WAKL (FM)
MHz (HD Radio) | |
Branding | 106.7 K-Love |
---|---|
Programming | |
Format | Contemporary Christian music |
Subchannels |
|
Affiliations | K-Love |
Ownership | |
Owner | Educational Media Foundation |
History | |
First air date | April 3, 1949 (as WDUN-FM) |
Former call signs |
|
Call sign meaning | "Atlanta's K-Love" |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 48727 |
Class | C |
ERP | 77,000 watts |
HAAT | 505 meters (1,657 ft) |
Translator(s) | 92.5 W223BP (Dallas) 92.3 W222AF (Marietta, relays HD2) |
Links | |
Webcast | Listen Live |
Website | www |
WAKL (106.7
WAKL is a
History
Early years (1949-1984)
On April 3, 1949, this facility first
By late 1976, WDUN-FM was WWID "Wide 107", continuing its
Country (1984-2008)
WWLT was sold to Katz Broadcasting in 1984.
In 1993, WYAY was bought by ABC Radio for $19 million.[7] ABC kept the country format in place, with popular disc jockey Rhubarb Jones hosting mornings.
On September 1, 2000, at 3 p.m., the station changed to a classic country format as "Eagle 106.7". The station still played some current music but mainly focused on the classics. The first song on the new "Eagle" was "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" by Marietta native Travis Tritt.
In late 2005, WYAY changed transmitter locations to a new tower in Loganville, that the station shares with
Oldies/classic hits (2008-2012)
On February 29, 2008, Citadel announced that WYAY would drop its country format for
On March 9, 2008 at 12:56 p.m., WYAY played its last country song, "
On November 7, 2008, WYAY announced that it would not carry NASCAR races in 2009, and would become the new FM home of
On April 6, 2009, it was announced that Imus would move from WYAY to talk station WCFO. The "Spiff & Fred Show", hosted by former Fox 97 personality Spiff Carner with co-host Freddie Brooks, moved from afternoons to mornings to replace Imus.[10]
On November 22, 2010, the station changed its branding to "106.7 Atlanta's Greatest Hits", dropping The True Oldies Channel network, and shifted its format to a mix of hit songs from the 1970s and 1980s, eliminating songs from the 1960s.
Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011.[11]
All news (2012-2014)
On April 6, 2012, Cumulus registered the
In May 2012, an application was filed with the FCC to change the frequency from 106.7 to 106.5, change the city of license from Gainesville to
On May 29, 2012 at 4:50 a.m., WYAY ended its classic hits format by playing "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen, "Last Dance" by Donna Summer, and "A Day in the Life" by the Beatles. This would be followed by a 10 minute stunt montage of random song and movie soundclips, with a common theme of them being themed around news. At 5:00 a.m., the station began its all-news format. Ratings during this time were poor.
On October 21, 2013, Cumulus announced the first of two changes to the station's programming, with former WGST host Kim Peterson, better known as "The Kimmer", hosting a midday talk and interview program for WYAY known as "Newsmakers" beginning the following month. WYAY also became the flagship station for the Atlanta Braves Radio Network effective with the start of the 2014 season.
News/talk (2014-2019)
On May 12, 2014, WYAY relaunched with a news/talk format, branded as "Newsradio 106.7".[13] The station began to focus more on talk shows and slowly phased out its remaining all-news blocks. Over time, the only all-news block was weekday morning drive time. In January 2018, the station relaunched again as "Talk 106.7" with an emphasis on personality-driven programming, and no all-news blocks.[14]
On February 13, 2019, Cumulus Media announced it would sell six stations, including WYAY, to the Educational Media Foundation for $103.5 million.[15] Also included were stations in New York City, Washington, D.C., San Jose, Savannah and Syracuse. As a result of the impending format change, Atlanta Braves broadcasts would move back to WNNX and WCNN.[16]
Christian music (2019-present)
On May 31, 2019, WYAY concluded its talk format. Throughout the day, the hosts allowed listeners to call in and share their thoughts about the end of the station. At 7:00 p.m. that evening, EMF officially took over the station and began airing K-Love programming.[17] Upon taking over the station, EMF changed the station's call letters to WAKL, a call sign previously held on what is now WKVR in Flint, Michigan.[18][19]
The Atlanta
EMF turned on the HD signal on July 30, 2019, and has its sister networks "Air 1" on 106.7-HD2, and Classic contemporary Christian Music "K-Love Classics" on 106.7-HD3.
References
- ^ "HD Radio Guide for Atlanta". hdradio.com. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "W222AF-FM 92.3 MHz - Marietta, GA". radio-locator.com. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
- ^ "Broadcasting Yearbook" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "Broadcasting Yearbook 1970" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "Broadcasting Yearbook 1985" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "Archive-RandR" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1994 page B-94" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ Ho, Rodney (June 16, 2005). "June 16: Q100 and Jennifer Wilbanks". www.accessatlanta.com. Archived from the original on 17 June 2005. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
- ^ "Radio Stations". Scott Shannon's True Oldies Channel. Archived from the original on July 28, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2008.
- ^ "Error 1001". radio-info.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "Cumulus now owns Citadel Broadcasting". Atlanta Business Journal. September 16, 2011. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
- ^ "Cumulus Planning All-News in Atlanta, LA & Minneapolis?". 9 April 2012.
- ^ "WYAY RELAUNCHES AS NEWSRADIO 106.7". radioinsight.com. May 12, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "Newsradio 106-7 Becomes Talk 106-7". radiotvtalk.blog.ajc.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "Cumulus Sells Six To EMF & Swaps With Entercom In New York & Indianapolis". RadioInsight. 2019-02-13. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
- ^ "Atlanta Braves Future on Cumulus Media's WYAY Uncertain". 15 February 2019.
- ^ "Scenes from the final day of Talk 106.7". ajc.com.
- ^ When radios in Atlanta went silent (WYAY-FM, Last Broadcast), retrieved 2024-01-27
- ^ Venta, Lance (May 27, 2019). "EMF Sets New Call Letters For Cumulus/Aloha Acquisitions; WRQX Moves To…". radioinsight. Retrieved May 28, 2019.