WWSR

Articleissues
copyedit = January 2008
unreferenced = November 2007Infobox Radio station
name = WWSR


city = Wapakoneta, Ohio
area = Lima, Ohio
branding = Star 92.1
slogan = "Lima's #1 Hit Music Station"
airdate = 1965
frequency = 92.1 (MHz)
format = Top-40
erp = 3,000 watts
class = A
owner = Maverick Media
licensee = Maverick Media of Lima License LLC
website = [http://www.starlima.com]
callsign_meaning =WW S ta R
former_callsigns = WERM (1965-1978)
WAXC (1978-1985)
WZOQ (1985-2008) |

WWSR (92.1 FM, "Star 92.1") is a commercial radio station licensed to Wapakoneta, Ohio, broadcasting a Top-40 music format. Its studios and offices are located in Lima, Ohio, with their transmitter located in Cridersville, Ohio, between Wapakoneta and Lima.

History

Originally WERM (for its main air personality Ernestine R. Miller, wife of the station's founder Harry B. Miller) when it first took to the air in 1965 under the licensee name West Central Ohio Broadcasters Inc. WERM was a family owned and opearated station located west of Wapakoneta on County Road 33-A (old U.S. Route 33) in Moulton which aired local news and sports. Its format was a mix of traditional middle of the road and beautiful music. In the mid 1970s the gradual trend towards contemporary pop began with the evening shift "6 to 10 Club" and occasional rock. It also operated an in-house training school for local aspiring broadcasters along with jazz-formatted Xenia sister stations WELX-AM(now southern gospel WGNZ in Fairborn) and WHBM-FM (now active rock WXEG in Beavercreek.)

In 1978 WERM was purchased by John A. Bulmer (dba:Bulmer Communications Inc.)who previously managed the former WPNM in Ottawa (now WBUK) with the call letters switched to WAXC (previously used at an AM station in Rochester,NY now WHIC) as "Waxcee 92-FM...Your Radio Station" putting greater emphasis on the Wapakoneta/St. Marys community while gradually moving closer to the Lima market when its transmitter was moved from its studios in Moulton to Cridersville in the early 1980s. The station's new owner went as far as installing newer audio equipment and airing major market-styled jingles produced by PAMS and Jam Creative Productions along with high energy production values giving it a more professional sound and image over the former WERM with a soft adult contemporary-day/ Hot AC-evening format. A polka program was also aired on Sunday afternoons which was hosted by Dan Dietz (now chief engineer of Maverick Media's Lima cluster).

After a short-lived format switch to an adult standards/pop oldies mix,WAXC was sold in 1985 to North America Communications who(under Bulmer's direction as sales manager before his subsequent departure) changed the station's callsign to WZOQ-FM and became Lima's outlet for Top 40 Hits. In 1991 the station was sold to Pennsylvania based Keymarket and then Forever Broadcasting slowly moving the operation from the small 1960s-styled brick house in Moulton to a former KFC restaurant on Cable Road in Lima and later added sister station WYRX in 1993 which both eventually moved up the street to the former WCIT-AM/WLSR-FM studios(now WZOQ-AM/ WEGE-FM respectively) when Forever purchased both stations and added country newcomer WFGF(formerly WYRX) to the new cluster operation which is where it is located today.

Programming history

In 2003, WZOQ and the other Forever-owned Lima stations were sold to Connecticut-based Maverick Media and a year later purchased classic country WDOH in Delphos switching to a soft adult contemporary format. Justin Kase was PD of 92ZOO and WDOH from 2005 to 2007 before Baisden was brought in. In December of 2006 92ZOO celebrated its 20th Birthday, the celebration brought together former 92ZOO personalities who were part of the station when it became WZOQ from WAXC or better known as "WAXY-92". Ultimately this would become WZOQ/92ZOO's last hoo-rah. At midnight on April 2nd, 2007, the station was rebranded as "Star 92.1". A week later on April 9, 2007, its callsign was changed from WZOQ to WWSR.

The WZOQ callsign was moved to its sister station at 940 AM...the former WLJM,originally WCIT.

Programming and personalites

WWSR is programmed by VP/Contemporary Formats Dan Baisden who transferred from Artistic Media Partners of Lafayette where he most recently programmed heritage WAZY Top 40, WLFF Country. Baisden has also programmed various contemporary formatted stations in Huntington, West Virginia, Louisville Kentucky and Sandusky Ohio.

WWSR Operations Manager is Brian Steel who was most recently PD of cross town WIMT-FM where he also hosted mornings. Brian was with Clear Channel for 2 years after coming from Burbach of Parkersburg where he served as OM.

WWSR Mid-Days are hosted by Chris Connor. Chris has also made stops in nearby Defiance and Fort Wayne at WFWI-FM.

WWSR most recently began to carry "Kidd Kraddick in the Morning for their morning DJs from 5-10 AM weekdays.

WWSR also has a local producer during Kidd Kraddick who is Sandy Bennett formerly of WSNY Columbus and WMJI Cleveland.

WWSR nights are hosted by JP Knight, on every Saturday and Sunday night from 7PM to Midnight. This is his first radio debut other than online radio.

WWSR weekends from 3-7 are hosted by Chadillac, who came from the former WPFX in Findlay and WLWD in Lima.

External links

* [http://www.starlima.com WWSR "Star 92.1" official website]
* [http://asx.abacast.com/92zoo-92zoo-32.asx Listen Live]
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