WAPL-FM
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[edit] Beginnings
WAPL radio made its on-air debut in 1952 operating on a frequency of 1570 AM under the ownership of well known Wisconsin broadcasters, the Bartell Family. It was the third AM station in the market, but the first to serve the younger audience with rock & roll music.
WAPL-FM, operating on a frequency of 105.7 FM was added in 1963 when an FM antenna was installed on the existing WAPL (AM) tower in Menasha. The initial power was around 20,000 watts at an antenna height of 160 feet. The station's format was "beautiful music".
In 1965, WAPL-FM was upgraded to a 50,000 watt signal at 200 feet with a new tower on The Zuelke Building in downtown Appleton.
By 1977, having gone through a number of ownership and format changes, WAPL-FM changed it’s call letters to WCXR and briefly became a Christian station. This change lasted only eight months before changing format again, this time to album rock. Shortly thereafter, the station's call letters reverted to WAPL-FM. The on-air line up included Laura Morgan, Dan Adams and program director Steve Brown.
[edit] The Rockin' Apple
In 1978 WAPL AM and FM were offered for sale. WAPL-FM was purchased by Woodward Communications, Inc., of Dubuque, Iowa. Woodward already owned an AM station, WHBY, in the Appleton market. A strategy was developed to include the newly purchased station in the already planned new facility for WHBY on Appleton's southeast side. The plans included an upgrade of WAPL's signal to 100,000 watts of power and 450 feet of height for the antenna.
The new facilities were completed in the early fall of 1979, and WAPL and its new sister station, WHBY won the Broadcast Management and Engineering award for "Best AM/FM Station" of 1979. Soon after the construction was complete, the FCC ruled that high power FM station like WAPL should be at least 100,000 watts at 1000 feet. Immediately, the planning began for a new transmitter site which would allow WAPL to remain a Class C FM transmitting facility. During this time, most of the WAPL air staff went by only their first names and was comprised of Robin, Dale, Cliff, Carl King, Laura Morgan, Mark Coulter and Operations Manager Dan Davis.
In October 1980, WAPL-FM began identifying itself as The Rockin’ Apple, under program director Wayne Shayne. WAPL would continue to use the nickname until 2002. In addition to Shayne, other members of the air staff during WAPL's history have included Rick Panneck, David Lee, Laura Morgan, Bob Baron, and Nate Wright (Night Nate).
In April 1985, "The Mark and McNeal Morning Show" debuted with Mark Coulter, Rick McNeal and newsman Len Nelson. While Coulter departed after only eight months, McNeal and Nelson continued doing the morning show together until January 1999, when Nelson left the station and was replaced by Jon Jordan. McNeal and Jordan would continue on the "Rockin' Apple Morning Show" until April 2002, when WAPL management dropped the show in favor of "Bob and Brian," a show originating from Milwaukee's WLZR. "Bob and Brian" aired on WAPL until March 2003, when WAPL dropped the show and opted for a local, music-intensive morning shift. ("Bob and Brian" would eventually resurface in The Fox Cities radio market on WWWX-FM.) In September 2003, WAPL invited both Rick McNeal and Len Nelson back to the station to once again helm the morning show.
WAPL received a construction permit August 27, 1987 to increase tower height and become a full Class C FM, nearly eight years after applying for it. The new transmitting facility was completed near Green Bay in the town of Shirley, Wisconsin at a height of 1,175 feet above average terrain making the station “The 100,000 Watt Blowtorch of the Midwest”.
[edit] Awards
In 1990, under Program Director Garrett Hart, WAPL-FM was chosen “Best Radio Station” by the readers of Rolling Stone Magazine. The award was the first of five such awards won by the staff of The Rockin' Apple. The station's line-up includes Hart, Nelson and McNeal, Baron, Tony Scott, Jeannie Wilde, Shane Reno, Dave Wayne, Sharon Hunter, Chris Dare and Bob Crew.
After being the runner-up in 1991, WAPL would again win the “Best Radio Station” award from the readers of Rolling Stone in 1992, followed by a third award in four years in 1993. Joining Hart, Nelson, McNeal, Baron, Wilde, Scott and Crew were Miles Walker, Karla Moore, Andy Hammer and Linda Shane. The Rockin' Apple repeated yet again in 1994 and 1995, with an airstaff including Pete Burns, Susan Currie, Ross Maxwell, Roxanne Steele, Randy Hawke, Jamie Powers and Bill Kidd. Rolling Stone discontinued the “Best Radio Station” category from it annual Readers' Poll the following year.
After replacing longtime WAPL Program Director Garrett Hart in 1997, new PD Randy Hawke led WAPL to a win as Radio and Records “Best Small Market Rock Radio Station” in the nation in 1999.
In 2006, under Program Director Joe Calgaro, 105.7 WAPL was selected as one of five finalists for the Marconi Award for National Rock Radio Station of the Year. The Marconis, presented by the National Association of Broadcasters are considered the Oscars of the radio industry.
[edit] WAPL Today
After a short period of decline in the early 2000s, WAPL began to rebuild under new Program Director Joe Calgaro, bringing back the heritage morning show of Rick McNeal and Len Nelson. The staff also includes Elwood, Scott Stevens, Borna, Ross Maxwell, and Karla Moore together with morning news anchor Jeanne Anthony and sportscaster Bill Scott.
In 2002, 105.7 FM and AM 1570 once again became sister stations. WAPL owner Woodward Communications, Inc. purchased 1570 WRJQ and immediately changed the call letters to WSCO and installed a Sports Talk format, replacing WRJQ's Big Band format. In addition to WHBY and WSCO, WAPL's other sister stations include:
- 95.9 WKSZ, running a CHR format as "95.9 KISS FM"
- 94.7 WZOR, Active Rock-formatted "Razor 94.7"
- 104.3 WECB, "104.3 The Breeze," a Soft AC format
| Radio stations in the Appleton-Oshkosh, Wisconsin market (Arbitron #134) | |
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FM stations: |
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AM stations: |
| FM radio stations serving Green Bay (Arbitron #185) |
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Green Bay (Including Appleton): |
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Door County, Wisconsin:
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