WDGL

WDGL (98.1 MHz, "Eagle 98.1") is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The station is owned by Guaranty Broadcasting, and airs a classic rock radio format. WDGL calls itself "The ROCK Station." It is the flagship radio station for the Louisiana State University Tigers sports broadcasts. Since 2013, it is the radio station for New Orleans Saints games in the Louisiana Capital Region. Along with four sister stations, its studios and offices are in the Guaranty Group building on Government Street east of downtown.

WDGL
CityBaton Rouge, Louisiana
Broadcast areaBaton Rouge metropolitan area
(secondary coverage of Lafayette, Louisiana)
Frequency98.1 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingEagle 98.1
Slogan"The ROCK Station"
Programming
FormatClassic rock
HD2: Sports (WNXX/KNXX)
HD3: Talk (WBRP)
AffiliationsLSU Sports Network
New Orleans Saints Radio Network
Ownership
OwnerGuaranty Broadcasting
KNXX, WBRP, WNXX, WTGE
History
First air date
October 1, 1968 (as WAFB-FM)
Former call signs
WAFB-FM (1968-1985)
WGGZ (1985-1997)
Call sign meaning
W D EaGLe
Technical information
Facility ID25518
ClassC
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT459 meters (1,506 ft)
Links
WebcastListen Live
WebsiteEagle981.com

WDGL has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, the highest permitted for non-grandfathered FM stations.[1] The transmitter is located south of the LSU campus near the east bank of the Mississippi River.[2]

History

In 1941, when few people had an FM receiver, the 98.1 spot on the Baton Rouge dial was occupied by an FM station owned by AM 1150 WJBO. It had the call sign WBGL.[3] It later moved to 101.5 as WJBO-FM. It finally switched to 102.5 MHz and is today WFMF-FM.

On October 1, 1968, a new FM station signed on at 98.1 MHz as WAFB-FM.[4] Then, as now, it was owned by Guaranty Broadcasting, which already owned a TV station in Baton Rouge, Channel 9 WAFB-TV. WAFB-FM was affiliated with the ABC Contemporary Radio Network and during that time the station aired a contemporary hits format. In the mid-1990s, it affiliated with Unistar Radio. Some formats over the years included easy listening, soft rock and disco music. In 1985, it returned to Top 40 as WGGZ, calling itself "Z98," then oldies as "Oldies 98.1".

In 1995, WGGZ flipped to classic hits as "Eagle 98.1, Rock and Roll Classics." A few months later, WGGZ shifted to a classic rock format. In 1997, it switched to the call letters WDGL to go with its Eagle branding.

HD Radio

As of early 2016, WDGL began broadcasting in HD digital stereo with its sister stations WNXX, KNXX, and WBRP for those who have HD radios can listen to ESPN radio in Baton Rouge and shows like Brian Haldane and Jay Ducote from Clark Creek Natural Area in Mississippi all the way down to Houma, Louisiana.

References
  1. FCC.gov/WDGL
  2. Radio-Locator.com/WDGL
  3. Information from the Broadcasting Yearbook 1952 page 151
  4. Broadcasting Yearbook 1970 page B-87

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