2011 another shift occurred as the station completed its move to an 80's Classic Hits station. The new sound of the station features the 80's rock acts like Journey and Bon Jovi, alternative 80's from REM and The Romantics, some pop from acts like Huey Lewis and The News and now the early 90's. They still maintain the rock feel without playing dance pop from the 80's. The station changed the positioning statement to 80's Classic Hits to reflect the new format. The station's Facebook page indicates that the format is mostly 80's with late 70's included from acts that fit the model.

On June 1, 2012 the station changed their positioning statement to "80's Rock Hits."

In September 2013, the station began operating on translator W266BG at 101.1 MHz;^[1] this translator was previously used by WSWO-LP.^[2]

Longtime Dayton host Sandy Collins produced a local morning show. Sandy's career included stops WLQT, WMMX, WXEG and ironically played much of the 80's music when it was current on WGTZ Z-93. The show ended and now the station has no morning announcer.

The station dropped the 'hits' part of the slogan and just focuses on "Dayton's 80's Rock." The music became more rock and less pop at that time.

Previous logo

(WZLR's logo under previous "Classic Hits" positioner)

Former airstaff

WDJK

• Jeff Stevens (1990–93; Now OM/PD/Morning Host at WMMX/Mix 107.7)
• Sloppy Joe(1992–93)
• Todd Hudson(1992–93)
• Joe Momma(1992)
• Jammin' Joe Kelly(1990–93)
• Brian Savage(1992–93)
• Alan Rantz (1992–93; Now at WOFX/The Fox/Cincinnati)
• Jack Rutledge(1992)
• Stacy Crews(1992–93)
• Taylor(1992–93)
• Buzz Cannon(1993)
• Bobby Brunner (News 1992-93)
• Tom Daniels

Simulcast of WCLR

• Jason Michaels
• Mark Roberts
• Joe Demma
• Linda Thomas
• Brad Lovett
• John Hall
• David G. McFarland
• Bob Roberts
• Bob Vandergrift

See also

• Cox Radio
• WBZI
• WHIO-FM
• WPTW

References

External links

• 95.3 and 101.1 The Eagle
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WZLR
• Radio-Locator information on WZLR
• Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for WZLR
• Query the FCC's FM station database for W266BG
• Radio-Locator information on W266BG