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GRAPHIC COURTESY OF WDLW 1380-AMNew sound has oldies crowd purringJeff MoftrmanThe Chronicle-Telegram□BERLIN — A radio station that has had several formats m its three-decade history has a new one.Calling itself the Kool Rat. WDLW 1380-AM is now playing songs from the 1950s. 196ns and earh 1970s - a format change that is already generating plenty ofresponse said Doug Wilber, the station's owner and general manager.The station changed its format from an all-Hispanic broadcast on Nov. 8.“It's been a little bit of eveiything through the ages. he said. “It's been top 40. It's been countrv. It s been ethnic.It* been gospel. Wilber said “It's been a station that has never had real stable programming. Hopefully, we have that now. he said.Wilber acquired the station, which was originally based in Lorain, in February 2002. it is now based in Oberlin inside the building that houses Wilber's other radio operation. country station WOBL 1320 AM.The businesses outside the city of Lorain don't recognizethe size of the Hispanic community. he said Not many businesses were interested m sponsoring on a station where they thought the- listeners wouldn't shop in their places.While most of the formathas changed, the station is stiil maintaining Hispanic programming from 2 to 10 p.m. Sundays. Wilber said. “I have gotten letters from the Hispanic community expressing appreciation for that.” he said.Since the format change, the station has gotten a steady stream of letters, phone calls and e-mails from listeners who like the new format.“1 enjoy the new oldies station. i've noticed that there aren't the usual (deejays) like other stations making comments on the songs and etc. Most oldies stations are too busy with late 60s. 70s and 80s. Your station plays more late 50s and early 60s. That's my music,’’ Johnny Munoz ofLorain wrote in a letter to the Kool Kat.Wilber got a Christmas card from a Lorain resident espressing appreciation for the new station.“The (Kool Kat) is good, also. I love the oldies.” the card said.The decision to go with the oldies not only has popularity but plenty of good radio business sense behind it.“The top three formats in the United States are country, news and talk and oldies.’ he said. “ It’s a fun format. It’s almost universally accepted.”“I think our niche is appealing to an audience that isn’t being served,” he said.Contact Jeff Moorman at 329-7127 or jrrK*iman@chrorudeletepam.com.
Newspaper Details
The Chronicle Telegram
Elyria, Ohio, US
Sat, Jan 11, 2003
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Nathan O.
OH, USA 05 Dec 2020
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