WRDG
| |
|---|---|
| History | |
First air date | December 2, 1960 |
Former call signs | WGAA-FM (1960) WKLS (1961–1977) WKLS-FM (1977–1989) WEOA (1989) WKLS (1989–2012) WWPW (2012-2024) |
Call sign meaning | Power (former branding, now at 105.3) |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 11275 |
| Class | C0 |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 330 meters (1,080 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 33°48′27.00″N 84°20′26.00″W / 33.8075000°N 84.3405556°W |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live Listen Live (HD2) Listen Live (HD3) |
| Website | 961thebeat |
WRDG (96.1
History
Easy listening (1960-1972)
On December 2, 1960, the station signed on the air as WGAA-FM, the FM counterpart to WGAA in Cedartown.[2] Shortly after being established, the station was sold to Kenco Broadcasting for $25,000. Kenco was headed by Don Kennedy, James Lathom and Arthur Swan; Kennedy was an Atlanta radio and television personality, playing "Officer Don" on WSB-TV's "Popeye Club" children's show from 1956 to 1972. After the sale, WGAA-FM's call letters were changed to WKLS, representing the initials of Kenco's partners, "Kennedy-Lathom-Swan". They sold it ten years later for $750,000.
From its earliest days until the early 1970s, the station played easy listening music. For its first several years on the air, WKLS was voice-tracked with most of the announcements and commercials read by Kennedy.
MOR (1972-1974)
By 1972, WKLS had moved to a middle of the road (MOR) format with popular adult music and live disc jockeys who served as friendly personalities. Its main slogan by then was "WKLS...That's 'Klass'."
From 1977 to 1988, WKLS was co-owned with WKLS (970 AM); consequently, WKLS was formally known as WKLS-FM during this period. The following year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) database shows it as having the call letters WEOA for a month from November to December (however, this may be a mistake).
Album rock (1974-2006)
WKLS made a dramatic change in 1974, as it flipped to an
In the early 1980s, "96 Rock" cultivated a somewhat
"96 Rock" continued to play a mixture of
The station honored its history and tradition on several occasions. In 1984, WKLS celebrated its 10th anniversary by airing a
In April 2004, long-time morning
On October 23, 2006, Clear Channel Communications terminated the Regular Guys for good following an incident in which Wachs recorded bathroom conversations between the two morning show hosts on co-owned WWVA-FM while all three men were using the restroom. The recording was played on the air a couple of days later. The WWVA hosts (known as "Yogi & Panda") complained to management and subsequently sued Clear Channel and The Regular Guys. Wachs said, "A case of a humorous prank has turned into a culture clash, a suppression of First Amendment rights, and a ridiculous smear campaign against me as well as termination of my income without due process."[citation needed]
Active rock (2006-2012)
On November 17, 2006, at 9 a.m., Clear Channel dropped the station's 32-year "96 Rock" moniker, replacing it with "Project 9-6-1", and shifted to more of an active rock format.[4] At the same time, alternative-formatted "105.3 The Buzz" (WBZY) ceased independent operations and began simulcasting the new format for several days, until a Regional Mexican music format began. The new format on WKLS was intended to be somewhat of a merger between 96 Rock and The Buzz, although more personalities from The Buzz were on the new station than ones from 96 Rock.
On July 7, 2007, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the new morning show host for Project 9-6-1 would be "Giant" Brian Carothers, morning producer and sidekick for John DeBella at WMGK in Philadelphia. Carothers was joined by co-host Shaffee, former radio personality from long-time rock station WRIF in Detroit. The Giant Show debuted on October 1, 2007. On October 2, 2009, it was announced that "Giant" Brian Carothers would no longer be a part of the morning show and The Giant Show would be replaced by a show hosted by Shaffee and El Jefe, who was later replaced by Klinger.
On May 21, 2011, it was revealed that Shaffee and Klinger would no longer be a part of the morning show. Kidd Chris from WYSP Philadelphia announced on May 24, 2011, that he would be joining the morning show. He hosted mornings on Project 9-6-1 until the format's demise.[5]
Top 40/CHR (2012-2024)
On August 29, 2012, at 7 p.m., without warning, "Project" signed off following a farewell message from program director Chris "The OC" Williams, as he ended the station's 38-year rock history with "
The nationally syndicated program Elvis Duran and the Morning Show was carried by WWPW from September 2012 until February 11, 2014. When Duran was discontinued, the station warned listeners about the change, and directed them to the iHeartRadio website and smartphone app. WWPW went a month without a morning show, playing music during morning drive time, calling it The Most New Hit Music in the Morning, until the station debuted a local morning show on March 17 with Scotty K, Riley Couture and Bret Mega.
On February 29, 2016, it was officially announced that Power Morning Show hosts Scotty K and Bret Mega were let go.[11] This came as a surprise since the local morning show, and the station as a whole, had been gaining traction in the ratings. Some speculations had been made about Power mornings returning to a more music-intensive show.[12] Word of their replacement was announced on March 19, with PK Kalentzis, formerly of The Playhouse morning show from Portland, Oregon, and KKHH in Houston, hosting mornings along with his wife Denise and Riley Couture beginning March 21.[13][14] In November 2020, PK and Denise Kalentzis and co-host DuRyan Smith were let go as a result of budget cuts; in February 2021, WWPW would pick up "The Jubal Show" (syndicated from sister station KBKS in Seattle) for morning drive.[15][16]
WWPW also carried the syndicated
Urban contemporary (2024-present)
On April 16, 2024, WWPW began promoting a "big announcement" at noon that day. The two stations would swap call letters on April 23.
Digital broadcasting
WRDG broadcasts in
:- WRDG-HD1 is a digital simulcast of the analog signal.
- WRDG-HD2 airs a classic rock format as "96 Rock".
- WRDG-HD3 airs the "Peach" format.
In late March 2010,
HD2
On January 30, 2006, WKLS added a separate digital subchannel known under the branding "The Cabin" and airing an adult album alternative format.[21][22] WKLS-HD2 later changed names to "The Alternative Project" or "Project 9-6-1".
Following the main channel's format change to "Power 96.1" in August 2012, the "Project 9-6-1" rock format moved to the HD2 subchannel of WKLS as "Project 9-6-2". Then on March 28, 2013, hours after the WWVA/WWLG simulcast flipped formats from rhythmic contemporary, WWPW-HD2 became "Wild 96.1 HD2".
It eventually changed to a simulcast of sister station WRDG due to low signal strength in the eastern portions of Atlanta. This was later replaced with a rock format under the heritage "96 Rock" branding that was heard on the analog channel prior to 2006.
HD3
In June 2013, WWPW activated a third digital subchannel, WWPW-HD3, and began airing
In July 2020, WWPW-HD3 switched to a simulcast of sister station WBIN. As of November 2022, the sub-channel was turned off.
The HD3 currently broadcasts the Adult contemporary "Peach" format.
HD4
On September 24, 2020, the WWPW-HD4 subchannel changed formats from gospel to classic hits, still under the "102.1 The King" branding.[24] On January 8, 2021, WWPW-HD4 rebranded as "Fox FM", joining simulcasters WBAF (1090 AM) in Barnesville and WFDR (1370 AM) in Manchester. Syndicated programming on Fox FM includes Daily Dees hosted by Rick Dees in middays[25] and Scott Shannon Presents America's Greatest Hits on weekends.
As of August 2022, "Fox FM" is no longer broadcast on WWPW-HD4.
Previous logo
References
- ^ "HD Radio | Stations | More Music. More Stations. More Features. Digital Sound. No Subscription". www.hdradio.com. Archived from the original on 2011-04-04.
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1963 page B-47
- ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2000 page D-108
- ^ WKLS Becomes Project 9-6-1
- ^ Ho, Rodney (May 24, 2011). "Radio & TV Talk Howard Stern contributor Kidd Chris joining Project 9-6-1". Access Atlanta. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
- ^ Is Clear Channel Planning an Atlanta Shuffle?
- ^ Project 9-6-1 Atlanta Gives Way to Power
- ^ "Atlanta rock fans upset with 'Project' format change".
- ^ "2012 Atlanta radio year in review: Hello the Game, Power 96.1, All News 106.7; goodbye WGST, Project, Dave, Frank Ski".
- ^ "Project 96.1 Gets Powerful". Format Change Archive. 2012-08-30. Retrieved 2020-01-23.
- ^ Rodney Ho, Radio and TV Talk. "Despite strong ratings, Scotty K loses morning spot on Power 96.1". ajc. Retrieved 2020-01-23.
- ^ "Power 96.1 Morning Show Out?". Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- ^ "WWPW (Power 96.1)/Atlanta Launches New Power Morning Show". All Access. Retrieved 2020-01-23.
- ^ "PK & Denise Kalentzis Join Power 96.1 Atlanta Morning Show". RadioInsight. 2016-03-20. Retrieved 2020-01-23.
- ^ Another Round of Layoffs at iHeartMedia
- ^ Morning Jubal-ee for Power 96.1
- ^ https://radioinsight.com/headlines/267502/power-96-1-atlanta-gives-way-to-the-beat/
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj2PIifdnfo
- ^ https://radioinsight.com/headlines/267502/power-96-1-atlanta-gives-way-to-the-beat/
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U6xWqHLO_A
- ^ "Major Radio Groups Announce HD2 Formats". All Access. All Access Music Group. January 19, 2006. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
- ^ "CC/Atlanta Unveils New HD Multicasts". All Access. All Access Music Group. January 30, 2006. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
- ^ Venta, Lance. "Mia 92.3 Debuts In Atlanta". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
- ^ Venta, Lance (September 24, 2020). "The King Brings Classic Hits to Parts of Atlanta". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
- ^ Venta, Lance (January 12, 2021). "Atlanta's King Joins Fox-FM Classic Hits Network". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
External links
- Official website
- WWPW in the FCC FM station database
- WWPW in Nielsen Audio's FM station database