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WROR-FM (105.7 FM broadcasting) – branded as 105.7 WROR – is a commercial classic hits radio station licensed to Framingham, Massachusetts. Owned by the Beasley Broadcast Group, the station serves Greater Boston and much of surrounding New England, including portions of the Portsmouth and Providence radio markets. The WROR studios are located in the Boston suburb of Waltham, while the station's transmitter is located at the Prudential Tower in Downtown Boston.
The station has an emphasis on 1980s music, along with hit songs from the 1970s, and some 1990s and 2000s hits.
In January 1969, the station began broadcasting a top 40/album rock format as The New FM 105, and then later as FM Stereo 105. WKOX-FM was the Boston area's first FM top 40 station featuring live disc jockeys, including hosts Bill Thomas, Brother Bill Heizer, FM Douglas, program director Dick Stevens, John Leisher, Al Fraser, J. William Charles, with Ken McKay and Jim Conlee. WKOX-FM converted to stereo broadcasting that July.
During Fairbanks ownership in the 1970s, WVBF evolved from being a high energy top 40/rock hybrid station in 1971–1972, to becoming a mainstream top 40 station by 1975, and eventually evolved into a hot adult contemporary format over the years. WVBF also had many different nicknames in that era, including WVBF FM 105, WVBF Stereo 105, F105 WVBF and The New WVBF Boston 105.
WVBF debuted a morning show in 1981 hosted by the team of Loren Owens and Wally Brine; eventually joined on-air by character actor/ Tom Doyle, newscaster Lauren Beckham Falcone, traffic reporter Hank Morse and producer Brian "Lung Boy" Bell. Loren and Wally would continue to air on the station even with multiple ownership, format and call letter changes until 2019, despite Brine's retirement in 2016.
In the early 1990s, Delilah Rene was a host on WVBF before she moved to Seattle and entered national syndication.
In 1995, WKLB was sold to Evergreen Media, and was widely expected to become a talk station. However, a series of subsequent trades in 1996 placed WKLB under common ownership with WBCS via Greater Media.Susan Bickelhaupt, "WBCS-FM owners to take over WKLB-FM," The Boston Globe, June 15, 1996.
On August 24, 1996, the intellectual property of WKLB "merged" with WBCS, with the newly merged country station using the 96.9 frequency of WBCS along with the WKLB call letters, combining personalities from both stations. Some WKLB personalities remained at the station for the new format, including Loren and Wally. The two stations simulcast for eleven days.
The "new" WROR played 1970s pop and rock oldies, disco, some 1960s oldies, 1980s soft rock and top-40 crossovers, along with some classic rock, and hired several staffers connected to the "old" WROR. Leading broadcasters involved with WROR in the 1970s and early 1980s included program director Gary Berkowitz and personalities such as: Joe Martell, Phil Redo, Larry Justice, Frank Kingston Smith, and former WROR general manager Tom Baker.
By 1999, the format had been modified to classic rock, similar to co-owned WMGK in Philadelphia, but gradually moved back to more of a pop-based classic hits format in 2006, emphasizing pop adult rock hits while mixing in some R&B, disco, and harder rock songs. The station continues to emphasize the 1970s and 1980s, but also plays some well-known 1990s hits and two 1960s songs: Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" and Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky" (although the latter was released as a single in the US in early 1970). WROR became the market's lone classic hits station in 2012 following WODS's format switch to top 40. The Lost 45s hosted by Barry Scott returned to WROR on September 2, 2012 (it has been on the station before it went to rival Oldies 103.3 in 2001), before being dropped in April 2014.
On July 19, 2016, Beasley Media Group announced it would acquire Greater Media and its 21 stations (including WROR) for $240 million. The FCC approved the sale on October 6, 2016, and the sale closed on November 1, 2016. Following Beasley's acquisition of WBZ-FM in 2017, WROR-FM began broadcasting Boston Celtics games that conflict with broadcasts of the Boston Bruins or the New England Patriots; WBZ-FM is the flagship station for all three teams.
Tom Doyle was let go from the morning show on November 19, 2014; in December 2016, Wally Brine announced his retirement. Hank Morse was let go on June 24, 2019, four days before Owens retired, citing an inability to reach terms on a contract extension. Bob Bronson, formerly of WLTW in New York City and WZID in Manchester, was teamed up with Loren and Wally holdovers Lauren Beckham Falcone and Brian Bell.
In October 2022, Beasley Media made many staff cuts across the country, with WROR morning show producer Brian Bell and midday host Julie Devereaux being let go. Bell had been with the station since 1995; Devereaux had been with the station since 2000. Beasley also laid off WROR program director Ken West.
In December 2016, Wally Brine announced his retirement. Hank Morse was let go on June 24, 2019, a few days before the show concluded. Owens did his final show on June 28, 2019, citing an inability to reach terms on a contract extension. WROR now has "The ROR Morning Show" as its wake-up program, hosted by Bob Bronson (formerly with WLTW New York City and WZID Manchester, New Hampshire) joined by Lauren Beckham Falcone as co-host and Brian Bell as producer. Subsequently, on Friday, October 8, 2022, Brian Bell was laid off along with afternoon DJ/Host, Julie Devereaux, in a cost cutting measure by the parent company of WROR, Beasley Media.
The Loren & Wally Show had several segments:
At least one listener has found the show offensive, as heard on the first Men from Maine CD (sold during the holiday season to raise money for charity). Offended by the humor poking fun at her home state, a woman called the station, threatening to continue protesting the show until it is taken off the air. But the segment continued on the Loren and Wally show until Owens' departure from the program. Some can still be found as a "Loren & Wally Podcast of the Day" on iTunes and 2 episodes are posted on YouTube.
Other Townie Tunes include:
| "Stuck With a Kid at B.U." | "Stuck in the Middle With You" by Stealers Wheel |
| "Fung Wah Bus" | "Magic Bus" by The Who |
| "F-You Babe" | "I Got You, Babe" by Sonny & Cher |
| "Somerville Song" | "The Jamies" |
| "Buying A Sheep Tonight" (Men From Maine song Posted on YouTube) | "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by The Tokens |
| "Tom Brady Shuffle" | "The Curly Shuffle" by Jump 'N The Saddle Band |
| "Big Dig" | "Big Shot" by Billy Joel |
| "I Heard You Came From Brookline" | "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" |
| "You Ain't Seen Newton Yet" | "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" by Bachman–Turner Overdrive |
| "The Rectum of Edmund Fitzgerald" | "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot |
| "Come To Medford" | "Come Together" by The Beatles |
| "Haverhill" | "Margaritaville" by Jimmy Buffett |
| "Naked Bare in Ipswich" | "Takin' Care of Business" by Bachman–Turner Overdrive |
| "Weymouth" | "Tequila" by The Champs |
| "Curt Schilling's So Good" | "Hurts So Good" by John Cougar Mellencamp |
| "Don't Worry, Big Papi" | "Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin |
| "Fifty Ways To Kill A Plover" | "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" by Paul Simon |
| "In Maine" (Men From Maine song) | "Cocaine" by Eric Clapton |
| "Livin' in Revere" | "Reelin' in the Years" by Steely Dan |
| "The Most Miserable Time of the Year" | "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (Christmas song) |
| "Golden Banana" (a strip club on U.S. Route 1 in Peabody) | "Copacabana" by Barry Manilow |
| "Alone Again, Natalie Jacobson" | "Alone Again (Naturally)" by Gilbert O'Sullivan |
| "Turkey for Thanksgiving" | "Workin' for a Livin'" by Huey Lewis and the News |
| "Free Turkey Weekend" (used as a promotion to win a free Butterball turkey for Thanksgiving) | "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd |
| "Escape to Cape Cod" | "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes |
| "Leased Cadillac" (in honor of Deval Patrick official car) | "Pink Cadillac" by Bruce Springsteen |
| "Red, Red Tide" | "Red Red Wine" by UB40 |
| "Malden Eyes" | "Lyin' Eyes" by The Eagles |
| "Rehabber's Delight" | "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang |
| "The Sex Change Song" | "Stand by Your Man" by Tammy Wynette |
| "Barry Bonds" | "Charlie Brown" by the Coasters |
| "Nomar's Number 5" (later rewritten as "No More Number 5") | "Mambo No. 5" by Lou Bega |
| "Terry Francona's Got a Brand New Team" | "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" by James Brown |
| "Sanjaya Malakar" | "Elvira" by The Oak Ridge Boys |
| "All I Wanna Do (Is Wipe My Bum)" | "All I Wanna Do" by Sheryl Crow |
| "Hideki Okajima" | "Oklahoma!" by Rodgers and Hammerstein |
| "Matsuzaka" | "Macarena" by Los del Río |
| "Garbage Man" | "Piano Man" by Billy Joel |
| "The Panty Song" | "Shanty" by Jonathan Edwards |
| "Groin Fatigue" | "Centerfield" by John Fogerty |
| "I Want a Girl Like Lindsay Lohan" | "Slow Hand" by the Pointer Sisters |
| "Casino Song" | "Do You Want to Know a Secret" by The Beatles |
| "Donald the Coroner" | "Down on the Corner" by Creedence Clearwater Revival |
| "The Norwood Song" | "I'm Into Something Good" by Herman's Hermits |
| "Spin The Wheel of Meat" (promotional song for "Wheel of Meat" giveaway) | "Lights" by Journey
"We Are Family" by Sister Sledge
"I Just Want to Celebrate" by Rare Earth "Shining Star" by Earth, Wind & Fire "Don't Bring Me Down" by Electric Light Orchestra |
| "You're Still Johnny Damon To Me" | "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" by Billy Joel |
| "Johnny Damon" | "Johnny Angel" by Shelley Fabares |
| "Stupid Cheat" | "Super Freak" by Rick James |
| "These Boots Were Made in Brockton" | "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" by Nancy Sinatra |
| "The Angels Song" | "Hotel California" by the Eagles |
| "Foxboro Stadium" | "Kokomo" by the Beach Boys |
| "Very Key People" | "Indian Reservation" by Paul Revere & the Raiders |
| "Try A Sausage On The Mild Side" | "Walk on the Wild Side" by Lou Reed |
| "You're 16-0" (later "17 and 0" and "18 and 0") | "You're Sixteen" by Ringo Starr |
| "It's Time To Beat the Giants" | "She Blinded Me With Science" by Thomas Dolby |
| "Addicted to Porn" | "Addicted to Love" by Robert Palmer |
| "Beat L.A." | "Walk This Way" by Aerosmith |
| "Manny Ramirez Song" | "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" by Looking Glass |
| "The 401(k) Song" | "Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry |
| "Hazel Mae" | "Maggie May" by Rod Stewart |
| "Pat's Life" | "That's Life" by Frank Sinatra |
| "You Don't Mess Around With Lynn" | "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" by Jim Croce |
| "Bourne Bridge" | "The Unicorn" by the Irish Rovers |
| "North Shore People" | "Short People" by Randy Newman |
| "Everybody Plays the Pool" | "Everybody Plays the Fool" by The Main Ingredient |
| "Sal DiMasi" | "I'm So Excited" by The Pointer Sisters |
| "Batter Named Shinchuchu" | "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" |
| "Chatham" | "Shattered" by the Rolling Stones |
| "Bring Whitey In" | "Mighty Quinn" by Manfred Mann |
| "Saugus Nights" | "Summer Nights" from Grease |
| "Dominic the Bookie"
"Gostkowsi The Placekicker" | "Dominick The Donkey" by Lou Monte |
| "Sue Cope Got Pulled Over by a Trooper" | "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" by Elmo Shropshire and Patsy |
| "All My Harvard Friends Are Coming Over Tonight" | "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight" by Hank Williams Jr. |
| "MBTA Breakdown" | "Breakdown" by Tom Petty |
| "Lovely Humarock" | "Loves Me Like A Rock" by Paul Simon |
| "Wonderland" | "Winter Wonderland" |
| "The Pothole Song" | "On The Road Again" by Willie Nelson |
| "Natick Mall" | "Rainbow Connection" by Kermit the Frog |
| "Lowell Man" | "Soul Man" by Sam & Dave |
| "He's Kim Jong-un" | "Undun" by the Guess Who |
| "We Got the Beards" (during the 2013 ALDS, ALCS, and World Series) | "We Got the Beat" by The Go-Go's |
| "We're Market Basket" | "We are the Champions" by Queen |
| "Stop the Steelers" | "Rock the Casbah" by The Clash |
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