WKKT

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Coordinates: 35°31′59″N 80°47′46″W / 35.533°N 80.796°W / 35.533; -80.796
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

WKKT
  • FCC
Facility ID68207
ClassC
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT472 meters (1,549 ft)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live (via iHeartRadio)
Website969thekat.iheart.com

WKKT (96.9

syndicated programs on weekdays from co-owned Premiere Networks: The Bobby Bones Show in evenings and After Midnite with Granger Smith
overnight. WKKT's studios are in the 2100 building in Charlotte's south end district.

WKKT is a

Class C station. It has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, the maximum for most FM stations. It broadcasts using HD Radio technology. In the Boone area, WKKT is subject to co-channel interference from WXBQ-FM, licensed to Bristol, Virginia. The transmitters of the two stations are less than 100 miles (160 km) apart and both use directional antennas. WKKT has its tower on Mill Pond Lane near Shearers Road in Mooresville.[2]

History

WDBM-FM and WOOO

The station

daytime-only station 550 WDBM (now WAME). The original owner was Walter B. Duke, with both stations simulcasting
their programming. When WDBM 550 would go off the air each evening at sunset, WDBM-FM would continued to broadcast. It was only powered at 3,000 watts, so the station signal was limited to the Statesville area.

The Duke family sold the stations in 1973, and the new owners separated the operations of the AM and FM outlets. At first, the FM station aired an automated Top 40 format with news supplied from the ABC Contemporary Network. It later tried an underground-style progressive rock sound, changing the call letters to WOOO and the station's slogan to "Triple-O-97".

WLVV

In 1980, Metrolina Communications of Orlando bought WOOO and WDBM for $660,000.[4] The new owners planned a soft music format on WOOO, along with new call letters, WLVV.[5] The station increased power from 9,000 to 100,000 watts with a new tower near Lake Norman. If it had worked properly, it would have allowed WLVV to cover Charlotte.[4] The change to "Love 97" happened February 3, 1981.[6] At first, there were problems with the new transmitter.

Its initial format under the new call letters was "

soft adult contemporary format. Popular announcers on the station in those years included Phil Green, Bob Brandon, Bob Chrysler, Dan Lucas, Dick Durante and Anne Cruse. WLVV finally reached full power in November 1981 and began showing up in Charlotte ratings. In 1982, Capitol Broadcasting bought WLVV for $2 million along with its AM sister station. At the time, WLVV played artists such as Journey, Billy Joel, The Pointer Sisters, Kenny Rogers and Hall & Oates.[4]

Country music

Another ownership change came in 1985. The new management flipped the station to country music and changed the call letters to WLVK ("K-97"). In January 1989, Bill Blevins, using the on-air name

Billy Buck, became the new morning host to compete with Charlotte's top DJ, Bill Dollar on WSOC.[7]

On March 23, 1990, the station switched to a more youthful "high-octane country" format as WTDR "Thunder 96.9." The first song was "If You Don't Like

Restrictor Plate" and "Playing What You Asked for 'Cause No One Else Will".[8]

The experiment didn't last long, and the station went back to a more standard country sound under the moniker "New Country 96.9." However, the WTDR call sign remained for a while longer. Chuck Boozer returned to mornings on WTDR in 1994 after working afternoons at KPLX in Dallas.[9]

former logo; typeface is still the same, but now says "The Kat".

WKKT Kat Country

The call sign was changed to the current WKKT in 1997. Along with the new call letters came a new nickname, "96.9 Kat Country." In December 1997, Paul Schadt moved to WKKT after 16 years at WSOC.

Nashville
. But WKKT delays the show for airing in the evening.

WKKT's

contemporary hits with music from popular kids shows and movies. Under the new name "iHeart Family Kids Club Radio," it remains on the iHeartRadio website and app. But the WKKT subchannel has since been turned off.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WKKT". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ Radio-Locator.com/WKKT
  3. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-156. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d Mark Wolf, "Raleigh-Based Chain Enters Charlotte Market By Buying WLVV-FM," The Charlotte Observer, April 9, 1982, p. 5D.
  5. ^ Mark Wolf, "Statesville Station To Aim Music At Charlotte Radio Listeners," The Charlotte Observer, August 6, 1980, p. 5B.
  6. ^ "Ad for Love 97". The Charlotte Observer. February 3, 1981. p. 12A.
  7. ^ Jeff Borden, "Country WLVK Puts Its Money on Billy Buck," The Charlotte Observer, January 6, 1989
  8. ^ Ross, Sean (April 28, 1990). "Can 'Thunder' Take Country By storm?". Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 17. p. 10.
  9. ^ Stark, Phyllis (June 4, 1994). "Vox Jox". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 23. p. 129.
  10. ^ Mark Price, "Country DJ Schadt Moves to WKKT-FM," The Charlotte Observer, January 8, 1998.
  11. ^ "HD Radio | Stations | More Music. More Stations. More Features. Digital Sound. No Subscription". www.hdradio.com. Archived from the original on April 30, 2011.

External links

35°31′59″N 80°47′46″W / 35.533°N 80.796°W / 35.533; -80.796

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