Regarding the CHR format of Z106...
I can recall being 14 years old living on the far west side of Largo almost to the beaches. Q105 was going through it's "Dear Mr Jesus" song phase and I HATED that song. I started scrolling down the dial one night and clear as a bell, there was "All Hit Z106", a station I had never heard before and honestly thought it a brand new Tampa station at first, that's how clear the signal was. Next few days, station was fuzzy, I eventually get it back in one night, the DJ gave out his request line number, I called and asked where they were, he says they are a small 3000 watt station in Sarasota but because their tower was right on the Gulf & since I lived so close to the Gulf, that the signal must be skippin up the water. Z106 was my station over Q105 WHEN I could it in.
I think it's significant to note that the night guy on the CHR Z106 was a young kid named David Jones. When the station flipped to oldies, it wasn't long before David & a guy named Jelvis (?) became the Oldies 106 morning show. Various co-hosts came and went but David survived in mornings. In 1995, he was partnered with Christina Crane, and to this day "Jones & Crane" are STILL holding down mornings (although now at 107.9 of course)
When you add all that up, David Jones is enjoying his 24th year on (technically) the same station. It may be even longer than that, I'm not positive what year he started at Z, I only know of him starting at about 1989.
Also interesting to note, Jon "Rock N Roll" Anthony spent a short time down there as well as the PD/afternoon guy of Oldies 106. I hung out with Jon a few times then and also always remembered how cool the location of this station was, right on the water between exclusive Longboat Key & St Armands Circle. Jon hired me to do weekends when I was just 18, introduced me to Hank who just yelled at Jon "why would you hire someone for on air who doesnt know the artists or songs, why?" Jon says Brian will be fine I assure you. Hank says, "Son tell me your three favorite Beatles songs". I of course failed that test & Hank nixed my being hired. About two more weeks of the non-stop "antics" from Hank simply drove Jon to quit. (Incidentally, after failing the Beatles test, I studied up on my oldies, got hired to do weekends on U92/Tampa, then in 1995 I landed the FT night gig on... OLDIES 106... and stayed there til 1999)