WPAY (AM)
WPAY (1520 AM) is a radio station licensed to Rossford, Ohio, serving the Toledo metropolitan area. Owned by the Educational Media Foundation, it is an affiliate of its K-Love Classics network.[1]
| City | Rossford, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Toledo metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 1520 kHz |
| Branding | K-LOVE Classics |
| Slogan | The Best Songs from the 80s, 90s and Early 2000's |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic CCM hits |
| Affiliations | K-Love Classics |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Educational Media Foundation |
| Sister stations | WNKL |
| History | |
| First air date | November 28, 1968 |
| Former call signs | WTTO WTUU WANR WGOR (1976-1981) WVOI (1981-1998) WDMN (1998-2008) WNWT (2008-2017) |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 40858 |
| Class | B |
| Power | 500 watts day 400 watts night |
| Transmitter coordinates | 41°30′32″N 83°33′07″W |
| Translator(s) | 92.1 W221BG (Toledo) |
| Links | |
| Website | www |
History
WTTO
1520 AM in Toledo, Ohio was established in 1966. Its first call letters being WTTO, it was known as "Weetow 15" with a Top 40 format to compete with 1470 WOHO (now defunct) and 1560 WTOD (Now WWYC). It also competed with 800 CKLW from Detroit/Windsor, Ontario. The station had its studios on the top floor of the Commodore Perry Hotel in Downtown Toledo.
WTUU
In 1975, the call letters were changed to WTUU. The station switched to a country music format becoming known as "Fun Country W-15-2".
WANR, WGOR, WVOI
Sometime later, 1520AM adopted an all-news radio format with the call letters WANR featuring programming from NBC Radio's News and Information Service. The news format was unsuccessful and the station was sold. The call sign was changed to WGOR in 1976; the station took on a religious format. With yet another change in ownership, the call letters were later changed to WVOI. In 1981, after WKLR 99.9 FM, then playing a Rhythm & Blues format, switched calls to WKKO-FM "K-100" began playing country music, WVOI converted to an urban contemporary music format. This format was successful and lasted until the later part of the 1990s.
Dominion 1520
In 1998, the calls were changed to WDMN (which stood for Dominion) when the Cornerstone Church of Maumee Ohio acquired the station. The station took on a Gospel music format.
Attempt at Commercial Talk radio
In April 2008, WDMN dropped Gospel music and changed its format to talk radio. The format was a combination of progressive and conservative talk radio programming. Some traditional and smooth jazz was played on the weekends. The station was also an affiliate of CNN. On July 1, 2008, the station changed its calls to WNWT.
EMF Purchase and recent developments
On January 22, 2009, it was announced that the Educational Media Foundation had purchased WNWT. On April 23, 2009, WNWT's talk format was dropped and it became a simulcast of K-Love.
On April 26, 2014, WNWT became an affiliate of Urban Family Talk. On March 15, 2017, the call letters were changed to WPAY.
On March 8, 2018, Urban Family Talk was dropped in favor of Radio Nueva Vida, a Spanish-language Christian format. On September 25, 2018, the station flipped to EMF's new K-Love Classics network. On June 7, 2019 WPAY reverted to Urban Family Talk. On August 2, 2019 WPAY reverted to K-Love Classics network.
References
- "WPAY Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
External links
- WPAY in the FCC's AM station database
- WPAY on Radio-Locator
- WPAY in Nielsen Audio's AM station database