Editing WEPN-FM (section)

=== As WOR-FM (1948–1972) ===
[[File:WOR-FM 98-7 radio logo.jpg|thumb|upright|The WOR-FM logo from the late 1960s.]]
WBAM changed its call sign to WOR-FM on June 13, 1948.<ref>{{cite news|title=WBAM Now WOR-FM|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1948/1948-06-14-BC.pdf#page=29|access-date=June 6, 2018|agency=Broadcasting|date=June 14, 1948|page=29}}</ref> Like most early FM stations, the station initially [[simulcast]]  [[AM radio|AM]] [[sister station]] [[WOR (AM)|WOR]]. Macy's/Bamberger sold the WOR stations (which launched a [[WWOR-TV|television station]] in October 1949) to the [[General Tire and Rubber Company]] in 1952. General Tire reorganized its broadcasting division into [[RKO General]] in 1957. WOR-FM simulcast its AM sister station's [[full service (radio format)|full service]] Talk/MOR format.

In 1965, the [[Federal Communications Commission]] ordered AM stations in large markets to end continuous simulcasting on co-owned FM frequencies, a move made to spark development of FM stations as individual entities. On July 30, 1966, WOR-FM began running a [[freeform (radio format)|freeform]]-based [[progressive rock (radio format)|progressive rock]] format for most of its broadcast day, though the station continued to simulcast WOR radio's morning program ''[[Rambling with Gambling]]'' for a time afterwards. Under the leadership of legendary disc jockey [[Murray the K|Murray "the K" Kaufman]], and featuring other notable disc jockeys such as [[Scott Muni]] and [[William (Rosko) Mercer|Rosko]], the freeform format was the first of its kind in New York City radio. Later, Muni and Rosko departed for [[WNEW-FM]], where the same progressive format would become a huge success.

Initially, the [[Drake-Chenault]]-consulted, Top 40-formatted WOR-FM played new songs but in less of a rotation than [[WABC (AM)|WABC]], which was then New York's big Top 40 station. Some of the notable early personalities included Bill Brown (who was a holdover from the rock format and would leave for then-rock station [[WCBS-FM]] in 1969); Joe McCoy (who would later become general manager of WCBS-FM); [[Johnny Donovan]] (who would go to WABC in 1972 and remain there until his 2015 retirement); [[Tommy Edwards (announcer)]], later the longtime midday personality on Chicago Top 40 giant [[WLS (AM)]]; and Al Brady (who would program WABC in 1979), among others.