WLQT
Encyclopedia
WLQT is a radio station
broadcasting a Soft Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to Englewood, Ohio
, USA, the station serves the Dayton area. The station is currently owned by Citicasters Licenses, L.P.
from a basement studio at the former Hills and Dales Shopping Center. The station failed to attract a sizable listening audience (AM was the dominant band at that time) and was later sold to the University of Dayton
in 1964 and changed the call letters to WVUD (for the "Voice of the University of Dayton").
. The station leveraged a 50,000-watt transmitter and a 500-foot tower (situated on Stuart Hill, the highest point on the university's campus) allowing the station's signal to reach well into eastern Indiana and northern Kentucky, gaining a wide and extremely loyal listening audience in the tri-state area. While the station's management, programmers and sales staff were all seasoned radio professionals, the air staff consisted solely of University of Dayton students. From the late 1960s through the mid-1970s, WVUD's General Manager was University of Dayton Communication Arts Department Chairman George Biersack. Biersack hired former WVUD staffer and UD grad Chris Cage (Caggiano) from WING-AM as the station's Program Director and Biersack's marching orders for Cage were to "grab the 18 to 34 year olds" but to "avoid that WING sound". Cage's Music Director was Kevin Carroll, who went on to work for several major record labels. Cage was succeeded by Geoff Vargo, and Carroll was replaced by Dan Covey, who later landed at WING.
In its heyday (the mid-to-late 1970s), WVUD-FM competed with WTUE-FM for dominance of the Dayton market. Utilizing a strategy of first-to-market "breaking" of new songs, a vast collection of record albums, and a lengthy song-rotation schedule (to keep the sound "fresh"), the station competed on its diversity of music and the disc jockeys' knowledge of artists and bands. The station enjoyed stature and cache sufficient that touring major rock acts, such as Jackson Browne
, Shawn Phillips
, and Billy Joel
, were interviewed live in-studio. Students staffed on-air slots and handled news and sports programming content as well. Over the years, WVUD air personalities such as Steve Wendell, Dan Covey, Art Farkas, Alan McConnell, Dan Pugh (later known as Dan Patrick
), Bill Andres, Bill Pugh, "Dolby" Joe Reiling, Steve Downes, Lou Chelekis, Rich Weiser (The Weezer), Patty Spittler, Michael Luczak, Mary Kuzan, Steve Kerrigan, Jim Tobin (Yost), Keith Wright, Sandy Huff, Dave McGuire (Vadnais), Jim Biggins, Joe Rittman, Dan Ross, and Mark Zona competed successfully with much more experienced radio pros in the Dayton market. After graduation, many WVUD "alumni" went on to attain significant professional career success in radio nationwide.
On April 1, 1977, the station spoofed listeners, claiming it had, overnight, changed formats to big-band 1940s music. Complaints to station management from loyal, if disgruntled, listeners were counted into the hundreds. So convincing was the transformation, that many did not realize it was an "April Fool's" joke. To listeners' delight, normal operations resumed the next day.
One of WVUD listeners' favorite programs was Wax Museum, where a complete rock album was played from beginning to end without interruption. DJs hosting "Wax" encouraged listeners to record the album off-air and even provided calibration tones ("set your recording levels to minus three db") and signals to begin and pause recording. (The signal was a guitar strum taken from the Yes song "Roundabout".) Popular station jingles included "It's a real nice way to spend a day in Dayton, Ohio" (from Randy Newman) and "Turn on your radio, listen to my song" (from Harry Nilssen).
In addition, the station aired a popular talk program for young married couples called Christian Marriage, moderated by Father Norbert Burns, a popular long-time University of Dayton instructor and professor, now retired. Also, at least through 1982, the station provided Saturday and Sunday morning air time to ethnic music: "Music of Hungary" (with Al Kertez) and "Music of India" (with Parmada Singh Sihoda) were aired for years.
In 1976, WTUE
(then owned by Group One Broadcasting) abandoned its Top 40 format in favor of an album-oriented format in order to compete directly with WVUD. Eventually, as the 1980s dawned, WTUE started to win the ratings war (in large part by hiring former WVUD air talent as they graduated and were no longer eligible to work for the university-owned station). In 1982, in an effort to boost lost ratings, WVUD switched to a "Contemporary Hit" format and the "AOR era" at the station was over. While loyal listeners and station personnel mourned the loss, the station continued to garner respectable (though not overwhelming) ratings into the latter part of the 1980s. The university sold WVUD-FM in 1992, and the WVUD call letters were subsequently adopted by another college radio station in Delaware (The University of Delaware).
-FM(Z-93) emerged in 1985. It changed its name to Lite 99.9 in 1993 under the direction of programmer Scott Barrett. WLQT subsequently became part of the Jacor Dayton cluster (later merging with Clear Channel.) Aside from its light rock and HD oldies frequency, WLQT has aired Christmas music every year during the holidays since 1993. Clear Channel Regional Programmer Vance Dillard was one of the first to believe in 24/7 Christmas music. WLQT was one of the first stations in the country to take this programming risk, and proved that the format is a ratings-winner.
99.9 LITE FM takes great pride in serving the public interests of the Miami Valley of Ohio area, and was awarded the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Crystal Award for Excellence in Public Service in 2002. Over 13,000 stations are eligible for the distinction, and only 10 station per year are awarded at the NAB Radio Show conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Dayton's Kim Faris became the morning show host of LITE 99.9, (94.5 LITE FM as it's currently called now), in June 2007. As of May 2011, Mike Perry handles afternoons, and Ryan Phillips on the weekends and fill-in as needed. 94.5 LITE FM is also an affiliate of Delilah Rene
, which is on Sunday - Friday evenings from 7 - 12 midnight.
On Oct. 5 2009, LITE 99.9 changed its positioner to 99.9 LITE FM.
WLQT-FM along with WTUE
-FM, WMMX-FM (MIX 1077) and WONE (AM)
now make up a major portion of the Clear Channel Dayton cluster.
WLQT also offers a modern adult contemporary format on its HD subcarrier as well as an audiostream on the station's website.
The University of Dayton
now has a newer student-ran station: "Flyer Radio" (originated by WUDR
at 98.1 and simulcast on a repeater at 99.5).
The WVUD
call sign is now assigned to a station at the University of Delaware.
The original WKET
calls are now used at 98.3 FM in Kettering.
On May 24, 2011, Clear Channel announced that Top 40/CHR sister station WDKF
would swap signals with WLQT, thus giving the former more signal coverage in the Dayton area. With the change, the station shifted its adult contemporary format to that of a gold based approach similar to that of Warm 98 in Cincinnati in the first half of 2011.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
broadcasting a Soft Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to Englewood, Ohio
Englewood, Ohio
Englewood, a northern suburb of Dayton, is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. The population was 13,465 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, USA, the station serves the Dayton area. The station is currently owned by Citicasters Licenses, L.P.
Early history
WLQT was originally given the call sign WKET in 1962 airing classical musicClassical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
from a basement studio at the former Hills and Dales Shopping Center. The station failed to attract a sizable listening audience (AM was the dominant band at that time) and was later sold to the University of Dayton
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
in 1964 and changed the call letters to WVUD (for the "Voice of the University of Dayton").
FM-100 WVUD "The Radio Station"
In the 1970's WVUD became Dayton's first album oriented rock station, providing an alternative to Top 40-formatted WINGWING
WING "ESPN 1410" is a commercial AM radio station in Dayton, Ohio operating with 5,000 watts at 1410 kHz with studios, offices and transmitter located on David Road in Kettering. It is the first full-time commercial radio station in Dayton...
. The station leveraged a 50,000-watt transmitter and a 500-foot tower (situated on Stuart Hill, the highest point on the university's campus) allowing the station's signal to reach well into eastern Indiana and northern Kentucky, gaining a wide and extremely loyal listening audience in the tri-state area. While the station's management, programmers and sales staff were all seasoned radio professionals, the air staff consisted solely of University of Dayton students. From the late 1960s through the mid-1970s, WVUD's General Manager was University of Dayton Communication Arts Department Chairman George Biersack. Biersack hired former WVUD staffer and UD grad Chris Cage (Caggiano) from WING-AM as the station's Program Director and Biersack's marching orders for Cage were to "grab the 18 to 34 year olds" but to "avoid that WING sound". Cage's Music Director was Kevin Carroll, who went on to work for several major record labels. Cage was succeeded by Geoff Vargo, and Carroll was replaced by Dan Covey, who later landed at WING.
In its heyday (the mid-to-late 1970s), WVUD-FM competed with WTUE-FM for dominance of the Dayton market. Utilizing a strategy of first-to-market "breaking" of new songs, a vast collection of record albums, and a lengthy song-rotation schedule (to keep the sound "fresh"), the station competed on its diversity of music and the disc jockeys' knowledge of artists and bands. The station enjoyed stature and cache sufficient that touring major rock acts, such as Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has sold over 17 million albums in the United States alone....
, Shawn Phillips
Shawn Phillips
Shawn Phillips is a folk-rock musician, primarily influential in the 1960s and 1970s.Phillips has recorded twenty albums and worked with musicians including Donovan, Paul Buckmaster, J. Peter Robinson, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Bernie Taupin, and many others...
, and Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
, were interviewed live in-studio. Students staffed on-air slots and handled news and sports programming content as well. Over the years, WVUD air personalities such as Steve Wendell, Dan Covey, Art Farkas, Alan McConnell, Dan Pugh (later known as Dan Patrick
Dan Patrick
Daniel Patrick Pugh , professionally known as Dan Patrick, is an American sportscaster, radio personality, and actor from Mason, Ohio...
), Bill Andres, Bill Pugh, "Dolby" Joe Reiling, Steve Downes, Lou Chelekis, Rich Weiser (The Weezer), Patty Spittler, Michael Luczak, Mary Kuzan, Steve Kerrigan, Jim Tobin (Yost), Keith Wright, Sandy Huff, Dave McGuire (Vadnais), Jim Biggins, Joe Rittman, Dan Ross, and Mark Zona competed successfully with much more experienced radio pros in the Dayton market. After graduation, many WVUD "alumni" went on to attain significant professional career success in radio nationwide.
On April 1, 1977, the station spoofed listeners, claiming it had, overnight, changed formats to big-band 1940s music. Complaints to station management from loyal, if disgruntled, listeners were counted into the hundreds. So convincing was the transformation, that many did not realize it was an "April Fool's" joke. To listeners' delight, normal operations resumed the next day.
One of WVUD listeners' favorite programs was Wax Museum, where a complete rock album was played from beginning to end without interruption. DJs hosting "Wax" encouraged listeners to record the album off-air and even provided calibration tones ("set your recording levels to minus three db") and signals to begin and pause recording. (The signal was a guitar strum taken from the Yes song "Roundabout".) Popular station jingles included "It's a real nice way to spend a day in Dayton, Ohio" (from Randy Newman) and "Turn on your radio, listen to my song" (from Harry Nilssen).
In addition, the station aired a popular talk program for young married couples called Christian Marriage, moderated by Father Norbert Burns, a popular long-time University of Dayton instructor and professor, now retired. Also, at least through 1982, the station provided Saturday and Sunday morning air time to ethnic music: "Music of Hungary" (with Al Kertez) and "Music of India" (with Parmada Singh Sihoda) were aired for years.
In 1976, WTUE
WTUE
WTUE is a classic rock formatted radio station with studios in Dayton, Ohio. Its transmitter is located in Moraine, Ohio and can be heard clearly throughout Southwest Ohio, including in Cincinnati....
(then owned by Group One Broadcasting) abandoned its Top 40 format in favor of an album-oriented format in order to compete directly with WVUD. Eventually, as the 1980s dawned, WTUE started to win the ratings war (in large part by hiring former WVUD air talent as they graduated and were no longer eligible to work for the university-owned station). In 1982, in an effort to boost lost ratings, WVUD switched to a "Contemporary Hit" format and the "AOR era" at the station was over. While loyal listeners and station personnel mourned the loss, the station continued to garner respectable (though not overwhelming) ratings into the latter part of the 1980s. The university sold WVUD-FM in 1992, and the WVUD call letters were subsequently adopted by another college radio station in Delaware (The University of Delaware).
99.9 LITE FM
WVUD was eventually sold by UD in 1992 becoming WLQT (Lite 100) after a brief stint as a contemporary hit station before competitor WGTZWGTZ
WGTZ "Fly 92.9" is a commercial FM station licensed in Eaton, Ohio at 92.9 MHz serving the Dayton and Springfield market area with an Adult Hits format. The previous CHR/Pop format commenced Sunday, March 15, 1984 at Noon when Dayton-based Great Trails Broadcasting owned the station at the time...
-FM(Z-93) emerged in 1985. It changed its name to Lite 99.9 in 1993 under the direction of programmer Scott Barrett. WLQT subsequently became part of the Jacor Dayton cluster (later merging with Clear Channel.) Aside from its light rock and HD oldies frequency, WLQT has aired Christmas music every year during the holidays since 1993. Clear Channel Regional Programmer Vance Dillard was one of the first to believe in 24/7 Christmas music. WLQT was one of the first stations in the country to take this programming risk, and proved that the format is a ratings-winner.
99.9 LITE FM takes great pride in serving the public interests of the Miami Valley of Ohio area, and was awarded the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Crystal Award for Excellence in Public Service in 2002. Over 13,000 stations are eligible for the distinction, and only 10 station per year are awarded at the NAB Radio Show conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Dayton's Kim Faris became the morning show host of LITE 99.9, (94.5 LITE FM as it's currently called now), in June 2007. As of May 2011, Mike Perry handles afternoons, and Ryan Phillips on the weekends and fill-in as needed. 94.5 LITE FM is also an affiliate of Delilah Rene
Delilah Rene
Delilah Rene Luke , almost always known mononymously as Delilah, is an American radio personality, author, and songwriter, best known as the host of a nationally syndicated nightly U.S...
, which is on Sunday - Friday evenings from 7 - 12 midnight.
On Oct. 5 2009, LITE 99.9 changed its positioner to 99.9 LITE FM.
WLQT-FM along with WTUE
WTUE
WTUE is a classic rock formatted radio station with studios in Dayton, Ohio. Its transmitter is located in Moraine, Ohio and can be heard clearly throughout Southwest Ohio, including in Cincinnati....
-FM, WMMX-FM (MIX 1077) and WONE (AM)
WONE (AM)
WONE is an AM radio station in Dayton, Ohio operating on 980 kHz with a Sports Talk format. It carries programming from Fox Sports Radio, as well as the Jim Rome Show and the Dan Patrick Show .-History:The station took the air in 1949, licensed to Skyland Broadcasting Corp...
now make up a major portion of the Clear Channel Dayton cluster.
WLQT also offers a modern adult contemporary format on its HD subcarrier as well as an audiostream on the station's website.
The University of Dayton
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
now has a newer student-ran station: "Flyer Radio" (originated by WUDR
WUDR
-History:Through the mid-1990s, the University also operated a 50,000 watt commercial radio station, WVUD-FM , playing album-oriented rock . The station was know, colloquially, as "VUD", "FM-100" and "The Radio Station"....
at 98.1 and simulcast on a repeater at 99.5).
The WVUD
WVUD
WVUD is a radio station broadcasting a campus radio format. Licensed to Newark, Delaware, USA, the station serves the Wilmington, DE area. The station is currently owned by University of Delaware. The station has obtained a construction permit from the FCC for a power increase to 6,800 watts...
call sign is now assigned to a station at the University of Delaware.
The original WKET
WKET
WKET is a radio station broadcasting an Album Oriented Rock format. Licensed to Kettering, Ohio, USA, it serves the Dayton area. The station is currently owned by Kettering City School District and is operated by the students at KFHS. It was launched on 5 April 1975 and has celebrated its 35th...
calls are now used at 98.3 FM in Kettering.
On May 24, 2011, Clear Channel announced that Top 40/CHR sister station WDKF
WDKF
WDKF, is a Top 40 Mainstream station serving the Dayton area. WDKF, whose community of license is Kettering, Ohio, broadcasts on 99.9 MHz with an ERP of 28,000 watts, and is owned by Clear Channel Communications.-History:...
would swap signals with WLQT, thus giving the former more signal coverage in the Dayton area. With the change, the station shifted its adult contemporary format to that of a gold based approach similar to that of Warm 98 in Cincinnati in the first half of 2011.