WWGR (101.9 FM ), commonly called Gator Country 101.9 , is a country music radio station based in the Fort Myers, Florida area. The station, which is owned by Renda Media , operates with an ERP of 100 kW. This power gives it one of the best radio signals in all of Southwest Florida . Its transmitter is located off Corkscrew Road in Estero . This incredible signal also has its disadvantages, having exceptional interference with 101.9 "FM 101.9" WQMP , an alternative rock station licensed to Daytona Beach , but serves Orlando. The Sebring , Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Avon Park areas are the most affected by this interference with powerful radios receiving those two stations almost as one.
9-402: WWGR signed on in 1969 as WHEW-FM, and was a station that targeted the greater Fort Myers area as a country station during the 1970s and 1980s. During that time, the station struggled to find a strong hold on the market's country music listeners. That coupled with the increased competition from WCKT made it a very tough course for the station to sustain. In the 1990s, WHEW-FM transformed to what
18-547: A stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . WCKT WCKT (107.1 FM ) is a commercial radio station located in Lehigh Acres, Florida , broadcasting to the Fort Myers, Florida area. WCKT airs a country music format branded as "Cat Country". WCKT originally signed on in 1976, airing a beautiful music format. In 1979, the format was flipped to Disco, and the call letters were changed to WSWF. In 1985,
27-417: A few days by the station's general manager, Tony Renda. Renda later told NewsPress: "It is one thing when radio stations change their format or other crazy things they do. But you are messing with one of the big three, food, water or shelter. They just went too far; I just knew I didn't like that." The prank resulted in several calls by consumers to the local utility company, which sent out a release stating that
36-465: A music intensive format up against WHEW's more full service approach. That lasted for several years until WHEW become WWGR (Gator Country) about the time the Ft. Myers and Naples markets were combined to become one metro. Since then, WWGR has been the #1 country outlet in the Ft. Myers - Naples market. During WCKT's history, current owner iHeartMedia, Inc. (formerly Clear Channel Communications) briefly had
45-421: Is currently WWGR when the station was bought by Renda Broadcasting. Immediately following the sale of the station, the station took over the name Gator Country 101.9 Music, "Southwest Florida's Country Station". In April 2013, two presenters at WWGR told listeners dihydrogen monoxide , a scientific description of water, was coming out of their water taps as part of an April Fool's Day hoax and were suspended for
54-430: The format was changed to Album Oriented Rock, and the call letters were changed to WOOJ (Orange Rock 107). In 1988, facing competition from the new and much more powerful WRXK, WOOJ tweaked its format to Classic Rock. The format was flipped to Country as WCKT, in 1989. In only one ratings period, the new Cat Country beat longtime Southwest Florida country outlet WHEW to become the area's #1 country station. WCKT programmed
63-822: The station from the beginning Rick McGee (the station's first PD and longtime morning show host) Record executive Gator Michaels Barry "The Bear" Smith Doc Daily "Shotgun" Bob Walker (now the PD at WCTK "Cat Country" in Providence) Jeff "J.R." Reed (Afternoon host) Mark "The Shark" Wilson (former PD and PM Drive) Todd Nixon (former PD and PM Drive) Mike Tyler (PD and PM Drive 2014 - TFN) Robin Wolf ( mid-days) 1989–1994)(1995–1997) Kerry Babb (PD, PM drive 1999–2003) on air personality 1992-1994 26°19′01″N 81°47′13″W / 26.317°N 81.787°W / 26.317; -81.787 This article about
72-534: The station on the 100.1 frequency (what is now WZJZ ) out of Port Charlotte. Even though the 100.1 frequency is a C1 stronger signal, the northern leaning coverage area didn't put a strong enough signal to cover the Naples area, and additionally had substantial overlap with co-owned WIKX , which is also from the Port Charlotte area and thus may have stolen audience from them. "Super" Dave Logan has been with
81-602: The water was safe. In 2005, WWGR moved from its home in Fort Myers to Bonita Springs just across the street from the Naples-Fort Myers Greyhound Track. This new building houses WWGR and sister stations WSGL , WJGO , and WGUF . 26°25′23″N 81°37′48″W / 26.423°N 81.630°W / 26.423; -81.630 This article about a radio station in Florida is
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