This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(February 2009) |
Broadcast area | Rochester, New York |
---|---|
Frequency | 103.9 MHz |
Branding | "103.9 WDKX" |
Programming | |
Format | Urban contemporary |
Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
Ownership | |
Owner | Andre Langston & Andria B. Langston |
History | |
First air date | April 6, 1974 |
Call sign meaning | W Frederick Douglass Martin Luther King Jr. Malcolm X |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 43540 |
Class | A |
ERP | 800 watts |
HAAT | 165 meters |
Links | |
Webcast | Listen Live |
Website | wdkx.com |
WDKX (103.9 FM) is an independently Black-owned urban contemporary radio station that broadcasts from Rochester, New York at 800 watts of effective radiated power. The station's studios are located east of downtown Rochester along Main Street, and the transmitter tower is located atop Xerox Tower in downtown. WDKX chose its call letters to honor Black heroes ("D" for Frederick Douglass, "K" for Martin Luther King Jr., and "X" for Malcolm X). [1]
Monroe County Broadcasting Co., LTD. formed a corporation in 1968 to compete for the available FM frequency 103.9 in Monroe County, New York. WDKX commenced broadcasting at 5:30 a.m. on April 6, 1974. WDKX has been under the same ownership since its inception. Andrew A. Langston, founder and former owner and general manager of WDKX, received the "Rochester Radio Broadcaster of the Year" Award, the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters "Pioneer" Award, and was inducted to the "New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame" inaugural class.
The station currently places first in Nielsen ratings of 18-34 and 25-54 listeners, both urban and suburban, and has ranked second overall in the Rochester market behind WBEE-FM in recent ratings surveys.
The station has a wide-ranging playlist, ranging from Old School R&B and Classic Hip Hop to today's R&B and Hip Hop. WDKX also plays some Dancehall, Afro beats, Jazz, Pop and Dance music.
In 1962, Andrew Langston moved his family young wife Gloria Langston and son Andre Langston to Rochester after being offered a job at a local TV station. Upon his arrival, he was quickly turned away once they realized he was Black and did not want him on camera. In order to provide for his family he became an insurance agent, barber, and took a sales job at National Clothing Company. One of his most prominent clients at National Clothing Company was Xerox founder, Joseph Wilson. Wilson and Langston became good friends over time and would talk about a number of topics. One topic being, Langston's dream of starting his own radio station. Due to the poor treatment of Black people, race riots, and lack of proper news coverage Langston wanted to create a vehicle to give the unheard a voice. Wilson believed in Langston's dream and promised him a space atop the Xerox tower, the highest building in Rochester, for his antenna once he solidified ownership of the station. Their agreement was written on a napkin.
In 1968, Langston went to Washington, D.C. to meet with the FCC to apply for his license to broadcast on the available frequency 103.9 MHz. After six years, the new station, christened FM 104 WDKX, commenced broadcasting at 5:30 a.m. on April 6, 1974. Wilson kept his promise and the WDKX antenna was placed on top of the Xerox Tower where it still stands today. Langston chose the call letters DKX with intention, standing for influential Black community leaders – Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X.
Andrew A. Langston, received the "Rochester Radio Broadcaster of the Year" Award, the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters "Pioneer" Award, and was inducted to the "New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame" inaugural class for his contributions to the broadcasting industry. He died in 2010.
The station is a key element within the community of Rochester. They are heavily focused on the betterment and empowerment of the community. Through various initiatives like the Back to School Drive, Step Jam, Women 4 Women, and more they are able to work with community leaders to create safe enriching environments for the people of Rochester. WDKX currently broadcasts to over 170,000 listeners throughout Monroe County and employs 30 people in the greater Rochester area. In addition, their reach goes beyond terrestrial airwaves in Rochester reaching millions annually via their digital platforms. WDKX is now owned by Langston's son, Andre Langston and his granddaughter, Andria B. Langston.
mentioned on "Super Hoe" Boogie Down Productions Criminal Minded 1987
VH1 Hip Hop Honors 2005
Rochester Music Hall of Fame 2014
Hart of the City 2019
KGA is a commercial radio station in Spokane, Washington. Owned by Stephens Media Group, it broadcasts a sports radio format. KGA's studios and offices are on East 57th Avenue. Most of the programming comes from Fox Sports Radio. The station carries broadcasts of the Spokane Indians minor league baseball team, the Spokane Chiefs junior ice hockey team, and teams fielded by Gonzaga University. Going on the air in 1927, it was one of the earliest radio stations in Washington.
WPPZ-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Pennsauken, New Jersey in the Philadelphia radio market. The station is owned by Urban One, through licensee Radio One Licenses, LLC, and broadcasts an urban oldies format. Studios are located in Bala Cynwyd and the broadcast tower used by the station is located atop One Liberty Place in Center City, Philadelphia at.
KPRS is an urban contemporary radio station licensed to Kansas City, Missouri. The station's playlist consists of hip-hop, R&B, and gospel music. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), it is the oldest continually African American family-owned radio station in the United States. The station is owned by Carter Broadcast Group, and its studios are located in South Kansas City, as well as its transmitter.
WBER is a listener and school district supported community radio station in Rochester, New York, United States, owned and operated by the BOCES, Monroe #1. The station was founded in 1985. The call letters correspond to BOCES Educational Radio, with the pre-1985 call letters (WRHR) corresponding to Rush Henrietta Radio, the original licensee of the station. The station's playlist is Alternative radio, with some new titles added to the regular rotation via a "test track," listener-reporting mechanism. WBER also presents local concerts by popular performers.
WCLH is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States, the station serves the Scranton area. The station is currently owned by Wilkes University. The station has obtained a construction permit from the FCC for a power increase to 205 watts. The station plays alternative rock, heavy metal, and most recently adding rap/hip-hop to the programming schedule. It also airs the nationally syndicated shows Democracy Now, Making Contact, CounterSpin, Radio Goethe and The Full Armor of God Broadcast. Like most college radio stations, it is run by a staff of students with the exception of a faculty general manager to oversee the day-to-day operations.
WYSL is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Avon, New York, and serving the Rochester metropolitan area. It broadcasts a talk radio format and is known as "The Voice of Liberty." The station is owned by Robert C. Savage under the name "Radio Livingston."
KVSP is a mainstream urban radio station serving Central Oklahoma, Licensed to Anadarko and owned by the locally based Perry Broadcasting. Its studios are located at Perry Plaza II in the Eastside district of Oklahoma City and its transmitter is located in Alfalfa, Oklahoma. The tower the transmitter antenna is located on is the tallest structure in the state of Oklahoma, although Oklahoma City itself is in the "distant" area of the coverage area, according to Radio-Locator.com.. This is due to the 103.5 frequency being four spaces away from the 104.1 frequency in Oklahoma City, making it difficult to properly cover the market.
WCMF-FM is a radio station located in the Rochester, New York, area. Its transmitter is located on Pinnacle Hill in Brighton, Monroe County, and its studios are located at High Falls Studios in downtown Rochester.
KBLA is a broadcast radio station in the United States. Licensed to Santa Monica, California, KBLA serves the Greater Los Angeles area. The station is owned by Multicultural Broadcasting, through licensee Multicultural Radio Broadcasting Licensee, LLC, and operated by pending owner Tavis Smiley with an urban/progressive talk format.
WMXD is a commercial radio station in Detroit, Michigan, owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The station operates with 45,000 watts of power from an antenna located on the Cadillac Tower building in downtown Detroit. The studios and offices were housed for years at Detroit's Penobscot Building until November 2009, when they were moved to the Clear Channel Communications studios in Farmington Hills.
WUFO is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Amherst, New York, and serving the Buffalo metropolitan area. It is owned by the Visions Multi Media Group headed by Sheila. L. Brown and it broadcasts a hybrid Urban AC and Classic Hip Hop radio format. Its studios are on Broadway Avenue in Buffalo.
WMUZ-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Detroit, Michigan. It is owned by Crawford Broadcasting and is known as The Light. Most hours, WMUZ-FM has a Contemporary Christian music format. In late mornings and during the evening, WMUZ-FM carries Christian talk and teaching shows from religious leaders including Jim Daly, Joyce Meyer, James Dobson, J. Vernon McGee and John MacArthur.
KYTY is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Somerset, Texas, and serving the San Antonio metropolitan area. It broadcasts a Christian contemporary music format, with some Christian talk and teaching shows. It is also an affiliate of the Houston Astros Radio Network.
WTMP is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Egypt Lake, Florida, and serving the Tampa Bay area. It is owned by Neal Ardman of NIA Broadcasting, Inc., and it airs an urban oldies radio format. Its studios are on Howard Avenue in West Tampa,.
WQOK is a commercial radio station licensed to Carrboro, North Carolina, and serving the Raleigh/Durham radio market. WQOK is owned and operated by Urban One and airs an urban contemporary radio format, featuring hip hop and R&B music. Its studios and offices are located on Creedmoor Road in Raleigh. Its transmitter tower is in Oak Grove, just east of Durham.
WWSZ is a commercial radio station licensed to Decatur, Georgia, and serving the Atlanta metropolitan area. It is owned by JDJ Communications, LLC, and airs a hip hop radio format. The station calls itself "Streetz 94.5, Atlanta's New Hip Hop Station." WWSZ is simulcast on FM translator station 94.5 W233BF in Atlanta, which forms the middle leg of a three-transmitter simulcast of Streetz on 94.5 MHz. The station broadcasts a hip hop music format, with a heavy emphasis on local artists, and is less mainstream than other similar stations in the format such as WHTA and WVEE.
WRUR-FM is a public, listener-supported radio station located in the Rochester, New York area airing an Adult Album Alternative format. Its transmitter is located on Pinnacle Hill in Rochester.
WLGZ-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Webster, New York, and serving the Rochester metropolitan area. It broadcasts an Oldies/Classic Hits radio format and is owned by DJRO Broadcasting LLC. The radio studios and offices are in Rochester's east side.
This is a list of media serving Rochester, New York and its surrounding area.
BlackBox is a local French radio station broadcasting to Bordeaux and Arcachon, created in 1991 and owned by Groupe 1981. The station plays hip-hop music and R&B from the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s.