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WPAY (AM)

WPAY (1520 kHz) is an AM radio station licensed to Rossford, Ohio, serving the Toledo metropolitan area. It is owned by Relevant RadioofGreen Bay, Wisconsin.

History[edit]

WTTO[edit]

The station was established in 1966 as WTTO, It was known as "Weetow 15" with a Top 40 format to compete with 1470 WOHO (later WLQR) and 1560 WTOD (now WWYC). It also competed with 800 CKLW from Detroit/Windsor, Ontario. The station had its studios on the fourth floor of the Commodore Perry Hotel in Downtown Toledo. Legendary Deejays Larry Weseman "Larry Love" and Ron Sobczak "Tommy Collins" were the Top Air Personalities. Ron Sobczak died in 2022.

WTUU[edit]

In 1975, the call sign was changed to WTUU. The station switched to a country music format becoming known as "Fun Country W-15-2".

WANR, WGOR, WVOI[edit]

Sometime later, 1520 AM adopted an all-news radio format with the call sign WANR featuring programming from NBC Radio's News and Information Service. The news format was unsuccessful and the station was sold. The call sign was changed to WGOR in 1976; the station took on a religious format. With yet another change in ownership, the call sign was later changed to WVOI. In 1981, after WKLR 99.9 FM dropped its R&B format in favor of country music, WVOI launched an urban contemporary music format. This format was successful and lasted until the later part of the 1990s.

Dominion 1520[edit]

In 1998, the call sign was changed to WDMN (which stood for Dominion) when the Cornerstone Church of Maumee, Ohio, acquired the station. The station took on a gospel music format.

Talk radio[edit]

In April 2008, WDMN dropped Gospel music and changed its format to talk radio. The format was a combination of progressive and conservative talk radio programming. Some traditional and smooth jazz was played on the weekends. The station was also an affiliate of CNN. On July 1, 2008, the station changed its call sign to WNWT.

Educational Media Foundation ownership[edit]

On January 22, 2009, it was announced that the Educational Media Foundation had purchased WNWT. On April 23, 2009, WNWT's talk format was dropped and it started airing K-Love.

On April 26, 2014, WNWT became an affiliate of Urban Family Talk. On March 15, 2017, the call sign was changed to WPAY. On March 8, 2018, Urban Family Talk was dropped in favor of Radio Nueva Vida, a Spanish-language Christian format. On September 25, 2018, the station flipped to EMF's new K-Love Classics network. On June 7, 2019, WPAY reverted to Urban Family Talk. On August 2, 2019, WPAY returned to K-Love Classics.

In November 2020, the Educational Media Foundation phased out its K-Love Classics format in favor of Christmas music. On January 1, 2021, Christmas music gave way to an all-1990s Christian music format, now known as "K-Love 90s".

Fusion Radio acquisition[edit]

On November 10, 2020, it was reported by Radioinsight.com that the Educational Media Foundation traded WPAY and two Toledo translators—W221BG (92.1 FM) and W277BI (103.3 FM) to Fusion Radio in exchange for W277AE (103.3 FM) in Madison, Wisconsin. No cash was exchanged between the two parties. The swap was consummated on July 15, 2021, and the next day, the station fell silent.

On June 12, 2022, WPAY and its translator, W221BG, returned to the air simulcasting Delmarva Educational Association’s Christian talk and teaching format, heard on WTOD (106.5 FM).

On September 5, 2022, WPAY began playing a 2000s rhythmic heavy playlist as it prepared for a relaunch as "Party 103.3" on September 6 at 10:33 a.m., fed to W277BI.^[2] The format continued to offer 2000s rhythmic songs in addition to newer songs. The format launched with 10,000 songs in a row, with "Get Ready for This" by 2 Unlimited being the first song played. W277BI became fed by WTOD-HD2.

Relevant Radio[edit]

On October 18, 2022, it was reported by radioinsight.com that Fusion Radio had sold 1520 WPAY, along with translator 94.1 W231EF, to Relevant Radio, Inc. of Green Bay, Wisconsin. On October 21, 2022, WPAY went silent. Relevant began broadcasting Catholic-based religious programing on November 1, 2022. The sale, at a price of $500,000, was consummated on December 21, 2022.

Translator[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Facility details for Facility ID 40858 (WPAY) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• WPAYinNielsen Audio's AM station database
• Facility details for Facility ID 138974 (W231EF) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• W231EF at FCCdata.org