WCTO

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|

Radio station in Easton, Pennsylvania

WCTO

* Easton, Pennsylvania

Broadcast area| Lehigh Valley
Frequency| 96.1 MHz
Branding| Cat Country 96 & 107
Programming
Format| Country music
Affiliations|

* Compass Media Networks
* Westwood One
* Philadelphia Eagles Radio Network

Ownership
Owner|

* Cumulus Media
* (Radio License Holding CBC, LLC)

Sister stations

| WEEX, WLEV, WWYY
History

First air date

| 1947; 78 years ago (1947)

Former call signs

* WEST-FM (1947–1973)
* WLEV (1973–1997)

Call sign meaning

| Cat Country
Technical information[1]

Licensing authority

| FCC
Facility ID| 36997
Class| B
ERP| 50,000 watts
HAAT| 152 meters

Transmitter coordinates

| 40°35′55″N 75°25′12″W﻿ / ﻿40.59861°N 75.42000°W﻿ / 40.59861; -75.42000
Repeater(s)| 107.1 WWYY (Belvidere, New Jersey)
Links

Public license information

* Public file
* LMS

Webcast| Listen live
Website| www.catcountry96.com

WCTO (96.1 FM, "Cat Country 96 & 107") is a radio station licensed to Easton, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and serves the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Cat Country 96.1 is simulcast on 107.1 WWYY-FM in Belvidere, New Jersey, to cover western New Jersey and the Poconos in Northeastern Pennsylvania,

The station offers a country music format, playing country music from the 1980s through to the present, and is part of the Philadelphia Eagles radio network.

## History

[edit]

96.1 FM began in 1947 as WEST-FM. For decades, the station simulcast WEST's middle of the road popular music format. In 1973, though, 96.1 became WLEV and began offering a soft rock/adult contemporary format that was very automated. It played the softer rock hits of the 1960s and 1970s, along with a lot of current music. It was known as "Hit Parade Music" at one point. The station was owned by Sound Media and then by Telemedia Group.

Through the 1970s and into the 1980s, WLEV 96.1 continued as an adult contemporary station with no dramatic changes. More personality was added in the late 1980s and, by the 1990s, the station bordered on being a hot adult contemporary station, but the texture of the station was consistent.

In 1995, the station was sold, along with WEST, to Citadel Broadcasting. Still, the format remained adult contemporary. In 1997, Citadel acquired WFMZ FM, which by then had a format that was evolving to be musically closer to WLEV. In 1997, it was decided that there was no need for two AC stations in the Lehigh Valley, so they combined aspects of the AC formats from both stations and moved the WLEV call letters and format and some of the air staff to 100.7 that July.

Logo before simulcasting with WWYY

96.1 became Cat Country WCTO and played a country music format. As a country music station, the station achieves some very high ratings. It has a live air staff almost full-time and focuses on country hits of the 1980s, 1990s and current music. Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011.[2]

## Jingles and sweepers

[edit]

From the beginning of 2000, WCTO used Reelworld custom packages, and continues to do so. Starting on May 17, 2009, the station dropped all RW packages minus their 06 package, and started to broadcast a brand new jingle service at that time, Reelworld One Country. Since January 1, 2011, the station uses the entire back service which includes the entire back catalog.

Sweeper wise, the station started to use John Willyard with a little help from the late Billy Moore for the launch in 1997, and still uses him to this day.

## See also

[edit]

* Media in the Lehigh Valley

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WCTO". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. ^ "Cumulus now owns Citadel Broadcasting". Atlanta Business Journal. September 16, 2011. Retrieved September 16, 2011.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Facility details for Facility ID 36997 in the FCC Licensing and Management System

* v
* t
* e

Radio stations in Allentown, Bethlehem, and Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley

By AM frequency|

* 790
* 1100
* 1230
* 1320
* 1400
* 1470
* 1600
* 1640

By FM frequency|

* 88.1
* 89.3
* 89.5
* 90.3
* 91.3
* 91.7
* 95.1
* 96.1
* 99.9
* 100.7
* 104.1
* 104.9
* 107.1

| Translators|

* 92.1
* 92.7
* 93.1
* 93.7
* 93.9
* W230AE
* W230AG
* 94.7
* 96.9
* 97.1
* 99.3
* 99.5
* 101.7
* 103.5
* 104.9
* 105.7
* 106.5
* 106.9

|

NOAA Weather Radio
frequency|

* 162.4

Digital radio
by frequency & subchannel|

* 89.3-1
* 89.3-2
* 89.5-1
* 91.3-1
* 91.3-2
* 95.1-1
* 96.1-1
* 99.9-1
* 99.9-2
* 100.7-1
* 100.7-2
* 100.7-3
* 100.7-4
* 104.1-1
* 104.1-3

By call sign|

* W221CU
* W224AU
* W226AA
* W229AO
* W230AE
* W230AG
* W234AX
* W245AC
* W246AA
* W257AI
* W258DV
* W269DY
* W278AI
* W285DH
* W289AH
* W293BW
* W295CR
* WAEB
* WAEB-FM
* HD3
* WCTO
* WDIY
* WEEX
* WEST
* WGPA
* WHOL
* WJCS
* HD2
* WJRH
* WLEV
* HD2
* HD3
* HD4
* WLHI
* WLVR-FM
* HD2
* WMUH
* WODE-FM
* HD2
* WPNX700
* WSAN
* WTKZ
* WWPJ
* WWYY
* WXL39
* WZZO

Defunct|

* WBYN (1160 AM)
* WNAZ
* WOAM

Nearby regions
Morristown
New Brunswick
Philadelphia
Reading
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
Stroudsburg
Sussex
Trenton

See also
List of radio stations in Pennsylvania

* v
* t
* e

Country radio stations in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Active|

* Altoona
* WFGY
* WKMC
* Ambridge
* WMBA
* Avis
* WQBR
* Belvidere, NJ/Stroudsburg
* WWYY
* Blairsville
* WLCY
* Bloomsburg
* WCFT-FM
* Burgettstown
* WOGH
* Burnham
* WVNW
* Carlisle
* WCAT-FM
* Carlisle
* WIOO
* Canton
* WHGL-FM
* Charleroi
* WFGI
* Clarion
* WWCH
* Clarendon
* WNAE
* Coudersport
* WFRM
* Covington
* WDKC
* Dallas
* WSJR
* Du Bois
* WIFT
* Easton
* WCTO
* Edinboro
* WXTA
* Elizabethville
* WQBG
* Ephrata/Lancaster
* WIOV-FM
* Everett
* WSKE
* Fairview
* WTWF
* Gettysburg
* WGTY
* Grove City
* WYLE
* Harrisburg
* WHGB
* WRBT
* Jersey Shore
* WEJS
* Johnstown
* WFGI-FM
* Lebanon
* WFVY
* Lehman Township
* WVPO
* Meadville
* WGYY
* Mexico
* WIBF
* Mifflinburg
* WRBG
* Moon Township
* WOGI
* Mount Union
* WDBF-FM
* New Castle
* WUZZ
* Oil City
* WGYI
* Oliver
* WOGG
* Philadelphia
* WXTU
* Philipsburg
* WLGJ
* Pittsburgh
* WDSY-FM
* WPGB
* Punxsutawney
* WECZ
* Saint Marys
* WDDH
* Salladasburg
* WBYL
* Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
* WGGY
* Shamokin
* WBLJ-FM
* Shippensburg
* WRDD
* Somerset
* WGGI
* State College
* WFGE
* WLEJ
* Strattanville
* WKFT
* Waynesburg
* WANB
* Williamsport
* WILQ
* WLYC

Defunct|

* Washington
* WKZV

See also
adult contemporary
classic hits
college
country
news/talk
NPR
oldies
religious
rock
sports
top 40
urban
other radio stations in Pennsylvania

* v
* t
* e

Cumulus Media

AM radio
stations|

* KAAY
* KABC
* KAOK
* KARN
* KBED
* KBGG
* KBOI
* KCMO
* KCSF
* KCUB
* KESP
* KFAY
* KFOG
* KFRU
* KIKR
* KKAT
* KKOB
* KKOH
* KLIF
* KLIK
* KMAJ
* KMJ
* KNBR
* KNML
* KPUR
* KRMD
* KSFO
* KTBL
* KTCK
* KTCT
* KTIK
* KTOP
* KTUC
* KUGN
* KVOR
* KWPN
* KZAC
* KYNG
* WAAV
* WAPI
* WARM
* WAYS
* WBAP
* WBBF
* WBBW
* WCOA
* WDUZ¹
* WFAS
* WFNC
* WFTW
* WGOC
* WGOK
* WGOW
* WGPC
* WHGB
* WHLD
* WICC
* WISW
* WJBC
* WJCW
* WJOX
* WJR
* WJRW
* WKY
* WLAW
* WLBY
* WLS
* WLWI
* WLZR
* WMAC
* WMSP
* WNAM
* WNML
* WOSH
* WPIC
* WPRO
* WPRV
* WRQX
* WRIE
* WSBA
* WSBN
* WSKO
* WSSO
* WTKA
* WTMA
* WTRX
* WUMP
* WVEL
* WVLK
* WVNN
* WWCK
* WXLM
* WXNT
* WXOK
* WXQW
* WXSM
* WYMB
* WYNN

FM radio
stations|

* K279BI
* KAMO-FM
* KARN-FM
* KARX
* KATC-FM
* KATM
* KATT-FM
* KAYD-FM
* KBBM
* KBBQ-FM
* KBBY-FM
* KBCY
* KBEE
* KBER
* KBIU
* KBOI-FM
* KBUL-FM
* KBXR
* KCDD
* KCFX
* KCHZ
* KCJK
* KCMO-FM
* KDJK
* KDRF
* KDVV
* KEHK
* KENZ
* KGGO
* KHAY
* KHKI
* KHKK
* KHOP
* KHTB
* KHXS
* KHYT
* KIIM-FM
* KIPR
* KIZN
* KJJY
* KJMO
* KJOY
* KKEG
* KKFM
* KKGB
* KKGL
* KKMG
* KKND
* KKOB-FM
* KKPK
* KKWD
* KLAL
* KLUR
* KMAJ-FM
* KMCK-FM
* KMEZ
* KMGA
* KMGV
* KMJ-FM
* KMJJ-FM
* KMJK
* KNBR-FM
* KNEK-FM
* KNEV
* KNRQ
* KNSH
* KOBQ
* KOLI
* KOMS
* KOQL
* KPLA
* KPLX
* KPUR-FM
* KQFC
* KQHN
* KQIZ-FM
* KQLK
* KQRS-FM
* KQSM-FM
* KQXC-FM
* KQXL-FM
* KQXY-FM
* KRBE
* KRMD-FM
* KRMW
* KRRQ
* KRST
* KRUZ
* KSAN
* KSCS
* KSKS
* KSMB
* KSZR
* KTCK-FM
* KTCX
* KTLT
* KTOP-FM
* KUBL-FM
* KUJZ
* KURB
* KVMA-FM
* KVYB
* KWIC
* KWIN
* KWNN
* KWQW
* KWYE
* KWYL
* KXKC
* KXXR
* KYIS
* KYKZ
* KYYI
* KZEL-FM
* KZJF
* KZRK-FM
* WABD
* WAOA-FM
* WAQX-FM
* WARM-FM
* WBAP-FM
* WBHD
* WBHT
* WBLX-FM
* WBNQ
* WBSX
* WBWN
* WBZE
* WBZF
* WCMG
* WCTO
* WDAI
* WDEN-FM
* WDLT-FM
* WDUZ-FM¹
* WDVD
* WDZZ-FM
* WEAN-FM
* WEAS-FM
* WEBE
* WEDG
* WEMX
* WFBE
* WFMS
* WFTK
* WFYR
* WGFX
* WGKX
* WGLF
* WGLO
* WGNI
* WGOW-FM
* WGRF
* WGRR
* WGVX
* WHBX
* WHHY-FM
* WHKR
* WHNN
* WHOT-FM
* WHRP
* WHTS
* WHTT-FM
* WILZ
* WIOG
* WIOV-FM
* WIVK-FM
* WIWF
* WIXO
* WIXV
* WJBC-FM
* WJCL-FM
* WJEZ
* WJJK
* WJOX-FM
* WJQX
* WJTQ
* WKDF
* WKHX-FM
* WKIM
* WKKO
* WKLQ
* WKOR-FM
* WKOS
* WKQX
* WKQZ
* WKRU
* WKSM
* WKXS-FM
* WLAV-FM
* WLAW-FM
* WLCS
* WLEV
* WLFF
* WLLF
* WLS-FM
* WLTO
* WLUP
* WLWI-FM
* WLXC
* WLXX
* WLZN
* WMAL-FM
* WMDH-FM
* WMEZ
* WMGB
* WMGL
* WMGS
* WMGU
* WMIM
* WMNX
* WMOS³
* WMXS
* WMXT
* WMXU
* WNCV
* WNDX
* WNKT
* WNML-FM
* WNMQ
* WNNF
* WNNK-FM
* WNNX
* WNTQ
* WNTR
* WOFX-FM
* WOGB¹
* WOGT
* WOKI
* WOMG
* WORC-FM
* WPEZ
* WPKR
* WPRO-FM
* WQGN-FM
* WQHZ
* WQKL
* WQLH¹
* WQPD
* WQQK
* WQQO
* WQSM
* WQUT
* WQXA-FM
* WQXK
* WRBO
* WRCQ
* WRKN
* WROK-FM
* WRQN
* WRQQ
* WRRM
* WRRX
* WSEA
* WSJR
* WSKZ
* WSM-FM
* WSMS
* WSOX
* WSSX-FM
* WSYN
* WTCB
* WTNR
* WTPA-FM
* WTYB
* WUHT
* WVBO
* WVIB
* WVLK-FM
* WVNN-FM
* WWCK-FM
* WWFF-FM
* WWFN-FM
* WWFX
* WWIZ
* WWKI
* WWKL
* WWKX
* WWLD
* WWLI
* WWLS-FM
* WWWM
* WWQQ-FM
* WWSN
* WWTN
* WWWQ
* WWWW-FM
* WWWX
* WWWZ
* WXBM-FM
* WXFX
* WXKC
* WXKR
* WXKR-HD2/W264AK
* WXLO
* WXMX
* WXTA
* WXZZ
* WYFM
* WYNN-FM
* WYZB
* WZNS
* WZPL
* WZPW
* WZRH
* WZRR
* WZYP

Radio networks|

* Arkansas Radio Network
* CBS Sports Radio*
* Titans Radio Network
* Westwood One (see navpage)

Online assets|

* Country Weekly
* iHeartRadio¹

Television-related assets|

* Nash TV

Other assets|

* Broadcast Software International
* CumulusJobs.com
* San Francisco Giants (minority interest in LP)

See also|

* Citadel Broadcasting
* Cumulus Media Networks
* Susquehanna Radio Corporation

* 1 = Owned by iHeartMedia; operated by Cumulus under an LMA.
* 3 = Operated by the Mohegan Sun under an LMA.

* * = Owned by Paramount Global, operated by Cumulus.

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