WOGL

Infobox Radio station


name = WOGL
airdate = 1939
branding = "98.1 WOGL"
slogan = "The Greatest Hits of the 60s, 70s and 80's"
callsign_meaning = "Old GoLd" (spoonerism for "Golden Oldies"
frequency = 98.1 MHz HD Radio
98.1 HD-2 for All 70s music
city = Philadelphia, PA
area = Delaware Valley
format = Oldies/Classic Hits
erp = 9,600 watts
haat = 338 meters
sister_stations = KYW, WIP, WPHT, WYSP
"part of CBS Corp. cluster with KYW-TV and WPSG"
class = B
facility_id = 9622
owner = CBS Radio
webcast = [http://player.play.it/player/player.html?id=141&onestat=wogl Listen Live]
website = http://www.wogl.com/

98.1 WOGL (Formerly known as Oldies 98.1 and Oldies 98), is an FM radio station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

The station plays a variety of oldies music, including Motown, soul and rock and roll. WOGL is owned by CBS Radio. Its transmitter is located in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia.

History

The station began experimentally at 42.1 Mc as W3XIR, followed two years later (1941) by W69PH at 46.9 mC. When the FCC moved the FM band to its present location, it became WCAU-FM at 102.7 and some time later moved to 95.5 and finally its present 98.1. WCAU-FM simulcast the MOR format on WCAU-AM 1210 until 1966 when it, along with other CBS FM stations, presented "The Young Sound" format: an instrumental-oriented type of pseudo-rock music. In 1969 WCAU FM, along with other CBS owned FM stations began a progressive rock format that was short lived. WCAU FM decided to drop it in the autumn of 1970. A new format "uniquely designed for Philadelphia" was unveiled with rhythmic, black-oriented music. The result was not successful.

Around 1972, like WCBS-FM in New York City, WCAU-FM debuted an oldies format called "Stereo Solid Gold". Unlike WCBS-FM, This was an automated system featuring the voice of Jim Nettleton and others. Live air personalities were eventually added. The station played the hits from 1955 up to and including current product.

This format did not get high ratings, so in 1976 the format was switched to "Fascinatin' Rhythm". It was a Top 40 format with a lean on disco. As the 1970s came to a close, the music became more diversified with the addition of jazz, pop and R&B. The station experimented briefly with a format called "Mellow Rhythm" at this time, hosted primarily by Dr. Perri Johnson (now a music therapist in LA.). This format also did not do well.

Program consultant Mike Joseph was brought in to WCAU-FM in April 1981 to develop a new format to replace the struggling "Mellow Rhythm." Joseph recommended that the station go Top 40. Over the next several months, the station's music mix was fine-tuned to include more contemporary hits, an almost entirely-new staff of announcers was hired, and new jingles (TM Century's "Fusion" package) were commissioned. In September 1981, the new format at WCAU-FM debuted: an all-current-hits, high-energy, jingle-intensive Top 40 sound dubbed "Hot Hits" (a format first used by Joseph at WTIC-FM Hartford, CT in 1977), using the on-air name "98 Now." WCAU-FM's ratings showed an immediate improvement, and subsequently, FM stations in major markets such as Chicago, Detroit and San Francisco picked up the "Hot Hits" format.

WCAU found a great deal of success with this programming for much of the mid-1980s, although the original "Fusion" jingles were dropped in the summer of 1982 and replaced with a package from JAM because older listeners found the "Fusion" jingles irritating. Some notable jocks in this period included Paul Barsky, Terry Young and Christy Springfield. CBS soon developed a variation on "Hot Hits" called "Hitradio" and switched all their other stations except for WCBS-FM New York - including WCAU-FM - to it. The format failed for Los Angeles' KKHR (formerly and later KNX-FM, now KCBS-FM), but such was not the case in Chicago for WBBM-FM or in Philadelphia, where WCAU-FM continued to be a ratings leader.

In 1987, WCAU FM found itself in stiff competition with a revitalized 106.1, now WEGX "Eagle 106" (formerly WWSH, WZGO "Z106", and WTRK "Electric 106", which ironically was created by Mike Joseph to compete with his old station). CAU-FM decided that if Eagle 106 wanted the CHR format they could have it. WCAU-FM determined they could be more profitable with another format. So on November 9, 1987, WCAU flipped to an oldies format, citing a desire to appeal to an older, more desirable demographic of 25-54 year olds.

The call letters were soon changed to WOGL (which stood for "Old Gold"). At about the same time, WIOQ revealed that it too was also planning to change to an oldies format. For the next year, the stations engaged in an FM oldies battle, until WIOQ dropped the format early in 1989.

WOGL became the city's dominant oldies station, gathering a group of ledgendary Philly jocks including Hy Lit, Don Cannon, Harvey Holiday, Jim Nettleton, Christy Springfield, Frank Canale, Ron O'Brien, Mike St John, Bob Pantano, and many more. Scott Walker who programmed Hot Hits WCAU-FM remained Program Director until 2001.

They were known as "Oldies 98.1". By 1992 WOGL leaned toward soul oldies. They still played Elvis, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones, but focused on soul and Philadelphia only hits. They were about 2/3 R&B and 1/3 rock. The rock songs played were the big hits and anything typically heard on oldies stations was heard on Oldies 98. But WOGL Oldies 98 got very deep with R&B music. They played about 15% '50s, 15% early '60s, 55% '60s, and 13% '70s, and 2% '80s. So they focused on the '60s as well.

WOGL Oldies 98.1 had lots of specialty shows such as "Hot Lunch Special" request show, The Weeknight Hall Of Fame, Top 20 Oldies Countdown, Elvis & Friends, Beatles Brunch, and Street Corner Sounds Doo Wops. In 2001 all the specialty shows were purged. The playlist was moved away from soul and Philly Only hits (though a few remained). The music was about 70% '60s, 10% '50s, 15% '70s, and 5% '80s. Scott Walker would leave as well.

By 2002 some of the specialty shows were brought back. Steet Corner Sounds was a modified version. While it was strictly doo wop in its previous incarnation, the current version is broader playing all types of pre 1964 oldies. More '70s music was added and even some '80s was added. In 2003 the name "Oldies 98" was downplayed and the station became known as "Motown Soul Rock & Roll 98.1 WOGL". At that point the station cut to one '50s per shift and one pre 64 oldie per hour. They also were playing a couple '80s songs per hour. The rest of the music was roughly 50% mid and late '60s and 50% '70s music. In 2004 the playlist was tightened to about half '60s and half '70s. They also began saying "Greatest Hits of The '60s and '70s". It is the home of Ross Britain and The Breakfast Club. In Late 2007 and Early 2008 more 80's Music was added to rotation and effective July 6, 2008 WOGL's slogan was changed to "The Greatest Hits of the 60s, 70s and 80's", which is also used on sister station WCBS-FM since it returned to a Oldies/Classic Hits format in July 2007.

External links

*FMQ|WOGL
*FML|WOGL
*FMARB|WOGL