WEAT

WEAT
City West Palm Beach, Florida
Broadcast area West Palm Beach, Florida
Branding Sunny 107.9
Slogan Today's Hits and Yesterday's Favorites
Frequency 107.9 MHz
First air date August 30, 1969 (at 104.5)
Format Adult Contemporary
Christmas music (Nov.-Dec.)
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 130 meters
Class C1
Facility ID 1918
Callsign meaning station was once referred to EAsy 104
Former callsigns WEAT-FM (1969–2012)
Former frequencies 104.5 MHz (1969-1986)
104.3 MHz (1986-2012)
Owner Alpha Media
(Alpha Media Licensee LLC)
Sister stations WIRK, WMBX, WRMF
Webcast Listen Live
Website sunny1079.com

WEAT (107.9 FM, "Sunny 107.9") is a radio station licensed to the West Palm Beach, Florida market. It is owned by Alpha Media, through licensee Alpha Media Licensee LLC. Its studios are in West Palm Beach and its transmitter is located west of Lake Worth, Florida.

WFTL/850 & WPEC television once shared the WEAT call letters when they were owned by businessman John D. MacArthur. The television station became WPEC when sold to Alexander W. Dreyfoos in 1973. WEAT (AM) became WDJA in 1998 and became WFTL in 2003.

Timeline

1969 -- WEAT-FM broadcast an Easy Listening format as Easy 104.".[1] The Program Director was Paul Dunn and the morning host was Dave Supple in the late 80s and early 90s.

August 1, 1986 -- WEAT-FM moves from 104.5 to 104.3. [2]

March 23, 1992 -- WEAT-FM switches to Adult Contemporary. Les Howard, former program director at Broward's Joy 107 (now WXDJ), assumed the same position at WEAT. Chuck Bennett, from WSSP in Orlando, is morning host with WEAT's first female full-time employee Pam Triolo (assistant director of operations for Metro Networks previously and WXLO/WFGL in Worcester, MA, morning news director/ PR dIrector).[3]

Summer 1993 -- Tom Kelley from WMEE in Ft. Wayne, Indiana replaces Chuck Bennett at host of the morning show. Bennett left to start a production company in Melbourne, Florida. Tom Kelly joined mainstay Co-host Pam Triolo who went on to win numerous American Women in Radio and Television Tara awards for both On-air personality and Copywriter in 1994, 1995 and 1996. (Palm Beach Post, Thom Smith) Tom Kelly resigned and Pam Triolo continued to host WEAT morning's with Dick Shannon and finally Rob Early. Pam Triolo and Early brought WEAT to #1 in the spring book of 1995. WEAT's cumulative ratings were up 38%.

Fall 1995.. (Palm Beach Post, Wednesday July 26, 1995 by Mitch McKenney). -- Kevin Kitchens and Jennifer Ross join the station for mornings as the Champions of Breakfast. The pair had been together at rival WRMF for more than a decade until Kitchens left for San Diego. The Palm Beach Post reported that Kitchens earned more than $200,000.[4] Upon the arrival of Kevin and Jennifer, Pam Triolo relocated to WEAT's new sister station WOLL for her first solo stint as midday announcer, then as afternoon-drive DJ when the station turned its moniker to 94.3 The Beach.

Fall 1996... Pam Triolo resigns to start her own advertising and marketing agency, First Impressions Creative Services, Inc., still in existence in Lake Worth, FL, as well as to write and host the TV show "What's For Dinner?" which enjoyed an 8-year run.

March 1996 -- Midday host Sunny Quinn leaves after 3½ years for WZZR's morning show. She left WZZR in March 1997[5] and would later return to the midday time slot.[6] Shortly after, the station dropped the Sunday morning jazz brunch program that Quinn had hosted but returned it a week later with Kevin Kitchens as host.[7] Chad Perry became the midday host, and the syndicated Delilah After Dark program runs in the evening.[8]

September 1996 -- Chad Perry returns to evenings and Delilah After Dark is dropped.

December 1996 -- Sunny drops Dave Koz's weekend jazz show.[9]

May 1997 -- Jon Howe moves to afternoons, Cassie Jacoby joins midday.[10]

January 31, 1999 --- Midday host Cassie Jacoby quits over a contract dispute.[11]

February 3, 1999 -- Kevin Kitchens dies of a heart attack.[12] Jennifer Ross becomes morning show host and morning show producer, and John Taylor is promoted to co-host. Danny Ingram begins as morning show producer for Jennifer and John.[13]

April 1999 -- Sunny Quinn returns to midday after traveling with Grand Funk Railroad for two years.[14]

December 1999 -- Jon Howe replaces John Taylor on the Champions of Breakfast with Jennifer Ross.

January 2000 -- Tim Byrd joins station from WRMF.[15]

April 2000 -- Jon Howe leaves the Champions of Breakfast. Program Director Les Howard fills in as Obi-Wan Jacoby. Howard's real last name is Jacoby.

September 2000 -- Jennifer Ross leaves to return to WRMF.[16] Ross was forced off the air in April 2001 by Sunny 104.3.[17] Pam Triolo is called in to fill in with Joe Martelle for a few weeks which eventually become a few months. She is offered the job of returning to Sunny as Morning Co-host but can't reach an agreement. Melanie Brenner eventually succeed to the Champions of BreakfastThe Palm Beach Post reported that Brenner "mounted an active mail-in campaign to get the job but was never able to agree on a contract, returned from vacation two weeks ago and jumped to rival WRMF." [18]

October 5, 2000 -- Sunny 104.3 is named station of the year and Les Howard Program Director of the year at the Billboard Radio Monitor Awards in New York.[19]

February 2001 -- Lindy Rome replaces Melanie Brenner.

July 2002 -- Program Director Les Howard leaves the station.

April 2004 -- Joe Martelle loses his voice and is no longer able to continue hosting the Champions of Breakfast. Program Director Rick Shockley replaces him. Lindy Rome was replaced by former WPTV television news reporter and anchor Rachele Scholes. The Palm Beach Post reported that Martelle's claim that that after his voice gave out, the station did not renew his contract. Station management says it wishes Joe well but will not comment further. Martelle has retained professional representation to make his case.

April 2005: -- A Palm Beach County jury Friday awarded Sunny 104.3 more than the $13.3 million the station's attorney had asked for after ruling that Jennifer Ross breached her contract by moving to rival station WRMF in September 2000.[20]

March 2006: -- Afternoon personality Tim Byrd leaves the station citing a "hostile and disrespectful" work environment and the "constant criticism" he has had to endure. His agent said Byrd had been working without a contract for two years and recently saw his bonus structure taken away.[21]

November 2006 -- 2 weeks or so before Thanksgiving :

Sunny 104.3 started doing month long of Christmas music along with Kool 105.5

January 2007 -- Florida's Fourth District Court of Appeal reverses Sunny's verdict against Jennifer Ross on both liability and damages, citing numerous errors by trial court Judge Diana Lewis.

February 2007 -- Michelle Visage joins the Champions of Breakfast.

April 2008 -- Christie Banks joins Midday and is now on afternoon drive.

Sunny 104.3 logo used until 2012.

June 2012 -- WEAT-FM moved to 107.9 at midnight on June 1. "Stayin' Alive" was the final song aired, which was part of that evening's edition of Delilah.[22] A placeholder format, known as "SmoothFM," was initiated and the callsign changed to WMSF at that time. CBS Radio later filed an FCC application to move the 104.3 FM frequency into the Miami market, which was completed when what is now WSFS moved its city of license to Miramar in August 2013.[23]

August 2012 -- Sunny 107.9 named former Love 94 host, Gina Martell, to host their new smooth jazz show, "Sunny Morning Jazz". The show currently airs every Sunday morning from 7 am to 10 am. Gina Martell was the former midday host at former smooth jazz radio station in South Florida, 93.9 FM Love 94. [24]

Sunny 107.9 logo used from 2012 to 2016.

Ownership history

WEAT was initially owned by businessman John D. MacArthur, who owned WEAT-TV Channel 12 (now WPEC) and WEAT now WFTL. MacArthur sold both stations to sportscaster Curt Gowdy in 1975 for $1.5 million.

October 1986 -- Gowdy sold the stations the following year for an undisclosed price to J.J. Taylor Companies Inc. of North Dartmouth, Mass.[25]

October 1995 -- sold with WEAT to OmniAmerica Group of Cleveland for an estimated $18 million.[26]

May 1996 -- sold with seven other stations for $178 million to Chancellor Broadcasting Co.[27]

June 1996 -- sold with WEAT/850 and WOLL/94.3 to American Radio Systems of Boston.

May 1997 -- sold with WKGR/98.7, WOLL/94.3, WBZT/1290 to Bud Paxon for $33 million.[28]

September 1997 -- Westinghouse (later CBS Corporation) purchases American Radio's 98 radio stations for $1.2 billion.[29]

April 10, 2012 -- CBS Radio announced that it was selling WEAT and its sister stations to Palm Beach Broadcasting for $50 Million, pending FCC approval.[30] However, WEAT, as well as WHFS, will be spun off to comply with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ownership rules;[31] the station's AC format and airstaff will be moved to another Palm Beach Broadcasting station.[32]

Effective February 25, 2016, Digity, LLC (Palm Beach Broadcasting's parent) and its 124 radio stations were acquired by Alpha Media for $264 million.

Ratings

Winter 2004: 6.0 share, #1 in market [33]

Summer 2003: 7.3 share, #1 in market [34]

Winter 2003: 7.7 share, #1 in market [35]

Summer 2002: 9.1 share, #1 in market [36]

Fall 2002: 8 share, #1 in market [37]

Spring 2002: 8.6 share, #1 in market [38]

Fall 2001: 7.4 share, #1 in market [37]

Summer 2001:6.4 share, #1 in market [39]

Spring 2001: 8.0 share, #1 in market [40]

Winter 2000: 8.2 share, #1 in market [40]

Spring 1999: 7.4 share, #1 in market [41]

Fall 1998: 7.4 share, #1 in the market[42]

Fall 1997: 9.2 share, #1 in market[43]

Summer 1997: 8.0 share, #1 in market[44]

Spring 1997: 8.5 share, #1 in market[45]

Fall 1996: 8.3 share, #2 in market. WRLX was #1 with 9.0 share.[46]

Summer 1996: 7.2 share, #3 in market. WRMF was #1 with 8.2 share [47]

Spring 1996: 7.2 share, #2 in market. WRMF was #1 with 7.8 share[48]

Fall 1995: 9.3 share, #1 in market[49]

Summer 1995: 6.4 share, 4th place in market. WRMF was #1 with a 7.7 share[50]

Spring 1995: 8.3 share, #1 in market. Rob Early and Pam Triolo morning team enjoy big success. "these Numbers are pre-Kevin, pre-Jennifer," WEAT General Manager Dave D'Eugenio said. Kevin Kitchens had left WRMF and was joining Jennifer Ross on Sunny in the Fall as host of the Champions of Breakfast on Sunny 104.3.[51]

Winter 1995: 4.6 share, #5 in market, WRMF was #1[52]

Spring 1992: #1 in market after format change from Easy Listening Easy 104 to Adult Contemporary Sunny 104.3 Pam Triolo joins Chuck Bennett in the mornings[53]

Spring 1991: #1 in market[54]

Fall 1990: #1 in market for 21st year in a row according to Marci Cooke, as reported in the Palm Beach Post.[55]

Summer 1990: 13.1 share, #1 in market

Spring 1990: 15.2 share, #1 in market [56]

Fall 1989: 17.8, #1 in market[57]

Summer 1989: 17.5, #1 in market[58]

Spring 1989: 16.7 share, #1 in market[59]

Fall 1986: #1 in market[60]

Fall 1985: 10.0, #2 in market, WRMF had an 11.3 share [61]

Spring 1985: 13.0 share, #1 in market[62]

Fall 1984: 14.4 share, #1 in market[62]

References

  1. ↑ Mike Wilson (January 17, 1985). "WEAT'S Easy Listening Format is Tops in County, Ratings Show". Miami Herald.
  2. ↑ Linda Thornton (July 30, 1986). "Two Stations Get a Boost". Miami Herald.
  3. ↑ Pat Curry (March 26, 1992). "WEAT Changes Format, Pursues 25-To-54 Market". Sun-Sentinel.
  4. ↑ Mitch McKenney (August 29, 1995). "Broadcasting Merger Creates 30-Station Firm". Palm Beach Post.
  5. ↑ "Sunny Signs Off With WZZR-FM". Stuart News. March 19, 1997.
  6. ↑ Bob Betcher (March 16, 1996). "WZZR Adds Quinn To Lineup". Stuart News.
  7. ↑ "WXEL Special To Focus on Martin Cattle, Citrus". Stuart News. March 31, 1996.
  8. ↑ Bob Betcher (March 24, 1996). "Some Odds and Ends on the Local TV Radio Beat". Stuart News.
  9. ↑ Bob Betcher (December 1, 1996). "A Decent Nighttime Single For WJNO Eyed For Stuart". Stuart News.
  10. ↑ Bob Betcher (May 18, 1997). "TV Reception Problems? Keep Eye Our For Squirrels". Stuart News.
  11. ↑ Bob Betcher (August 20, 2001). "Jacoby Back on Stuart's WHLG-FM". Stuart/Port St. Lucie News.
  12. ↑ Bob Betcher (February 4, 1999). "Radio Host Kitchens of WEAT Dies". Stuart News.
  13. ↑ Bob Betcher (December 10, 1999). "How'd You Like to Find Garrison Keillor Sitting Under Your Tree Christmas Morning?". Fort Pierce News.
  14. ↑ Thom Smith (April 22, 1999). "Celine Dion Cancels Concerts, Devotes Herself To Husband's Care". Palm Beach Post.
  15. ↑ Thom Smith (January 20, 2000). "WRMF's Byrd Flies To Sunny Side Of Street". Palm Beach Post.
  16. ↑ "Book Medal to Honor Writer Ray Bradbury". Sun-Sentinel. September 26, 2000.
  17. ↑ Cheryl Wolfe and Matt Prichard (April 28, 2001). "Judge Orders Radio Personality Off The Air". Sun-Sentinel.
  18. ↑ "Village of Golf Awaits Edward, Prince of a Guy". Palm Beach Post. February 2, 2001.
  19. ↑ "J.D. 'Borrowed' Career in Radio". Palm Beach Post. November 5, 2000.
  20. ↑ John Cote (April 12, 2005). "Radio Host Will Appeal Verdict; Jury Awarded Station Millions For Her Defection". Palm Beach Post.
  21. ↑ Jose Lambiet (March 16, 2006). "Tyson Settles With Boynton Man For $275,000". Palm Beach Post.
  22. ↑ 104.3 West Palm Beach Becomes SmoothFM. FormatChange.com (Retrieved 2013-10-23)
  23. ↑ Radio-Info.com News: Miami move-in filed at the FCC for just-sold WEAT-FM 104.3 -- Radio-Info.com (Retrieved 2012-05-30)
  24. ↑
  25. ↑ Marcia A. Pounds (October 11, 1986). "Curt Gowdy Sells Two Radio Stations". Sun-Sentinel.
  26. ↑ Mitch McKenney (October 23, 1995). "A Wave Of Radio Sales Echoes The Sound Of Money". Palm Beach Post.
  27. ↑ Mitch McKenney (May 16, 1996). "Firm Buys 8 OmniAmerica Stations". Palm Beach Post.
  28. ↑ "Lost in Paxon Suffle, WEAT Is Still For Sale". The Palm Beach Post. December 15, 1997.
  29. ↑ Julie Waresh (September 20, 1997). "Westinghouse Buy Includes Local Stations". Palm Beach Post.
  30. ↑ "CBS Sells West Palm Beach Cluster" from All Access (April 10, 2012)
  31. ↑ Seyler, Dave (April 11, 2012). "More color on Goodman's WPB buy". Radio Business Report. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  32. ↑ Heroux Pounds, Marcia (April 11, 2012). "Palm Beach radio stations sold for $50 million". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
  33. ↑ =Susan T. Port (May 19, 2004). "Clear Channel, Independent Cut Into Infinity Radio Shares". Palm Beach Post.
  34. ↑ =Susan T. Port (August 15, 2003). "Work of Channel 25 Reporter To Be Shown Aug. 22 on '20/20'". Palm Beach Post.
  35. ↑ =Susan T. Port (May 9, 2003). "Broadcast Vet Does Media Advice". Palm Beach Post.
  36. ↑ "'Closer' Expected To Break Even Soon". Palm Beach Post. November 8, 2002.
  37. 1 2 "'Orchids' Magazine Thinks Bigger, Colorfully". Palm Beach Post. January 31, 2003.
  38. ↑ Susan T. Port (August 2, 2002). "Infinity Broadcasting Stations Take Top 3 Spots In Local Radio". Palm Beach Post.
  39. ↑ Dan Weil (January 31, 2003). "Sunny 104.3 Stays Atop Ratings Heap". Palm Beach Post.
  40. 1 2 Dan Weil (May 11, 2001). "Vessels Expected At Port's New Slip". Palm Beach Post.
  41. ↑ "Radio Station Still No. 1 Despite Loss of DJ". Palm Beach Post. May 8, 1999.
  42. ↑ "'Sunny' FM Stays On Top In Fall Radio Ratings". Palm Beach Post. January 26, 1999.
  43. ↑ "Arbitron Radio Ratings Show Leaders Unchanged". Palm Beach Post. January 26, 1998.
  44. ↑ "Summer Radio Arbitrons". Palm Beach Post. October 22, 1997.
  45. ↑ "Spring Radio Arbitrons". Palm Beach Post. May 6, 1997.
  46. ↑ "Fall Radio Arbitrons". Palm Beach Post. January 22, 1997.
  47. ↑ "Summer Radio Arbitrons". Palm Beach Post. October 24, 1996.
  48. ↑ Mitch McKenney (May 1, 1996). "Fairbanks Stations Top Winter Arbitron Ratings". The Palm Beach Post.
  49. ↑ Mitch McKenney (January 17, 1996). "WEAT-FM Tops Fall Fatings". Palm Beach Post.
  50. ↑ Mitch McKenney (October 27, 1995). "Fairbanks Stations Claim 3 of Top 5 Positions in Summer Radio Ratings". Palm Beach Post.
  51. ↑ Mitch McKenney (July 26, 1995). "WRMF Falls To Third In Radio Ratings". Palm Beach Post.
  52. ↑ Melissa Ruggieri (July 31, 1995). "Arbitron Books Shows Spanish Stations Strong". Sun-Sentinel.
  53. ↑ Tom Jicha (June 1, 1992). "Neil Rogers Back on Old Time Clock, Status Quo in Palm Beach".
  54. ↑ Carolyn Susman (May 13, 1991). "Aircraft Noise Group Losing Quiet Support". Palm Beach Post.
  55. ↑ Carolyn Susman (January 14, 1991). "Wellington Sign Proposal Revives Longtime Rivalry". Palm Beach Post.
  56. ↑ Tom Jicha (August 2, 1990). "Radio Ratings". Sun-Sentinel.
  57. ↑ Tom Jicha (January 12, 1990). "WDZL Film a Non-Commercial Venture, Status Quo". Sun-Sentinel.
  58. ↑ Tom Jicha (October 18, 1989). "World Series Helps ABC End NBC's Raing Reign, Palm Beach Radio Survey". Sun-Sentinel.
  59. ↑ Tom Jicha (May 1, 1989). "Top Station Rocked From Ratings Roost". Sun-Sentinel.
  60. ↑ Glenn Singer (February 9, 1987). "Sophia Playing Helen Boehn". Miami Herald.
  61. ↑ "Top Station Rocked From Ratings Roost". Miami Herald. January 18, 1986.
  62. 1 2 "Top 10 Radio Stations". Miami Herald. July 26, 1985.

Coordinates: 26°34′38″N 80°14′31″W / 26.5773°N 80.2420°W / 26.5773; -80.2420

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