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1400 Fort Lauderdale...going..going.....gone?

strangelove said:
Were the studios for WFTL/WGLO in that plaza at Oakland and Federal at the time? Where did Ray Smithers, the man in the video, end up?

Ray is alive and well, living just north of the Palm Beaches. A very nice and talented man.



Lauderdale has definitely grown up, much of it happening in just the past 20 years. Parts of the city I used to frequent don't even look the same as they did in 2008 when I moved to Victoria Park. I still think WFTL could hold its own as a Broward-centric station if it were well programmed and was on a FM translator. I'd settle for an oldies station too! We dare to dream...
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The management of WFTL poured a lot of money and resources into the station. It was more than just music, a killer local news department and fun, topical promotions that attracted and kept listeners. It's clear that radio has turned it's back on the people who grew up with it, the boomers. Case in point 92.1 in Palm Beach had great overall numbers with their mix of older music. Just not the right numbers, today it's Spanish and the overall 6+ numbers aren't as good, but I guess they have more sellable numbers for the ad agencies.

Even in it's heyday WFTL was a great 35+ station. A lot of the time sales were direct to retailers. You'd have to bring back Britts Department Stores, and Running The Florist.

Don't get me wrong, it would be great if they did some sort of oldies format but it's not going to happen.
 
AMRocks said:
That's better than what they have now. lol
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Indeed.

Even in it's heyday WFTL was a great 35+ station. A lot of the time sales were direct to retailers. You'd have to bring back Britts Department Stores, and Running The Florist.

Don't get me wrong, it would be great if they did some sort of oldies format but it's not going to happen.
Click to expand...

You're probably right, I just hope that whatever they do with the station it's successful.
 
What languages would be good other than English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole?
 
Mike Sheridan said:
The management of WFTL poured a lot of money and resources into the station. It was more than just music, a killer local news department and fun, topical promotions that attracted and kept listeners. It's clear that radio has turned it's back on the people who grew up with it, the boomers. Case in point 92.1 in Palm Beach had great overall numbers with their mix of older music. Just not the right numbers, today it's Spanish and the overall 6+ numbers aren't as good, but I guess they have more sellable numbers for the ad agencies.

Even in it's heyday WFTL was a great 35+ station. A lot of the time sales were direct to retailers. You'd have to bring back Britts Department Stores, and Running The Florist.

Don't get me wrong, it would be great if they did some sort of oldies format but it's not going to happen.
Click to expand...

Forgive me! I am not moving fast enough, just give me a few more years and I'll get that AM format back and do exactly this......only need more time!
 
Looks like the WFLL 1400 AM translator at 93.5 W228DO is back in business. Jorgenson re-filed and it was accepted on 1/20/2017. You can look at the Protected and Interfering Contour Map and see the relationships between WBGF (both the orginal transmitter location and NEW construction permitted one 7 miles east), along with Zoo Communications's Revolution Radio 93.5 W228BV.

I've read just about all (don't think I missed any) trade stories regarding the WFLL translator efforts. The first time I see the old 100.3 translator mentioned was on the aforementioned Radio and Television Business Report. No other trade mentions 100.3; they only mention the 92.5, then the 93.5 being moved from Sebring to Northern Broward. However, as Strangelove mentioned earlier:

"According to the informal objection filed by Robinson this translator was originally going to be on WLML co-channel 262 (100.3 FM) and they used the emails from listeners who complained of interference from the W262AN (WIOD) translator in Tamarac as evidence of likely interference from the new translator which was accepted by the Commission. On Nov. 18 ACM was granted a permit modification for channel 228 (93.5, here we go again!) however the original underlying construction permit expired on 12/24/16. ACM had requested a 6 month extension of the CP deadline on Nov. 1 but I'm not finding any correspondence that indicates whether the request was granted or denied. It could still happen yet. Stay tuned."

The only time I see 100.3 first mentioned, is through this FCC paperwork.

Anyway . . . looks like WFLL will get it's FM translator after all. And it is still translator (field testing) with Glades Media's "Le Lay." Hopefull, the translator will inspire Jorgenson to do something interesting with the station, like a music format (syndicated classic country or oldies) instead of brokering the time. If the translator doesn't go through, again, that brokering will be WFLL's only hope.

Still wondering if they will move into MRBI's new WEXY 1520 studios and do an LMA like Jorgenson is doing with WMEN and WFTL with Alpha.

Like static through a tinny speaker . . . as the radio dial turns.
 
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Here is the Radio and Television Business Report from November 2, 2016 spoken/referenced/linked in this thread (above) in full . . . . great history on WFLL and their translator troubles to get you up to speed.

**************************************************************************************************************************

That was not to last, as a growing region led Arbitron to combine the Miami and Fort Lauderdale ratings surveys as listeners found stations with larger AM signals and greater choices on the FM dial.

By 1986, the station lingered in the mid 1-share range. By the mid-2000s, it took on a Caribbean format. It was then a short-lived ESPN Radio affiliate, and also aired Classic Country and Brazilian programming before going dark.

Now broker Mark Jorgenson is celebrating Día de los Muertos by bringing a dead station back to life, as he’s just paid for an FM translator that will more than “revitalize” a station that signed on in 1946 from a houseboat on the New River.

The station is WFLL-AM 1400 in Fort Lauderdale, which boasted the WFTL call letters until 2013, when they shifted to AM 850, then WDJA in Boca Raton, Fla.

In the mid-1970s, as Full Service WFTL, the station dominated Broward County with a 1kw signal covering what was then the metropolitan area.

The addition of W223CB will help return WFTL to serving all of Broward County, in addition to North Dade communities such as Aventura and Golden Beach.

The translator is relocating from Sebring, Fla., as Jorgenson’s ACM JCE IV B INC. is acquiring it from Radio 74 Internationale for $45,000. A 10% deposit has been made to escrow agent Donald E. Martin, P.C.

Jorgenson tells RBR + TVBR that W223CB will take the 100.3 MHz frequency.

That should make iHeartRadio a bit flustered. From April 2010 through March 2014, translator W262AN held the 100.3 MHz signal from a Broward County-based translator and provided Talk WIOD-AM 610 in Miami with an FM home. It was killed after Jim Robinson complained about interference to his Class A Nostalgia station, WLML-FM in Lake Park, Fla., which serves the West Palm Beach market.

Asked about potential interference, Robinson said, “We’ll see what works out. Our main focus is just to get our head in the ring.”

It is also about getting WFLL back on the air, after its tower was destroyed in a hurricane under a previous owner.

“WFLL has had a history of problems, and we have duplex construction going on right now with a shared tower – Multicultural Radio Broadcasting’s Class B WEXY-AM 1520,” Jorgenson adds. “A new transmitter is on site, and we hope to be back on the air in November.”

Jorgenson says he is unsure of what WFLL will air but says “at this point Alpha Media is not involved.”

Alpha Media operates the Jorgenson-owned WFTL-AM 850 and Sports WMEN-AM 640.
 
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southernjock said:
The addition of W223CB, formerly W228DO, will help return WFTL to serving all of Broward County,
in addition to North Dade communities such as Aventura and Golden Beach.
Click to expand...
W223CB, formerly W228DO, will cover Deerfield Beach and Boca Raton.
 
ai4i said:
W223CB, formerly W228DO, will cover Deerfield Beach and Boca Raton.
Click to expand...

You may want to go back through this thread and get yourself up to speed on the subject matter, comprehend it, before commenting and putting down posts.

I did not make this statement. It is from the reporting of A Jacobonson on November 2, 2016 on the Radio and Television Business Report . . . and it is clearly stated as such in the post. Take your opinion with the inaccuracy (there is none) with him.

The sentence you take issue with (that you rewrote) IS:

The addition of W223CB will help return WFTL to serving all of Broward County, in addition to North Dade communities such as Aventura and Golden Beach.


Nowhere in this sentence (or article from the RTBR in full) says that W223CB will cover North Dade communities such as Aventura and Golden Bearch, OR ALL of Broward County. The sentence clearly states that WFTL (WFLL 1400) "will return to serve all of Broward IN ADDITION to the North Dade Communites such as Aventura and Golden Beach".

It is the ADDITION of W223CB that will "HELP RETURN" WFTL (WFLL) to serving all of Broward and North Dade.

Sadly, the excellent coverage maps on the previously linked FCC application have been removed as the application has been updated. However, go to links for W223CB and WFLL 1400 on Radio Locator and you can clearly see that the coverage of W223CB is CLEARLY INSIDE and NORTH of the WFLL coverage area. Nowhere does it reach Aventura or cover all of Broward.

Also your "correction" of the useage of W223CB as being "wrong." If you read the article, which is clearly dated NOVEMBER 2, 2016 ...at the time of the article being written, the CORRECT calls WERE W223CB as they were coming into play by November 16th. The NEW CALLS of W228DO didn't exist yet (until 11/18)

This translator has gone from 100.3 to 92.5 to the current 93.5, which is W228CB.

AND W223CB wasn't formerly W228DO. W228DO is CLEARLY the current and most recent calls and W223CB is THE FORMER call sign.

See the Call Sign History for yourself (its on Radio Rec if you want to see it for yourself)

W223CB - 12/24/2013
W262DA - 11/16/2016
W223CB- 11/16/2016
W228DO - 11/18/2016


This translator (the AM Revitalization Plan) will HELP WFLL, not replace WFLL. I know what translators are and do. So does A Jacobson. Do you? It seems you don't.
 
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southernjock said:
I know what translators are and do...It seems you don't.
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That was quite a voluminous reply to my seven innocent little words, "will cover Deerfield Beach and Boca Raton".
I was not putting anyone down, but I do not think that even George Carlin's seven words elicited a much more hostile response.
Please, please forgive me for inhaling your precious oxygen, let me crawl back into my dark corner where it is warm.
 
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ai4i said:
That was quite a voluminous reply to my seven innocent little words, "will cover Deerfield Beach and Boca Raton".
I was not putting anyone down, but I do not think that even George Carlin's seven words elicited a much more hostile response.
Please, please forgive me for inhaling your precious oxygen, let me crawl back into my dark corner where it is warm.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I didn't see where ai4i was being hostile toward you, seems like more of a misunderstanding that could have been cleared up with a more proportional response.
 
strangelove said:
Yeah, I didn't see where ai4i was being hostile toward you,
seems like more of a misunderstanding that could have been cleared up with a more proportional response.
Click to expand...
Thanks :D
 
The big question is... Did all this ever come about? Is 1400 on? If so what are they doing with it?
 
The owner of WFLL has submitted an application to cover the construction permit and license the station so 1400 may soon be back on the air. Another silent STA was requested back in May due to delays is getting permits from the city but it remains pending. Stay tuned!
 
Why can WFLL not move south to Miami?
 
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