1 of 1- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline 
Longtime Buffalo AM Daytime-Only Station Now Simulcasting On FM
It wouldn't be a big surprise if many in the GTA have never heard of WUFO, the Buffalo radio station at 1080 AM. It's been on the air with various call letters and a fairly low power of 1,000 watts daytime only since 1948. And it's been a soul/R&B/Urban Gospel format since 1961.
Now all these years later, the station will live on after sunset beginning a new era by adding an FM simulcast during the day, a signal that will stay on after the AM goes off the air .The newcomer has been squeezed in at 96.5, an already very crowded area of the dial. And it appears few in Toronto will still get to hear "Mix 1080/Power 96.5" unless they listen online. The signal, which isn't very strong, is completely obliterated here by Classical 96.3.
Interesting to note the new dial spot was originally planned to be 100.7, but interference, especially from CHIN-FM, forced the change.
Buffalo News: WUFO is now an AM-FM radio station
WUFO history
-----
Edit: I just noticed this on the WUFO "About us" page linked above.
"We were established in 1961 when famed station owner Gordon McLendon moved his then 1080 AM WYSL to 1400 AM. McLendon sold the 1080 frequency to Leonard Walk, a Jewish man with the 1080 frequency in 1961, and chose the "WUFO" call letters and named the station "WU-FO in Buffalo," providing the famed rhyming and identification with "Buffalo” that the owners desired."
There's one thing in that paragraph that really surprises me. They go out of their way to note one of the previous owners was a "Jewish man." What possible difference does that make? You'd think in these politically correct times such a detail would be left out as being completely irrelevant. I wonder why they felt it necessary to include that fact?
Last edited by RadioActive (August 3, 2017 9:53 am)
- John D
- Member
Offline
Re: Longtime Buffalo AM Daytime-Only Station Now Simulcasting On FM
In the 60's WUFO was my go to R&B station. They were so close to 1050 CHUM; on the dial, that sometimes I couldn't tune them in. Played all my favourite R&B tunes of the day.
Regarding your question about calling the previous owner of an all black radio station, Jewish. I know this isn't really an answer; but I remember; when reading the history of the Apollo theatre in Harlem, it was always pointed out that the owner was Jewish as well. Also the original owner of the Harlem Globetrotters was Abe Saperstein; also Jewish. Probably doesn't answer the question; but here we see three black successful businesses owned by Jewish owners? Two of them of national prominence. This was also a time when Jews and Blacks weren't allowed on many golf courses and in many country clubs. But they worked well together. Just a thought.
- Lorne
- Member
Offline
Re: Longtime Buffalo AM Daytime-Only Station Now Simulcasting On FM
My guess is the reference to Walk being Jewish relates to him changing the station to be focused on the African-American community there. They also go on to note when it became African-American owned, and now being the only black, female-owned station in the area. Checked Wiki about this, and they note at that Walk was "a Jewish man with a group of Black formatted stations". So I can see why his ethnicity would be noteworthy in that regard.