WKKT
| Broadcast area | Metrolina |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 96.9MHz(HD Radio) |
| Branding | 96.9 The Kat |
| Programming | |
| Format | Country music |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WEND,WHQC,WLKO,WRFX,W254AZ | |
| History | |
First air date | March 16, 1961 |
Former call signs |
|
Call signmeaning | Kat Kountry |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 68207 |
| Class | C |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 472 meters (1,549 ft) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live(viaiHeartRadio) |
| Website | 969thekat |
WKKT(96.9FM) is acommercial radiostationlicensedtoStatesville, North Carolina,and serving theCharlotte-Metrolinaradio market.It airs acountryradio formatand is owned byiHeartMedia, Inc.WKKT features twosyndicatedprograms on weekdays from co-ownedPremiere Networks:The Bobby Bones Showin evenings andAfter Midnite with Granger Smithovernight. WKKT's studios are in the 2100 building in Charlotte's south end district.
WKKT is aClass Cstation. It has aneffective radiated power(ERP) of 100,000 watts, the maximum for most FM stations. It broadcasts usingHD Radiotechnology. In theBoonearea, WKKT is subject toco-channel interferencefromWXBQ-FM,licensed toBristol, Virginia.The transmitters of the two stations are less than 100 miles (160 km) apart and both usedirectional antennas.WKKT has itstoweron Mill Pond Lane near Shearers Road inMooresville.[2]
History
[edit]WDBM-FM and WOOO
[edit]The stationsigned onthe air on March 16, 1961.[3]Its originalcall signwas WDBM-FM, thesister stationto co-ownedAMdaytime-onlystation 550 WDBM (nowWAME). The original owner was Walter B. Duke, with both stationssimulcastingtheir 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 anautomatedTop 40format with news supplied from theABC Contemporary Network.It later tried anunderground-styleprogressive rocksound, changing the call letters to WOOO and the station's slogan to "Triple-O-97".
WLVV
[edit]In 1980, Metrolina Communications ofOrlandobought 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 nearLake 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 "contemporary beautiful music"[4]using an automated system called "The FM100 Plan." It later changed to Churchill Productions' "Radio One", asoft adult contemporaryformat. 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 asJourney,Billy Joel,The Pointer Sisters,Kenny RogersandHall & Oates.[4]
Country music
[edit]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 nameBilly 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 LikeHank Williams"byHank Williams Jr.Research showed many male listeners who liked country music also listened to leadingalbum rockstation 99.7WRFX.Program director Mark Tudor said the previous target audience was 25-54, while the new audience for Thunder 96.9 was 21-37, specifically a median age of 33. Theplaylistincluded newer hits and less gold. Country-style rock songs in the new format included "Move It On Over"byGeorge Thorogoodand "Sharp Dressed Man"byZZ Top.Softer acts such asKenny Rogers,Crystal GayleandAnne Murraywere no longer played, thoughRonnie Milsap's "Smoky Mountain Rain"andGeorge Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today"were acceptable. Liners included" Slammin' the Door on the Same Old Country "(referring to WSOC-FM)," Country Without theRestrictor 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 atKPLXinDallas.[9]
WKKT Kat Country
[edit]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.[10]Schadt and Sarah Lee host morningdrive timeon the station. Most iHeart Country stations carryThe Bobby Bones Showlive on weekday mornings fromsister stationWSIX-FMNashville.But WKKT delays the show for airing in the evening.
WKKT'sHD2digital subchannelonce carried achildren's radioformat known as "Kids Club Radio", mi xingcontemporary hitswith music from popular kids shows and movies. Under the new name "iHeart Family Kids Club Radio," it remains on theiHeartRadiowebsite and app. But the WKKT subchannel has since been turned off.[11]
References
[edit]- ^"Facility Technical Data for WKKT".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.
- ^Radio-Locator /WKKT
- ^Broadcasting Yearbook 1977page C-156. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
- ^abcdMark Wolf, "Raleigh-Based Chain Enters Charlotte Market By Buying WLVV-FM,"The Charlotte Observer,April 9, 1982, p. 5D.
- ^Mark Wolf, "Statesville Station To Aim Music At Charlotte Radio Listeners,"The Charlotte Observer,August 6, 1980, p. 5B.
- ^"Ad for Love 97".The Charlotte Observer.February 3, 1981. p. 12A.
- ^Jeff Borden, "Country WLVK Puts Its Money on Billy Buck,"The Charlotte Observer,January 6, 1989
- ^Ross, Sean (April 28, 1990). "Can 'Thunder' Take Country By storm?".Billboard.Vol. 102, no. 17. p. 10.
- ^Stark, Phyllis (June 4, 1994). "Vox Jox".Billboard.Vol. 106, no. 23. p. 129.
- ^Mark Price, "Country DJ Schadt Moves to WKKT-FM,"The Charlotte Observer,January 8, 1998.
- ^"HD Radio | Stations | More Music. More Stations. More Features. Digital Sound. No Subscription".hdradio.Archived fromthe originalon April 30, 2011.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Facility details for Facility ID 68207 (WKKT)in theFCCLicensing and Management System
- WKKTinNielsen Audio's FM station database