WABT (FM)
| City | Lehman Township, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Branding | Pocono 96.7 |
| Slogan | The Greatest Hits of the 60s, 70s, and 80s |
| Frequency | 96.7 MHz |
| Translator(s) | 97.3 W247AE (East Stroudsburg) |
| First air date | October 23, 1970 (as WDLC-FM) |
| Format | Classic Hits |
| ERP | 200 watts |
| HAAT | 72 meters |
| Class | A |
| Facility ID | 53036 |
| Former callsigns | WDLC-FM (1970-1984) WTSX (1984-2012) |
| Owner | Neversink Radio, LLC |
| Sister stations | WJGK |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | pocono967.com |
WABT is a radio station in Lehman Township, Pennsylvania known as Pocono 96.7. The station is licensed to Neversink Radio, LLC, programming a classic hits format.
This station began operation on October 23, 1970 as WDLC-FM. The station ran a country music format initially. Their AM station played a Middle Of The Road (MOR) music format playing songs from the 1940s up to and including current songs. The stations WDLC 1490 and 96.7 WDLC-FM were owned by Oscar Wein and family. His son Bob Wein along with the rest of the family were active with the station.
By the mid 1970s the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) relaxed simulcast restrictions between AM and FM radio stations. Because WDLC-FM was automated, they decided to begin simulcasting both stations. WDLC and WDLC-FM, upon simulcasting, continued the MOR format from 5 to 10 a.m. as well as from 3 to 7 p.m.; played country music from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and instrumental easy listening music from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.. On Sundays, the station had many specialty shows.
In 1984 WDLC-FM began separate programming from the AM station, and eventually changed call letters to WTSX for Tri-State Crossroads. The new station began playing an Adult Contemporary format. Both WTSX and WDLC-AM did rather well in terms of ratings and profitability through the 1980s, and later that decade, Oscar Wein retired and his son Bob Wein took over operations. (Oscar Wein died on December 18, 2000, at the age of 82.)
From 1994-1999, WTSX did have some success with its new morning show, "The Morning Thing" with Alan James, but overall both stations began to have financial troubles during the 90's. As a result, in 1997, half the staff (including WDLC's newly hired morning man and program director) was laid off and WTSX began to automate evenings and overnights. WDLC had automated several years before using a satellite delivered adult standards format. In September 1998 Robert Wein began leasing WDLC and WTSX to Nassau Broadcasting in a local marketing agreement. The airstaff and sales staff stayed, but now became Nassau Broadcasting employees. Alan James left WTSX in 1999 due to differences in philosophy with management over the direction of the morning show, and of WTSX in general.
Nassau changed WTSX to a 1964-1969-based oldies format, mixing in some early 70's, late 50's and early 60's oldies as well. The ratings were low in the Southern Hudson Valley, but decent in the Sussex County radio market. However, in February 2001, Nassau sold the Local Marketing agreement of WDLC and WTSX to Clear Channel Communications, along with full ownership of WSUS, , and WHCY.
...
Wikipedia