WRLE-LP (94.9 FM, "Old School that Jams) is a

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radi ...

broadcasting a Old School music format. Licensed to

Dunnellon, Florida Dunnellon is a city with the unique feature of sitting in 3 counties in Marion, Levy & Citrus counties in Florida, United States. The predominant part falls in the Marion county. The population was 1,928 at the 2020 census, up from 1,733 in 201 ...

, United States, the station is currently owned by Power Ministries.

History

The

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisd ...

issued a

construction permit Planning permission or developmental approval refers to the approval needed for construction or expansion (including significant renovation), and sometimes for demolition, in some jurisdictions. It is usually given in the form of a building per ...

for the station on May 28, 2002. The station was issued the WRLE-LP

call sign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assig ...

on June 5, 2002, and received its license to cover on February 3, 2004. WRLE-LP began regular broadcasts in 2002 after longtime area broadcaster Tony Downes received a construction permit for the new low-power FM station. Downes wanted a community outreach radio station primarily to serve the residents of Rainbow Lakes Estate near Dunnellon in West Marion County. The call letters, WRLE, stand for Rainbow Lakes Estates. In 2002, WRLE went on the air. The original format was a CHR format, known as "The Heat". It formerly broadcasts

Casey Kasem Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem (April 27, 1932 – June 15, 2014) was an American disc jockey, actor, and radio personality, who created and hosted several radio countdown programs, notably ''American Top 40''. He was the first actor to voice No ...

's American Top 40 on the weekends. However, since most of the residents living within the WRLE listening area are over 45, in 2019 WRLE switch to a format of Old School that Jams. According to Downes, this brought the station's programming more in tune with the station's desired target audience which has a median age of 45. The strategy has worked. WRLE is well received by the area residents and enjoyed by many. High school sports is another big part of WRLE's success. Each Friday evening during the football season, Dunnellon's Tiger football can be heard live over WRLE with Downes calling the play-by-play action. No other radio station in the area carries any local sports.

References

External links

* {{Gainesville/Ocala Radio RLE-LP Radio stations established in 2004 RLE-LP 2004 establishments in Florida