What is currently WLKK must be literally one of the most historically "flip-happy" stations in the history of the industry, at least in North America. What is now WBUF 92.9 is another station worthy of this notable title.

In the early 2010s, WLKK had an alt-rock format and later an FM simulcast of WBEN 930. Unfortunately, neither were successful and the signal was barely receivable for me in Mississauga on the Grundig S350DL that I had at the time (the best performing radio I had ever used at the time) due low signal strength stemming in large part from its notoriously less-than-optimal transmitter location and splatter from CJXY 107.9.

Poor coverage in the Golden Horseshoe probably isn't a concern for management, but it's been noted in other topics here and in others on RadioDiscussions over the years that the WLKK signal is also questionable in parts of the Buffalo area itself, particularly (and most unfortunately) the most heavily populated ones.

I have to wonder if the management actually have "high hopes" for this move or if they just figure that "it's worth a try" given the popularity of the WGR AM station itself after years and years of unsuccessful uses for the 107.7 signal.

RadioAaron wrote:

tdotwriter wrote:

 but it's been noted in other topics here and in others on RadioDiscussions over the years that the WLKK signal is also questionable in parts of the Buffalo area itself, particularly (and most unfortunately) the most heavily populated ones.

There's a repeater on 104.7 in those areas now.

I seriously forgot about the 104.7 "translator" (retransmitter). That makes perfect sense, but how well does it perform signal and user-reception wise?

I have said it many times on this forum but my favorite era for 107.7  was as WUWU. I have hours of air checks from that incarnation. The WLKK call letters are a hold-over from when it had a very lepid triple A format known as The Lake. I believe that started over 20 years ago and remained such for a number of years.. When the station became alt rock The Lake switched to HD2 on 107.7.

Here's a small snip from that time:

WLKK HD2

Last edited by Fitz (February 12, 2026 5:45 pm)

I have low hopes.
The WBEN simlecast only lasted for 2 years before flipping to alt.

On January 1, 1973, WGR-FM (the one at 96.9) made a big deal of adding a "Q" to its call letters - back in the day when call letters still mattered. 

The New Q was introduced exactly at the stroke of midnight New Year's Eve, and it's since become WGRF. 

But this rare aircheck of that moment, from Dale Patterson's Rock Radio Scrapbook, contains the final "WGR-FM" jingle ever aired. It also shows the elaborate lengths they went to to introduce their new format. 

WGRQ, by the way, was a terrific Top 40 station in its time and in those days, it mostly came in like a local. Now you're lucky if you can get it in Toronto most days. 

WGR-FM Becomes WGRQ

11 call letter changes to go along with 12 format changes since 1948. The longest being an affilliate of Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcast Network from 1969-81.

I gather the calls WZGR were granted today...

 

Thanks for clarifying.

I like Pergament, but he's a little off base on this one, as I mentioned in my NERW column today. Audacy already *has* a sports station here in Rochester, WROC 950 (also heard on WBEE-HD2 and a translator on 95.7), which had also been carrying One Bills Live along with the Sabres and Bills (who have also been on Audacy's WCMF 96.5).

If anything, expanding the reach of WGR into the Rochester market could actually hurt Audacy slightly, because any listener tuning into WGR-FM in Rochester won't do anything for WGR-FM's ratings in the Buffalo market, and could take away from WROC's already fairly small ratings here. Unless 950/95.7 here becomes mostly a WGR simulcast, which would be more interesting than the Westwood One Sports content they're mostly carrying here outside of a local 3-6 PM sports talk show.

The official flip was supposed to be Thursday. Wonder why they moved it up. I suppose they had nothing to lose either way.

Should be interesting to see how they start I.D-ing themselves on air. Most FMs that started as AMs and still simulcast almost always identify themselves solely by their new frequency. But then again WGR 55 is so ingrained in the market, maybe they'll be the exception to the rule by having both. 

I can get neither FM, but I'm downtown.

Nice to see they kept the 550 in their logo. That's unlike most stations that go to an FM simulcast, who seem to suddenly forget they even have a signal on the other band. But it could be because the FM signal is weak. I live in northern North York and 550 AM beams in here perfectly. I can't get either of the other frequencies listed at all.  

RadioActive wrote:

Nice to see they kept the 550 in their logo. That's unlike most stations that go to an FM simulcast, who seem to suddenly forget they even have a signal on the other band. But it could be because the FM signal is weak. I live in northern North York and 550 AM beams in here perfectly. I can't get either of the other frequencies listed at all.  

Do you have an HD radio?
Its on 1 of WKSE's hd subchannels.
But I'm near the bluffs so I can get WKSE like a local sometimes.