WTRS-FM 102.3
Ocala

Original Call Letters: WTRS                                              
Originally Licensed: March 3, 1969
Original Power: 3,000 watts                                                 
Original City of  License: Dunnellon
Original Format: Top 40

Owner(s): 1969-WTRS Radio, Inc.
                     1975-Tri-County Broadcasters, Inc.
                     1980-Citrus Broadcasters, Inc.
                     1983-Present: Asterisk Communications, Inc.

History Of  Call Letters and Formats: WTRS-1969-Top 40
                                                             WTRS-1975-Contemporary Easy Listening  "Stereo 102"
                                                          WTRS-1978-Country  "Stereo Country 102" 
                                              WTRS-1981-Beautiful Music "The World's Most Beautiful Music" (Drake-Chenault)
                                                          WTRS-1982-Country
 

WTRS History
Thanks to Marc Tyll for this history of WTRS.
WTRS-FM began operations in March of 1969 after a group of business owners decided that the rural West Central Florida area needed a radio station. No frequencies were available for the area so it was decided this group would petition the FCC to relocate the assigned FM channel 102.3 from Ocala to Dunnellon. The frequency never went on the air in Ocala, so the FCC granted the request and on March 3, 1969, West Central Florida’s ONLY radio station, WTRS-FM went on the air with a "full service" all hit music format. No one in the area at that time was programming top 40 on FM, but WTRS dared to be different. The format lasted for six years until one of the owners was killed in an auto accident. The remaining partners deiced to sell WTRS-FM along with WTRS-AM 920 to Tri-County Broadcasters. With the new owners, the format was mellowed out and watered down to what was called "Contemporary Easy Listening" which consisted of mellow top 40 hits mixed with artist such as Arthur Fielder and the Boston Pops, Peter Nero, Ray Conniff and the 101 Strings. In 1978 it was decided the modified easy listening wasn’t profitable, and the switch was made to "Stereo Country". After the station was sold, several years later, the format was switched to Beautiful Music, billed as "The World’s Most Beautiful Music." Listeners started complaining to management, stating they wanted the "funeral music" off the air and they wanted the station to bring back the country. New management was hired and the station once again became West Central Florida’s country leader. A year later, the station was sold to Asterisk Communications who later upgraded this small, rural, 3,000 watt FM station to a 50,000 watt country powerhouse. The studios were relocated to Ocala in 1988 where it is consistently rated among the top stations in the Ocala/Gainesville metro.
From 1975 through 1978 WTRS-FM was known as "Stereo 102" playing a variety of contemporary easy listening music. The format was an early hybrid of what is now known a Soft Adult Contemporary.  Also, WTRS-FM was, and still is, licensed to Dunnellon, same as WTRS-AM 920 and not licensed to Ocala although Ocala is mentioned in the station Top of the hour ID as a dual license Dunnellon - Ocala.

Names in WTRS History
John Morrison, Jr.-1970-1975-President-Rainbow Communications Service, Inc.
Larry Scarborough-1970-Vice President/General Manager/Commercial Manager
Marian Nell Walker-1970-Program Director
Alfred Hammock-1970-Chief Engineer 
John Rutledge-1990-2005 Biography Market Manager  In Memory
Garry Manning-1975-1980-General Manger 
Dennis Miller-1975-1980-Program Director 
Dave Matthews
Clyde Moeller
Ken Armbranch
Terry Organ
Burl McCarty "Captain Mac"
Judy Douglas

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