WGRR


WGRR is a classic Hits radio station in the Cincinnati, Ohio market on the FM dial at 103.5, owned by Cumulus Media. Its studios are located in North Cincinnati and the transmitter site is in Finneytown, Ohio.

History

Originally WHOH when founded in 1959 by Fort Hamilton Broadcasting, which aired middle of the road and beautiful music through the 1960s. In 1973, the calls were changed to WYCH and again in 1978 to WOKV playing soft rock until a format switch to all disco in 1979. During this time, it was known as "The Chicken" in reference to its mascot, a giant whole broiled chicken dressed in seasonal clothing. As disco lost steam in the 1980s, it switched to contemporary rock in early 1981, only to switch again to CHUrban as WBLZ.
WGRR began broadcasting on January 4, 1990 as Cincinnati's first FM oldies station under their original moniker "GRReat OOOldies All The Time! WGRR The New Oldies 103.5". The original WGGR lineup was initially consisted of Kenny Matthews, Tony Michaels and Gina Ruffin Moore, Antonia "Mighty Toni" Mason Steven Allan, Johnny Hall, Martin "Marty With The Party" Thompson, with Ronnie "Rockin' Ron" Schumacher, and Kimberly "Slim Kim" Carson. For weekends WGRR adopted the Hot Wax Weekend concept by adding legendary WSAI jocks from the 1960s Dusty Rhodes, Ted McAllister, Jack Stahl, and rounding up the original WGRR lineup was Daniel "Dangerous Dan" Allen, J.D. Hughes stayed at WGRR after its transformation from CHUrban WBLZ to work weekends and remains with the station to this day after 30 years.
The current lineup at WGRR consists of Chris O'Brien and Janeen Coyle mornings with news and traffic from Angie Irick, Rockin' Ron Schumacher middays, Keith Mitchell afternoons and Steve Mann, nights. WGRR has been home to many popular local air personalities, among them Jim "The Music Professor" Labarbara, voted by his peers as one of the Top 40 radio personalities of all time. Jim is also a member of the Rock Jock Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Ohio Radio/Television Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He was replaced in early 2007 by current program director Keith Mitchell, formerly PD of WMOJ-FM.
WGRR was formerly owned by CBS Radio, and was sold to Entercom Communications on August 21, 2006, along with CBS Radio's other Cincinnati stations. Entercom then traded the station to Cumulus Media in exchange for the frequency 94.9 FM and WYGY.
In early 2007, WGRR adopted a new logo to reflect its updated format, which shifted from "Oldies" from the 1960s and 1970s to "Classic Hits", an updated version of the format that includes music from the 1980s.