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r-wobcWZLE-106station managerahd;morning on-air hostlt; Len bowser calls the success of the Lorain station “a„ killer phenomenon,”The 24-hour station offers a mixed bag of Christian artists rangingfronu Amy Grant and Michael W Smith to Petra and the Newsboys.There’s also rap groups such as D.C. Talk, who performed during Billy Graham’s recent Cleveland crusade.Daytime local programming features Rev. David Walls of the Church of the Open Door, and Rev. LouieKayatmoftheChurch on the North Coasti-LEN HOWSER, right, of WZLE with Steven Curtis Chapman.Targeting the 25 to 45 age group, the station also sponsors family nights at area attractions like Swings and Things in Olmsted Township.Contemporary blackdirector.River.gospel music is heard week-nights on “Saints Shouting In The Night hosted by Jay the Gospel Kid.“Christian Hit Radio, a program of alternative rap and rock music airs week-mghts from 6 p.m. to midnight“It’s super high-energy stuff that has a younger appeal, Howser said.Expanded sports coverage is another key component of WZLE’s programming. The station carries Southwest Conference high school football and basketball games. The conference includes schools in Amherst, Avon Lake, Bay Village and RockyThat’s one of WZLE's strengths, according to Howser.“No Cleveland station carries high school sports like this,” Howser said.Though based in Lorain, station officials have received phone calls from appreciative listeners from as far away as Euclid and Willoughby., WOdC-91.5 PM is the'county’s lone ndmprofit, non-commercial station. Owned and operated by the Student Union of Oberlin College, it is the oldest college radio station in Ohio.Beginning as an AM station in 1947, WOBC crossed over to the FM band several years ago where it gained popularity with programs including “The Axegrinder Theater,” a five-hour blitz ofheavy metal music.Changing tastes and the continual loss of on-air personalities through graduation and other moves caused the “Axegrinder Theater” to grind to a halt, according to operations manager Tom Colley, an Oberlin College senior from Nashville.The station’s current playlist spans the gamut from’altemative bands to jazz to blues, plusclassical and pop.“It’s about a third pop and rock, a third hip-hop and rap, and a third classical and jazz,” Colley said. “The basic goal is to play things here that people can’t hear on other stations.”That includes underground bands like Rodan and Slint, whose music tends to get onto 45 RPM reeords released by small, independent record labels.WOBC’s news and public affairs programming is anything but conventional, and features syndicated shows including “This Way Out,” a nationwide gay-lesbian forum.While independent from the administration, the station receives much of its annual budget from college monies, and through donations.Operating 24 hours a day during the school year, WOBC slims down to a 12-hour broadcast day in the summer. During the school year, it has a volunteer staff of about 80 students and community members. Its signal has been heard in Sandusky, Medina and Wooster.WOBL-1320 AM has been Lorain County's home for country music since its inception in 1971.Owned and operated by Harry Wilbur, it is unique in that it operates as an all-request station, according to program director Tim Cole.“We have almost 25 years of accumulated music and almost 12,000 songs in our library, Cole said.With country music’s appeal spanning a 10-to-70-year-old crowd, the station has begun a 90-minute request show for youngsters called “Just For Kids” that airs weeknights from 6 to 7:30 p.m.“The lines ring off the hook for that, with everything from Disney to RafEL to Barney,” Cole said.The station’s more adult playlist typically featuresartists like Vince Gill, Billy Ray Cyrus, Suzy Boguss andLorrie Morgan.“Country has changed over the past three? to four ‘ . :years, with asingerJEFF VIETZEN: WOBL’s “Shower and Shave’ morning show host.-lof ofcross-over artists doing a country/rock sound orcountry/pop,” Cole explained.Sundays are reserved for older listeners, with artists such as Ray Price and Lefty FrizelLAs is thecase with other area stations, high school sports play a major part in WOBL’s coverage. Cole said the station will offer expanded coverage offootball and basketball thisfall with the addition of Saturday night broadcasts.WRKG-1380 is WZLE’s AM counterpart. Since 1984, the Lorain station has been broadcasting a similar contemporary Christian music format. „It was purchased in thatyearfby Victory Radio, Inc,, - v owner of bothjWRKG and WZLE. J. -1 c =•, - *Formerly WLRO-'AiyL WRKGbegan wifji a goldenoldies format that was used for Some years before it . Jchanged to a country gospel formafin 1990. ' -■Seen as alternative programming to WZLE’s contemporary Christian format, WRKG’s mix of English and Spanish programs extends only to listeners in the Elyria* Lorain area due to its lower-powered signal, said WZLE’s Len Howser, who is also station manager of WRKG, Hispanic audiences are given special attention through evening programming by Lorain ministers Gilbert Silvaand Jose Rivera, and all-Spanish programming after 6 p.m. weekdays and weekends which features contemporary Spanish Christian music. ‘Ecos Latinos,’ is hosted by Miguel Berlingeri, who’s •been doing Hispanic programming in this area for at least 30 years, Howser said. “He typically gets 50 to 60 calls on a Sunday night ”Non-musical religious programming alternates with ' polka tunes during daytime hours.A special feature for which WRKG is especially known is its mid-moraing “Swap and Shop show.“It’s kind of a radio classified ad service,” Howser said. “Listeners call m with items they want to sell or trade or give away, and we give them phone numbers so they can get in touch with each other. ’ ’ ’ *
Newspaper Details
The Chronicle Telegram
Elyria, Ohio, US
Fri, Sep 23, 1994
Page 67
Full Page
Clipped by
Nathan O.
OH, USA 29 Mar 2022
Other Publications Near Elyria, Ohio
Elyria Reporter
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