WORL (AM)

WORL originally signed on as WLOF, Orlando's second radio station.[3] It signed on the air on October 26, 1940. WLOF broadcast at 250 watts on 1200 kilocycles. It was owned by Hazelwood, Inc., and was an NBC Blue Network affiliate, carrying its schedule of dramas, comedies, news, sports, soap operas, game shows and big band broadcasts during the "Golden Age of Radio." With the enactment of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement (NARBA) in 1941, it moved to 1230 kHz.

The switch to 950 kHz was completed in 1949. It continued to broadcast under the WLOF call sign until 1984. During the 1960s and 1970s, WLOF was the leading Top 40 station in Orlando.[4] The WLOF call letters are now used by a Catholic radio station in Buffalo, New York.

During the 1980s and early 90s, the station simulcast two FM stations. From 1984 to 1989, it was WBJW, airing a Top 40 sound.

From 1989 to 1995, it switched its call letters to WOMX. The station aired the same programming as WOMX-FM 105.1, playing hot adult contemporary music.[5]

Owner NewCity Communications switched the station to children's radio. It affiliated with the Radio AAHS Network on December 15, 1994.[6] The FCC granted the station's call sign change to WZKD in mid-April 1995.

The week of April 14, 1995, WZKD's morning program, Jammin' Jo Jo, increased its length by an hour. The station then built new permanent studios that would allow for tours, which the station expected to be in by mid-May.[5] They hired local kids for specials and features and added Tommy's Clubhouse, a local weekend show. The week of August 4, 1995, the station opened up its studios up for visitors. Given Orlando's past with children's radio, even before NewCity launched a television advertising campaign in August, the station was in the top five AAHS stations in calls to the network.[6]

In January 1997, Cox Radio, Inc. received FTC approval of its purchase of Newcity Communications, including WZKD, initiated in May 1996.[7] In January 1998, Radio AAHS stopped broadcasting.[8]

In 1998, the station was bought for $500,000 by TM2, Inc.[9] The call sign was switched to WTLN and the format flipped to Christian talk and teaching. In 2005, the station changed hands again. Salem bought it for $9.5 million.[10] Salem kept the Christian format in place, but added many of the national religious hosts found on other Salem stations.

For a time, programming on WTLN was simulcast on AM 1520 WHIM in Apopka. WHIM is now WBZW, airing a business news format and still owned by Salem Media.

On August 5, 2019, WTLN dropped its Christian talk and teaching format and began stunting. A continuous loop of announcements redirected listeners to 990 AM and FM 101.5 in Orlando, which took on the WTLN call sign.[11][12] 950 AM took on 990's former WDYZ call sign the next day.

On August 19, 2019, WDYZ ended stunting. It picked up "The Answer" conservative talk format, which moved from 660 AM Altamonte Springs. That station was acquired by JVC Media, owners of country music station 103.1 WOTW; JVC also acquired the WDYZ call sign.[13] AM 950's call sign became WORL, which had previously been used for the conservative talk format on AM 660.[14]