WZLR (95.3 FM), known as "95-3 and 101-1 The Eagle," is a radio station broadcasting a 1980s classic hits format. Licensed to Xenia, Ohio, United States, it serves the Dayton area. According to the Federal Communications Commission's website, the station has transmitted at 6,000 watts since 1998. Its studios are co-located with the Dayton Daily News, WHIO-AM-FM-TV and two more radio stations in the Cox Media Center building near downtown Dayton. WZLR has a transmitter in Xenia and translator on the WHIO-TV tower in Germantown, Ohio. The station is currently owned by Cox Media Group.
History
Country (1967-1979) The station's original call letters were WBZI, the FM sister of the former WGIC. As early as 1967 the station played country music and even published a countdown chart called the "Flashy 40."
Top 40 (1979-1980) At some point in the later part of the 1970s the station flipped to an automated top 40 format using TM's "Stereo Rock" format. At the same time WDJX, located in the same city of license of Xenia hit the air with a top 40 format using local jocks and quickly became a top-rated station in the market, casting a shadow over WBZI's top 40 efforts.
Country (1980-1988)
Following a format and AM/FM frequency swap the station switched to country in 1980. It had its highest success as country in the early 1980s; however, its ratings always trailed those of WONE, the leader in the country music format in the Dayton metro. The station tried a "progressive country" called "Country Lovin'" mixing in the big acts of the day with country/rock crossovers like Marshall Tucker and The Eagles. The station had a successful run being at points the only FM country station in the Dayton area.
Adult Contemporary (1988-1990) In 1988 the station flipped from country to a national adult contemporary satellite format from ABC radio networks. It had low ratings since both WVUD-FM (99.9) and WWSN-FM (107.7) were successful adult contemporary stations, and had full market signal penetration while WDJK did not. In the latter part of 1989 the station dropped the satellite format in favor of local AC. During the year the station began adding contemporary hit radio songs to its mix.
Top 40 (1990-1993)
In the latter part of 1990, the station became mainstream contemporary hit radio (CHR/pop) "DJ 95". The station kept this name until June 1992, when it was changed to "Power 95", following the playing of Boyz II Men's "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" 953 times in a row.
'80s hits (1993) The CHR/pop format lasted until July 1993, when the station was put up for sale, at which time the station decided to flip to '80s oldies, the first time such a format had been tried in the country.
AM simulcast (1993-1993) When the station was sold on August 10, 1993, Night Ranger's "Goodbye" was played and the '80s oldies format was dropped along with the entire airstaff, in favor of an FM simulcast of sister station 1500 WBZI, retaining the WDJK calls. For several months WBZI was simulcast on 95.3 until the sale closed.
Oldies (1993-2000) The station's new owner was Dick Hunt (owner of WCLR/WPTW in Piqua, Ohio) and eventually it operated as a simulcast with Piqua's WCLR "Kool 95", becoming repeater WZLR. In 1998, the station was sold to Cox Media Group and tweaks to the format were made including a branding change to "Oldies 95" in its final year of operation.
'80s hits (2000-2002) In October 2000 the station changed call letters to WDTP repeating 95.7 WDPT "Dayton's Point" playing '80s adult hits until September 2002. The format was the brainchild of former WRBQ Tampa program director Randy Kabrich, and was also used by Cox stations in other markets, including Houston. The simulcast was branded as "95.7 Northside and 95.3 Southside." 95.7 The Point continued on the 95.7 WDPT frequency with the '80s adult hits format until October 30, 2006, when the station became a simulcast of WHIO-AM.
Classic rock (2002-2018) In September 2002, the station flipped to classic rock after a full day of stunting with the opening riffs of Queen's "We Will Rock You" playing in the background and reverting to the WZLR calls. The station used a "no DJ" approach and promoted the fact they were Dayton's first radio station without DJs. In 2006, the station rebranded as "The Eagle" as well as retaining the WZLR calls. Mostly music of the 1970s and 1960s was played at this time with core artists featuring Fleetwood Mac, Bob Seger, The Eagles and The Doobie Brothers.