WTRS-AM 920 Dunnellon

WTRS-AM 920
Dunnellon

Original Call Letters: WTRS

Originally Licensed: March 2, 1970

Original City of License: Dunnellon

Original Frequency: 920

Origin of Call Letters:

Original Power: 500 Watts Daytime

Original Location:

Original Format: Country Western/Adult Big Band

Network Affiliation(s):

Owner(s):	1970-Rainbow Communications Service, Inc.
	1975-Tri-County Broadcasters, Inc.
	1980-Citrus Broadcasters, Inc.
	1982-Asterisk Communications, Inc.

History of Call Letters and Formats:	WTRS-1970-Country Western/Adult Big Band
	WTRS-1975-Country "King Kountry 920"
	WTRS-1978-Beautiful Music "Bright and Beautiful"
	WTRS-1979-Country (Simulcast with WTRS-FM 102.3) "Stereo Country"
	WGAM-1980-Drake-Chenault's "Great American Country"
	WGAM-1981-Big Bands "The Unforgettable AM"
	WTRS-1982-Country (Simulcast with WTRS-FM 102.3)
	WTRS-1992-Ceased operations/frequency deleted

History Of WTRS
Thanks to Marc Tyll for this history of WTRS.
WTRS-AM began operations in 1970 on 920 kHz, operating with 500 watts daytime. The station was co-owned with WTRS-FM from 1970-1992. In the early days of WTRS, the owners originally applied for an FM frequency for Dunnellon, Florida, and had no interest in constructing an AM station. In those days, the FCC required all FM stations to maintain its main studio within the city limits of the city of license. The only exception to this rule was if an FM station was commonly owned with an AM station licensed to the same community of license. In this case, the FM studios could be located at the transmitter site even though the site was located outside the city of license so long as the AM studios were also located at the same transmitter site. For this reason, since the owners wanted the FM studio to be located outside the city of license at the transmitter site, WTRS Radio, Inc. applied for the frequency 920 kHz with 500 watts daytime, was granted a construction permit, and constructed its studios at the transmitter site. This enabled the FM studio to also locate at the same location. Originally WTRS-AM programmed a live "beautiful music" format. There was no automation, only turntables and cart machines in the WTRS-AM studio. WTRS-FM programmed "Top 40" until both stations were sold in 1975. The FM switched to "Contemporary Easy Listening" while WTRS-AM switched to "Country and Western". This format lasted for three years until it was decided overnight that the FM should become "Stereo Country". The AM once again returned to its "Beautiful Music" programming in 1978. This lasted until the station was sold in 1980 and both station swapped formats: the FM to "Beautiful Music"; the AM-"Country". The "Beautiful music" lasted only six months on the FM and it switched back to "Country" after receiving numerous complaints from listeners. The AM changed call letters to WGAM and began programming "Big Bands" as "The Unforgettable AM" only to begin simulcasting WTRS-FM’s "country" format on both stations a year later. The AM call letters were changed back to WTRS and the simulcast programming remained in placed until 1992. By this time, the FM had upgraded to 50,000 watts and moved its studios to Ocala. The new owner, Asterisk Communications, had no more interest in operating WTRS-AM, and the license was mailed back to the FCC. WTRS-AM ceased operations on June 2, 1992 and the frequency 920 kHz was deleted from Dunnellon.
Feb. 20, 2008 the frequency was deleted by the FCC. Read Marc Tyll's tribute here In Memory