WHRK
| |
---|---|
Subchannels | HD2: Christian radio "Radio by Grace" |
Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
Ownership | |
Owner |
|
KJMS, KWNW, WDIA, WEGR, WHAL-FM, WREC | |
History | |
First air date | December 2, 1959 |
Call sign meaning | Harold R. Krelstein (executive of former owner Plough Broadcasting) |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 54916 |
Class | C1 |
ERP | 100,000 watts |
HAAT | 167 meters (548 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 35°13′22″N 90°02′37″W / 35.22278°N 90.04361°W |
Translator(s) | 106.3 W292EL (Memphis, relays HD2) |
Links | |
Webcast | Listen Live HD2: Listen Live |
Website | k97fm.iheart.com HD2: radiobygrace.com |
WHRK (97.1
WHRK's studios and offices are located on Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Southeast Memphis.[1] The transmitter site is off Benjestown Road in North Memphis.[2]
WHRK broadcasts in the HD Radio format, with its HD-2 subchannel carrying Christian radio format, branded as "Radio by Grace".[3]
History
Classical WMPS-FM
On December 2, 1959, the station first
) and ran at only 6,600 watts, a fraction of its power today.WMPS-AM-FM were owned by the Plough Corporation, a pharmaceutical firm founded in Memphis that also had a radio division, with stations in Chicago, Atlanta, Boston and other cities. At first the two stations mostly simulcast. But during the 1960s and 1970s, WMPS-FM was separately programmed with a classical music format. In the 1970s, WMPS-FM got a boost to 100,000 watts, and then made a transition to a Progressive Rock format in a effort to take on then-Rock rival WMC-FM.
Switch to Rhythmic, CHUrban/Crossover, and Urban
In October 1976, the station flipped to a
WHRK's success with disco also paid off ratings-wise during the last four years of the genre's period. By 1981, a year after disco's demise, the station moved in a CHUrban/Crossover direction (what would now be considered
New Ownership
In 1985, Adams Communications bought the top AM and top FM stations in Memphis, aimed at the
In 1996, WHRK and WDIA were purchased by Chancellor Broadcasting.[6] Chancellor also acquired WHRK's former urban competitor, KJMS. To avoid format overlap, KJMS moved to an urban adult contemporary direction, while WHRK continued as a more youthful urban station. A short time later, Chancellor was renamed AMFM, Inc., and was acquired by Clear Channel Communications in 1999. In 2014, Clear Channel became iHeartMedia.
Station management
- General Manager: Michael Oppenheimer
- Program Director: Devin Steele
- Community Affairs Director: Jae Henderson
References
- ^ "K97 Contact Info: Number, Address, Advertising & More". K97.
- ^ "WHRK-FM Radio Station Coverage Map". radio-locator.com.
- ^ https://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=29 HD Radio Guide for Memphis
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1963 page 172
- ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1995 page B-384
- ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2000 page 418
External links
- Official Website of K-97.1
- WHRK in the FCC FM station database
- WHRK in Nielsen Audio's FM station database