Sunny 105.9

Ever since I returned from Louisiana in May after being gone for 6 months, I've been meaning to write about how happy I was to find out that local FM radio station WOCL 105.9 (formerly Cool 105.9, Power 105.9 and ORock 105.9) has returned to something resembling an "Oldies" format of Top 40 hits from the 60’s through the 80’s. It's been nice to hear familiar voices like Bob Berry, and the oh so sexy voice of Laura Francis.

Back when I was a contributor to Orlando MetroBlog, I wrote the following post. To the best of my knowledge, it still holds the record for the most commented on post in the history of Orlando Metblog, which showed that having an oldies station in Orlando was important to a lot of listeners.


February 3, 2005

Bring Back The Oldies!!

Have I mentioned lately that I HATE CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS!!

Driving home from work yesterday I was flipping through the radio stations and when I hit the preset button for Big 100 FM there was Spanish music coming out of my speakers. For a moment I thought I had come in during a commercial, but then it kept going and going. Then I thought I must have accidentally messed up the preset button, but that turned out not to be the case either.

What DID happen was that Clear Anal, I mean Clear Channel, had abruptly and with no advance notice, switched WEBG 100 FM from an oldies rock and roll format to a Hispanic format.

Now, I have nothing against Spanish music. It's not what I normally listen to, but I sure like to watch the ladies dancing to it. My gripe is that there are plenty of other Hispanic music format stations in Orlando but there are NO other oldies rock and roll music format stations in this market.

Not surprisingly, according to an article in today's Orlando Sentinel Money section, the change over is all about the Benjamins. More can be made by playing for the locally increasing Hispanic population. I understand that, it's a huge market to tap, but it's not like they were LOSING money with the oldies format. They just are being a good unfeeling corporation and doing what they feel will make them MORE money. Greedy bastards!

Here's the e-mail I (and every other oldies fan who subscribed) received from former Program Director J.J. Duling entitled "A Farewell Note From Big 100":

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for over five years of incredible support. We are saddened that BIG 100 is gone-- we were as surprised as you by all this. Show Business can be kind of funny like that sometimes. Your friends at BIG 100 hope 'The BIGgest Hits' will resurface somewhere on the radio dial in Central Florida soon.

So, on behalf of Mike Harvey, Deanne Schulz, Dave Kelly, Chris Rivers, Bob Berry, Bill Barber, Dave Matthews, Uncle Johnny, Tom Kent and Joe Johnson from Beatle Brunch, thank you for your thoughts, prayers and good wishes and thank you for an amazing rock & roll journey here in Central Florida.

JJ Duling, BIG 100 Program Director

That's the hope I'm holding onto, the Orlando market needs an oldies format radio station and perhaps one of the other stations will switch to that format, hopefully in the near future.

Have I mentioned lately that I HATE CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS!!


I can't believe it has been 3 years since Orlando has enjoyed an Oldies FM radio station, but I know I'm enjoying the sound.

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