WOYL

Infobox Radio station
name = WOYL


city = Oil City, Pennsylvania
area =
branding = The Allegheny News-Talk Sports Network
slogan =
airdate = 1946
frequency = 1340 kHz (AM)
format = News, talk, sports
power = 1000 watts (unlimited)
class = C
callsign_meaning = OYL City (city of license)
former_callsigns =
owner = Forever Broadcasting, LLC
webcast =
website = http://myantsnetwork.com/

WOYL is an American radio station, licensed to the community of Oil City, Pennsylvania. WOYL operates at the assigned frequency of 1340 (kHz) and a fulltime output power of a thousand watts.

Though licensed to Oil City, some programming, sales and administrative functions do not originate out of Oil City, but rather Meadville, Pennsylvania, the headquarters of Forever Broadcasting's other northwest Pennsylvania broadcast properties. WOYL is owned and operated by Forever Broadcasting, LLC, which also owns its primary programming vehicle, the Allegheny News Talk Sports Network.

History

WOYL was the very first radio station in all of Venango County, first going on the air on St. Valentine's Day of 1946, while the area was still in its oil-drilling and oil-producing heyday. Somewhat unusual for this radio station was its two-tower directional antenna pattern at a Class C "local" frequency at 1340 kHz. This was mandated by the FCC in order to protect another station operating on this same frequency at nearby Grove City College. That station, WSAJ, first went on the air in 1920. However, the FCC determined in later years that WOYL did not cause an interference problem with WSAJ and lifted this restriction, though the station continues to operate using this same pattern. The restriction became all but academic in 2006, when the college completely shut down its AM operation (which was off the air frequently due to equipment and financial issues by this time) to dedicate its efforts to WSAJ-FM.

Like most small-market AM radio stations of its ilk, WOYL programmed a format of full-service news, sports, and adult contemporary music, with world and national news provided by the NBC radio network. From the time of its sign-on until the sale to its current owner, WOYL maintained its studios and offices at its transmitter site at 746 Orange Street on a hilltop overlooking downtown Oil City.

WOYL-FM signs on

WOYL also became the very first FM licensee in Venango County when it signed on its like-named FM station on May 1, 1957. In later years, WOYL-FM would develop into a 20,000 watt powerhouse and remains the only such powerful station in all of Venango County, though now under different call letters and ownership.

ale to Fidelity Communications

Both stations were sold in 1982 to Fidelity Communications, which continued to operate both stations until a brief period of duopoly ownership by its competitor in 1998 before the sale to Forever Broadcasting in 2000. Under Fidelity's ownership, WOYL remained the same, but the FM station would change its call letters to WRJS and adopt a country music format with a live and local airstaff, unlike other stations in a market this size that would choose to automate their programming. When Oil Valley Broadcasting, headed by Thomas Sauber (whose father owned competitors WFRA AM/FM in Franklin and WTIV Titusville), purchased the stations, WRJS' call letters reverted back to WOYL-FM and took on the moniker "98.5 The (oil) Well", but maintained its country music format. However, WOYL turned into a part-time simulcast of this newly-named station.

ale to Forever Broadcasting

Thomas Sauber, who had managed WOYL's competitors in Franklin, the county seat, agreed to sell both stations to Forever Broadcasting, of Altoona, Pennsylvania in the summer of 2000. Sauber's father, Robert Sauber, had founded WFRA and WTIV, both AM stations in Franklin and Titusville, respectively, and WFRA-FM in Franklin. Tom Sauber also owned an FM station of his own in Cooperstown, which also was sold to Forever Broadcasting in a separate transaction.

WOYL today

Following its acquisition by Forever Broadcasting, WOYL was established as an affiliate of Forever's newly-formed Allegheny News Talk Sports Network, which programs a mixture of local and syndicated talk, along with the Pittsburgh pro sports franchises of the Steelers, Pirates and Penguins. The network is set up as a "quadcast", that is, a simultaneous rebroadcast of the same programming over four radio stations, including WOYL. The others are:

* WFRA Franklin
* WMGW Meadville (flagship station)
* WTIV Titusville

The four radio stations do however, break down their morning programming into a two-station simulcast, with WFRA and WOYL airing program matter exclusive to Venango County, while WTIV and WMGW air programming more exclusive to Crawford County. WFRA and WOYL air their live morning show from studios at 1411 Liberty Street in Franklin, the longtime home of WFRA. A satellite sales office also operates from this location. Following the morning show, the quadcast among the four stations resumes.

WOYL's longtime general manager under Fidelity ownership, Sam Gordon, left the station after its sale to join WKQW-AM/FM, where he works as an advertising sales representative.

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