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WLRO

WLRO
Broadcast areaBaton Rouge metropolitan area
Frequency1210 kHz
History
First air date
April 15, 1959 (1959-04-15)[1] (as WLBI)
Last air date
June 16, 2017 (2017-06-16)[2]
Former call signs
WLBI (1959–1985)
WBIU (1985–1997)
WSKR (1997–2012)
Technical information
Facility ID37815
ClassB
Power10,000 watts (day)
1,000 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
30°31′20″N 90°58′15″W / 30.52222°N 90.97083°W / 30.52222; -90.97083

WLRO (1210 AM was a radio station serving the Baton Rouge area of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The station broadcast with powers of 10 kilowatts daytime and 1 kilowatt at night, and was licensed to Denham Springs, where the transmitter was also located. Its studios were located east of downtown Baton Rouge near the I-10/I-12 interchange.

History

Logo as "1210 The Score"

AM 1210 was a Christian talk radio station, WBIU, until 1997 when it was acquired by Clear Channel (forerunner to iHeartMedia) and switched to a sports talk format, under the call letters WSKR. It was an ESPN Radio affiliate until February 2007, when it switched to Fox Sports Radio.

On January 2, 2012, WSKR changed its format to gospel, branded as "Hallelujah 1210"[3] under new call letters, WLRO. After nearly three decades of the state's second largest metropolitan area offering as many as five sports radio shows daily, all shows were cancelled via a text message to the sports hosts on New Year's Eve; a week prior to the NFL's New Orleans Saints playoff run and LSU's preparation in its bid to win a third BCS National Championship.

On October 29, 2012, the station flipped to an all comedy format, carrying the 24/7 Comedy network.[4] It switched formats again on August 3, 2014, after 24/7 Comedy ceased operations; the station flipped back to a sports talk format, rebranding themselves once again as "1210 The Score".[5] On August 13, 2016, WLRO's transmitter site in Denham Springs, Louisiana suffered extensive damage due to historic flooding in the Baton Rouge area, which took the station silent.[6] WLRO returned to the air on June 6, 2017[7] resuming programming from Fox Sports Radio, but again went silent on June 16, 2017.[2] iHeartMedia surrendered the station's license on June 13, 2018;[8] the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) cancelled it on July 9, 2018.[9]

References

  1. ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2009 (PDF). 2009. p. D-250. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Notification of Suspension of Operations / Request for Silent STA". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. June 23, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  3. ^ Venta, Lance (4 January 2012). "2011 Post Christmas Format Change Rundown". RadioInsight. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  4. ^ Venta, Lance (October 29, 2012). "Clear Channel Launches 12 Comedy Stations". RadioInsight. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  5. ^ Venta, Lance (August 4, 2014). "End Of 24/7 Comedy Leads To Flips Across The Country". RadioInsight. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  6. ^ "Notification of Suspension of Operations / Request for Silent STA". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. August 15, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  7. ^ "Resumption of Operations". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. June 6, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  8. ^ Davis, Stephen G (June 13, 2018). "Re: …Surrender of Station License…" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  9. ^ "Broadcast Actions" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. July 12, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2018.