WDKF

Last updated
WDKF
Simulcasts WGEE, New London
Broadcast area Green Bay and Northeast Wisconsin
Frequency 99.7 MHz
Branding93.5 & 99.7 Duke FM
Programming
Format Classic Country
Ownership
Owner
WGEE, WIXX, WNCY-FM, WNFL, WTAQ (AM/FM), WYDR
History
First air date
February 1982 (as WSBW at 100.1)
Former call signs
WSBW (2/1982-2/1989)
WQZZ (2/1989-9/1990)
WHET-FM (9/1990-7/1993)
WGEE-FM (7/1993-9/1996)
WLTM (9/1996-4/2002)
WLYD (4/2002-2/2006)
WZBY (2/2006-8/2009)
WRQE (8/2009-9/2010)
WZDR (9/2010-3/2015)
Former frequencies
100.1 MHz (1982–1986)
Call sign meaning
WDuKe FM (Tribute calls; 'Duke' was nickname of Midwest Communications founder Duey Wright)
Technical information
Facility ID 42090
Class C2
ERP 46,000 watts
HAAT 156 meters (512 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
44°38′8.00″N87°37′37.00″W / 44.6355556°N 87.6269444°W / 44.6355556; -87.6269444
Links
Webcast Listen Live
Website 935dukefm.com

WDKF (99.7 FM) is a radio station licensed to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, United States. The station serves the Green Bay area simulcasting co-owned WGEE with a classic country format as Duke FM. The station is currently owned by Midwest Communications, with studios in Bellevue, and its main transmitter located near the town of Lincoln in Kewaunee County. [1]

Contents

History

The station that would become WDKF launched in the early 1980s at 100.1 FM (eventually moving to 99.7 by 1986). Compared to its simulcast partner in the Fox Valley, WDKF's format history has been mostly unstable. The station started out in the early 80s under the WSBW call sign (not to be confused with the current WSBW in Sister Bay) and aired a locally originated adult contemporary format through studios in downtown Sturgeon Bay. An ownership change in 1989 would see WSBW become WQZZ, with the station now using a satellite-fed AC format, the same service used by its sister station in the Fox Cities, the similarly-callsigned but separately-operated WOZZ. In the fall of 1990, WQZZ became WHET-FM and adopted a new satellite-fed top 40 (CHR) format as "99.7 The Heat" to compete with Top 40 station WIXX; the station would go to an all-local Top 40 operation 2 years later.

By 1993, new FCC rules allowed companies to own a 2nd FM frequency in a market, and WHET's owners would sell the station to Midwest Communications that year. Midwest planned to replace the "Heat" format to avoid direct competition with its heritage Top 40 station, WIXX, plans that were furthered along by severe storms that twice knocked WHET off the air in June and July 1993; the second storm permanently ended "The Heat," as Midwest used the outage to repair the signal and begin its transition to country. By August 1993, the station became "99 Country," using the WGEE-FM call sign (mirroring that of its heritage country sister station, the current WTAQ) and using a 24/7 local operation in comparison to its mostly satellite-fed competitor, WJLW.

WGEE-FM remained as "99 Country" until September 1996, when FCC ownership rules were further loosened, allowing Midwest Communications to purchase WNCY-FM "Y100", which by then surpassed WJLW and WGEE-FM to become the dominant country station in the area. Midwest would keep country on WNCY and change WGEE-FM to an adult contemporary station under the WLTM call sign. In 1998, Midwest would move WLTM to a simulcast with its similarly-formatted WROE (see above), a simulcast that would last until March 19, 2001, when WLTM adopted a more upbeat hot AC format as "Magic 99.7", with a schedule featuring Rick Dees' syndicated morning show.

On March 25, 2002, at 3 p.m., 99.7 switched formats again to a brand new (for Northeast Wisconsin) Rhythmic format as WLYD ("Wild 99-7"), while sister heritage Top 40 sister station WIXX gravitated to a rock-leaning top 40 format. The first song on "Wild" was "Rollout (My Business)" by Ludacris. [2] Although designed to be a flanker station for WIXX, "Wild 99-7" and its unique format for Green Bay would soon become one of the better-rated stations in the Green Bay market. "Wild 99-7" forced top 40 station WKSZ "95.9 Kiss FM" (WIXX's competition) to flip to Hot AC as "Mix 95.9" in April 2003.

On February 18, 2006, at Midnight, "Wild 99-7" would end as 'poor advertising sales' on the station forced Midwest to flip WLYD to a more advertiser-friendly adult hits format under the new call sign of WZBY ("99.7 The Bay"). One month later in March 2006, WKSZ reverted to "Kiss FM" and the Top 40 format, this time with a rhythmic lean to pick up on former "Wild 99-7" listeners. WZBY would evolve to classic hits by September 2008, and in early 2009, began a simulcast on translator W270AJ (101.9 FM) to help with 99.7's signal issues in the immediate Green Bay area. On September 15, 2009, WZBY and its "Bay" format would give way with a second simulcast with the Fox Valley's WROE, this time under the similar call sign of WRQE.

At 5 PM on September 3, 2010, Midwest Communications dropped the AC format a second time. The stations became WYDR (94.3) and WZDR (99.7/101.9), and adopted a classic hits/classic rock hybrid format as "The Drive," a format similar to that of WDRV in Chicago and sister classic rock station WOZZ, which adopted a mainstream rock format at the same time and date as "The Drive's" debut (and using 99.7's former WRQE call sign).

On March 16, 2015, WZDR and translator W270AJ switched from a simulcast of WYDR 94.3 FM ("The Drive") to a simulcast of classic country-formatted WGEE-FM 93.5 FM, branded as "Duke FM" (under new calls, WDKF). [3] W270AJ later switched to a translator for WNFL.

WYDR - The Drive.png

Related Research Articles

WMGK is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group and broadcasts a classic rock radio format. The broadcast tower used by the station is located in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia at, while studios are in Bala Cynwyd. The station features popular Philadelphia radio personalities Andre Gardner, Matt Cord, Steve Vassalotti, Eric Johnson and Tony Harris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WKLB-FM</span> Country music radio station in Waltham, Massachusetts

WKLB-FM is a country radio station licensed to Waltham, Massachusetts, and serving Greater Boston. WKLB's studios are located in Waltham. The transmitter is located in Needham, on a tower shared with WBUR-FM and several TV stations serving Boston and beyond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMMQ</span> Radio station in East Lansing, Michigan

WMMQ is an American classic rock radio station licensed to East Lansing, Michigan. The station is owned by Townsquare Media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTAQ</span> Radio station in Green Bay and Glenmore, Wisconsin

WTAQ and WTAQ-FM are conservative news/talk-formatted radio stations, licensed to Green Bay, Wisconsin (AM) and Glenmore, Wisconsin (FM), that serve the Green Bay and Appleton-Oshkosh areas. The stations are owned by Midwest Communications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midwest Communications</span> American radio broadcasting company

Midwest Communications, Inc. is a Wausau, Wisconsin–based radio broadcasting company. It owns 82 radio stations located primarily within the Midwest United States, in Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Illinois and Wisconsin. The company is a family-owned business and is headed by the Wright family.

KBMW-FM is an American radio station that airs a hot adult contemporary format. Licensed to Breckenridge, Minnesota, it serves Wahpeton-Breckenridge and the southern Red River Valley. The station is owned by Robert Ingstad's I3G Media, LLC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNCY-FM</span> Radio station in Neenah-Menasha, Wisconsin

WNCY-FM is an American commercial country music formatted radio station licensed to Neenah-Menasha, Wisconsin, that serves the Green Bay and Appleton-Oshkosh areas. WNCY is owned and operated by Midwest Communications, which owns six other radio stations in Northeast Wisconsin. WNCY's studios are located at 1420 Bellevue Street in Bellevue, while its transmitter is located in a rural area east of the city of Kaukauna.

WIXX is a Top 40/CHR radio station licensed to and serving Green Bay, Wisconsin, along with Appleton, Oshkosh, and much of Northeast Wisconsin. The station is owned and operated by Wausau, Wisconsin-based Midwest Communications, and is part of a Midwest-owned cluster of 8 stations in the market. WIXX broadcasts from studios located on Bellevue Street in the Green Bay suburb of Bellevue, and transmits from a tower on Scray Hill in the Brown County town of Ledgeview, sharing a site with WBAY-TV, WPNE-TV, and WPNE-FM. WIXX's main competition comes from WKSZ/WKZY, a Top 40 (CHR) simulcast broadcasting to the same area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WKBE</span> Radio station in New York, United States

WKBE is a commercial radio station licensed to Corinth, New York, and serving Glens Falls and Saratoga Springs. It is owned by Pamal Broadcasting and broadcasts a country music radio format, simulcasting WKLI-FM (100.9) from Albany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WOZZ</span> Radio station in Mosinee, Wisconsin

WOZZ is an adult hits radio station licensed to Mosinee, Wisconsin, serving the Wausau, Wisconsin, market. The station is owned and operated by Duke Wright's Midwest Communications and operates at an ERP of 50,000 watts. The station simulcasts on translator W275AC (102.9), licensed to Wausau.

WAPL is a classic rock formatted radio station licensed to Appleton, Wisconsin, that serves the Green Bay and Appleton-Oshkosh areas. The station is owned by Woodward Communications, and has studios on College Avenue in Appleton, with transmitting facilities located near the WGBA Tower west of unincorporated Shirley in the Town of Glenmore in southeastern Brown County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WZRM</span> Spanish-language radio station in Brockton–Boston, Massachusetts

WZRM is a Spanish-language radio station in the Boston, Massachusetts, market, carrying a Spanish contemporary hits format. Owned and operated by iHeartMedia, it serves the Metro Boston and South Shore areas of Massachusetts, and is licensed to Brockton. The station's studios are located in Medford and the transmitter site is atop Great Blue Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WGEE (FM)</span> Radio station in New London, Wisconsin

WGEE is a classic country radio station owned and operated by Midwest Communications, licensed to New London, Wisconsin, and serving the Northeast Wisconsin area, including Appleton, Oshkosh, and Green Bay, and is repeated on full-powered station WDKF, which is licensed to Sturgeon Bay. WGEE's studios are located on Bellevue Street in Green Bay, while its main transmitter is located in Maine Township in Outagamie County, Wisconsin.

WKSZ is a Top 40/CHR radio station licensed to De Pere, Wisconsin, serving Green Bay and Appleton-Oshkosh and owned by Woodward Communications. WKSZ's studios are located on College Avenue in Appleton, while its transmitter is located near Shirley in the Town of Glenmore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMTX</span> Radio station in Tampa, Florida

WMTX is a commercial radio station in Tampa, Florida, known as "Mix 100.7". It has an adult contemporary radio format, switching to Christmas music for much of November and December. It is owned by iHeartMedia, with its studios and offices on Gandy Boulevard in Tampa. WMTX serves as the primary Emergency Alert System station for the Tampa Bay area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WDUZ</span> Radio station in Green Bay, Wisconsin

WDUZ and WDUZ-FM are radio stations serving the Green Bay, Wisconsin area, simulcasting a sports format as "Sports Radio 107.5 and 1400 The Fan." The stations were owned by Clear Channel Communications, though they were still operated by their previous owner, Cumulus Media, who swapped ownership of both stations to Clear Channel in exchange for 2 Ohio stations in early 2009. In August 2013, Clear Channel reached a deal to sell its Green Bay stations back to Cumulus. The sale was consummated on December 31, 2013, at a price of $17,636,643.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WKRU</span> Radio station in Allouez, Wisconsin

WKRU is a classic rock radio station licensed to Allouez, Wisconsin, United States and serving the Green Bay area. The station is owned by Cumulus Media. WKRU's studios are located on Victoria Street in Green Bay. while its transmitter is located in the eastern part of Green Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Packers Radio Network</span> Official radio network of the NFLs Green Bay Packers

The Packers Radio Network is a broadcast radio network and the official radio broadcaster of the Green Bay Packers, fully under the team's control in regards to technical productions and on-air personnel. The network's flagship is iHeartMedia's WRNW in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and its coverage is also heard nationwide through NFL Game Pass, Sirius XM, and TuneIn.

WKZY is an American radio station, licensed to Chilton, Wisconsin, and transmitting from the Lake Winnebago community of Stockbridge to provide a city-grade signal to both Oshkosh and the Fox Cities. The station is owned and operated by Woodward Communications, and has simulcasted the Top 40/CHR format of sister station WKSZ since February 15, 2016. WKZY's studios are located on College Avenue in Appleton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WYDR</span> Radio station in Neenah-Menasha, Wisconsin

WYDR is a radio station broadcasting a variety hits music format, licensed to both Neenah and Menasha, Wisconsin and transmitting from High Cliff State Park in Northwestern Calumet County. WYDR has its studios at Midwest Communications' facilities on Bellevue Street in the Green Bay suburb of Bellevue, adjacent to the tower site of sister station WNFL.

References

  1. "WDKF Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved 2010-11-20.
  2. "Broadcasting News-March 2002".
  3. Duke Expands in Green Bay