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WFLZ - A History

WFLZ-FM 93.3 Tampa – In 1988, Jacor Broadcasting bought WFLA-FM 93.3 and its sister station, WFLA-AM 970, and switched the FM’s format and calls to oldies WFLZ “Z93.”  The format lasted only about a year – its competition being the already-established oldies outlet AM-1040 WHBO. The following year, in a major challenge to Tampa Bay’s dominant pop station, WRBQ-FM Q105, Jacor re-branded WFLZ “Power 93: The Power Pig” and flipped its format to CHR.

The first full-time Power Pig on-air lineup in October 1989 included Dr. Don Carpenter and the “Three Little Pigs” – Jack Harris, BJ Harris, and PD Marc Chase – on the morning show. In middays was long-time Tampa radio vet Dave Mann; afternoons were led by former Q105'er Jon 'Rock N Roll' Anthony, and nights were hosted by Tim and Tom. The original Beaver Stevens held down 10pm-2am, and Russell ‘The Love Muscle’ handled overnights from 2am-6am. The Pig continued its double-entendres on the weekends, too, with Hot "Dickie" Damn, Booger, Hardin Long, Jason (Mason's illegitimate son) Dixon, Jomama Johnson, Boner, and Brian Christopher.

Ratings for “The Power Pig” took off with listeners 12+ and 18-34 who bought specially-designed T-shirts imprinted with “Screw the Q” on them from the station’s pink-colored mobile unit dubbed “The Pig Van.”  Lawsuits ensued and, in the end, Q105 took quite a beating and switched to country in 1993. In 1995 WFLZ dropped its aggressive approach and re-imaged itself more mainstream Top 40 as “93.3 FLZ The New Music Revolution” and, in 2000, “The #1 Hit Music Channel”.  

WFLZ and Q105 found themselves under the same roof in 1998 when Jacor was acquired by Clear Channel which also owned WRBQ. That made working conditions difficult for some at both stations. However Q105 was eventually spun off to Infinity Broadcasting and that situation resolved itself.

Controversy was never anything new to WFLZ. In mid 2007 pop star Britney Spears threatened to sue Clear Channel over the station’s billboards promoting its MJ Kelli morning show which showed Spears with a newly-shaven head and non-flattering facial expression. Clear Channel took the threat seriously enough to have all the billboards taken down.

Today (2010) 93.3 FLZ continues to be a top performer in Tampa Bay radio. It is a past winner of the Radio Music Awards’ “CHR Station of the Year” and “CHR Personality of the Year” (for Kane).

Names from WFLZ’s oldies Z-93 period (1988-1989) include Jack Harris (mornings), Jeff Laurence (mid-days), Mark Larsen (PD and afternoons), and Jon “Rock N Roll” Anthony (nights).

Other names from WFLZ’s Power 93: The Power Pig years (1989-1994) include Michael Albi (former Jacor exec who dreamed up the concept), Tedd Webb (morning sports), Gabe Hobbs (Operations), Hawk and Marty (nights and afternoons), Brian James (creative services director), MJ Kelli (Todd Schnitt-morning co-host) and BJ (Barry) Harris (operations and morning co-host), David Macejko (GM), Jennifer Jordan (mid-days), Bubba the Love Sponge (Todd Clem) and Cowhead (Mike Calta).

Names from WFLZ’s 93.3FLZ period (1995-present) include Stan “the Man” Priest (music director), Dave Reinhart (station manager), Bubba the Love Sponge (Todd Clem), MJ Kelli (Todd Schnitt) and BJ (Barry) Harris (“MJ and BJ in the Morning”), Jeff Tanner-Kapugi (ass’t PD), Dave Mann (mid-day), Jennifer Jordan (mid-days), Jeff Thomas (afternoons), Lisa Paige (mid-days), Spyder Harrison (afternoons), Rich Stevens, Brian Holmes, and Kane.

 

Station History