WZPL
Encyclopedia
WZPL is a radio station
based in Greenfield, Indiana
, and serving the Indianapolis
metropolitan area. The station, known as "99-5 WZPL", airs an Adult Top 40 format. WZPL is owned by Entercom.
music format and adopted the call sign
WIKS-FM ("Kiss 99") on April 14, 1979
. Later, a contemporary hit radio
format was adopted which, aside from a brief experiment playing classic rock
in 1989
, has continued to this day, though in more of an adult-oriented direction.
The WZPL call sign was adopted in April 1983
, but over the years the station has referred to itself by various informal names, including "Z99.5", "Indy's Apple WZPL," "99½ WZPL," "99½ ZPL" and "Z99.5". Sister stations include WXNT
and WNTR
.
The station features The Smiley Morning Show
, hosted by Dave Smiley, weekday mornings and Ryan Seacrest
in the afternoons.
During November 2008, while Kelly McKay was absent for undisclosed medical reasons, the afternoon show has been hosted by Ryan Seacrest
. It was later discovered that she had relocated to North Carolina
, and will not return to air at WZPL.
. In 2006, they introduced a stream of All Comedy Radio, a 24-hour comedy station, also known as "The Laugh Button," on their alternate HD-2 signal frequency.
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...
based in Greenfield, Indiana
Greenfield, Indiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,600 people, 5,917 households, and 4,017 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,818.0 people per square mile . There were 6,449 housing units at an average density of 803.0 per square mile...
, and serving the Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
metropolitan area. The station, known as "99-5 WZPL", airs an Adult Top 40 format. WZPL is owned by Entercom.
History
The station signed on as WSMJ on June 1, 1962 and remained as such until the spring of 1979 when WSMJ was sold to Heftel Broadcasting. They changed to a discoDisco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
music format and adopted the call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
WIKS-FM ("Kiss 99") on April 14, 1979
1979 in radio
The year 1979 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*September - KDWB-FM in Minneapolis, Minnesota breaks away from their Top 40 AM sister, becoming album-oriented rock as "K101"...
. Later, a contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
format was adopted which, aside from a brief experiment playing classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
in 1989
1989 in radio
The year 1989 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.-Events:*KMEZ breaks away from its FM sister station to adopt a business-oriented news/talk format as KDBN.*ABC Radio has acquired Satellite Music Network...
, has continued to this day, though in more of an adult-oriented direction.
The WZPL call sign was adopted in April 1983
1983 in radio
The year 1983 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*August 2 - WHTZ in New York City debuts, soon becoming one of the most influential CHR stations in the US...
, but over the years the station has referred to itself by various informal names, including "Z99.5", "Indy's Apple WZPL," "99½ WZPL," "99½ ZPL" and "Z99.5". Sister stations include WXNT
WXNT
WXNT is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, the station serves the Indianapolis area. The station is currently owned by Entercom Indianapolis License, LLC and features programing from Fox News Radio, Premiere Radio Networks and...
and WNTR
WNTR
WNTR is a commercial radio station located in Indianapolis, Indiana, broadcasting on 107.9 FM. WNTR is My 107.9 Broadcasting an Adult Hits format.- History :WNTR signed on August 13, 1984, under the call letters of WTPI...
.
The station features The Smiley Morning Show
The Smiley Morning Show
The Smiley Morning Show is a morning radio program on radio station WZPL broadcasting from Indianapolis, Indiana...
, hosted by Dave Smiley, weekday mornings and Ryan Seacrest
Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...
in the afternoons.
During November 2008, while Kelly McKay was absent for undisclosed medical reasons, the afternoon show has been hosted by Ryan Seacrest
Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...
. It was later discovered that she had relocated to North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, and will not return to air at WZPL.
HD Radio
In 2005, WZPL became one of the first Indianapolis-area radio stations to broadcast their signal in HD RadioHD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
. In 2006, they introduced a stream of All Comedy Radio, a 24-hour comedy station, also known as "The Laugh Button," on their alternate HD-2 signal frequency.