Former logos
| Broadcast area | Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 101.7 MHz |
| Branding | 101.7 The River |
| Programming | |
| Format | Christian adult contemporary |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WFFN, WTBC, WALJ, WTSK, WTUG-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | March 15, 1991 (as WTID) |
Former call signs | WVRT (1982–1989, CP) WTID (1989–2003) WBEI (2003–2018) [1] |
| Technical information [2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 67577 |
| Class | C2 |
| ERP | 22,500 watts |
| HAAT | 221 meters (725 ft) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | 1017theriver |
WQRR (101.7 FM, "101.7 The River") is a radio station licensed to Reform, Alabama. Owned by Townsquare Media, it broadcasts a Christian adult contemporary format serving the Tuscaloosa area.
The station was signed on March 15, 1991, as WTID. It was assigned the WBEI call sign by the Federal Communications Commission on January 9, 2003. [1]
In February 2005, Apex Broadcasting Inc. (Houston L. Pearce, chairman) reached an agreement to sell WBEI and six other radio stations in Alabama to Citadel Broadcasting (Farid Suleman, chairman/CEO) for a reported sale price of $29 million. [3] Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011. [4]
Cumulus sold WBEI and its sister stations to Townsquare Media effective July 31, 2012.
On September 16, 2016, WBEI rebranded as "Star 101.7". While operating manager and afternoon DJ Greg Thomas had left the week before the flip and The Kidd Kraddick Morning Show was dropped with the change, middayer Meg Summers and the syndicated Pop Crush Nights with Lisa Paige remained in place. [5]
On October 17, 2016, Tuscaloosa radio veteran Louie Linguini was hired to host afternoon drive, and reprise his [6] popular "Saturday Nite Regrind With Louie Linguini" show for the station.
WBEI provided regular weather coverage from WBMA-LD Chief Meteorologist James Spann. During times of active severe, tropical, and Winter weather events, WBEI provided West Alabama's only live and local weather coverage, with local, in house, Staff Meteorologist Bobby Best.
Additionally, under the ownership of Townsquare Media and the direction of Market President/Chief Revenue Officer David R. Dubose, WBEI also provided West Alabama radio's only live and local news coverage with News Director Don Hartley and West Alabama's only live and local traffic coverage with Traffic Reporter Capt'n Ray.
On March 26, 2018, WBEI changed its format from hot adult contemporary to alternative rock, branded as "Alt 101.7". [7] The station changed its call sign to WQRR on March 29, 2018.
On December 21, 2024, the station dropped the "Alt" format and began stunting as "Radio 101.7", running loops first of solely Taylor Swift songs, then changing to a loop of Michael Jackson songs on the 22nd; the station initially framed the stunt as the station being "hacked" by Russian broadcasters (to the point that the Swift portion of the stunt would include covers of her songs translated to Russian). The initial part of the stunt would earn the station a surge of attention on social media, as local and international listeners claimed the move was connected to recent reports of unmanned drones flying across various cities in the United States. [8]
Likely to dissuade any legitimate connections, by the end of the day of the 22nd, the stunt instead shifted to 1980s music, while also starting to air Christmas-themed sweepers voiced by an elf promoting a relaunch of the station on Christmas Eve (December 24) at noon. At around the same time, the station's website was redirected to one revealing its new branding and format as Christian adult contemporary 101.7 The River. [8] At midnight on December 24, the station soft launched the River branding and shifted its stunt to Christmas music–predominantly by contemporary Christian musicians—before the formal launch of its Christian AC format at noon. The new format competes primarily with K-Love station WLXQ. [9]
WAKL is a non-commercial FM Christian contemporary radio station licensed to Gainesville, Georgia. Owned by the Educational Media Foundation, WAKL serves the Atlanta metropolitan area as the local affiliate for the national K-Love network. Besides a standard analog transmission, WAKL broadcasts in the HD Radio hybrid format.
WRKN is a sports-formatted FM radio station serving the New Orleans area. The Cumulus Media outlet broadcasts with an ERP of 28 kW, and is licensed to Picayune, Mississippi. Its studios are located at the Place St. Charles building in Downtown New Orleans and the transmitter site is outside Covington, Louisiana.
WLVW – branded as K-Love – is a non-commercial Christian adult contemporary radio station licensed to serve Washington, D.C. Owned and operated by the Educational Media Foundation, WLVW does not broadcast any local programming, functioning as the Washington metropolitan area network affiliate for K-Love. The station's transmitter resides in the district's northwest quadrant. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WLVW is available online; the station also broadcasts in the HD Radio format.
WCZX is a radio station licensed to Hyde Park, New York and serving the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York state. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts at 300 watts ERP from the Illinois Mountain master tower in Marlborough, New York with studios on Pendell Road in the Town of Poughkeepsie. It plays a country music format, which is simulcast on two other stations in the Hudson Valley, 97.3 WZAD in Wurtsboro and 105.5 WDBY in Patterson.
KCHZ, is a conservative talk radio station licensed to Ottawa, Kansas and serving the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The Cumulus Media, Inc. outlet operates with an ERP of 98 kW. Its studios are located in Overland Park, Kansas, and its transmitter is located near Linwood, Kansas. KCHZ serves as an FM simulcast of KCMO.
KHTB is a commercial radio station licensed to Provo, Utah, and serving the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. It is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts a top 40 (CHR) radio format, simulcast with 94.9 KENZ Provo. The radio studios are in South Salt Lake, near the I-15/I-80 interchange.
WZRR is a radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama. It carries a news/talk format, simulcast with AM sister station WAPI. WZRR is one of several Birmingham-area radio stations owned by Cumulus Media, with radio studios and offices on Goodwin Crest Drive in Homewood.
WXJC-FM is a commercial Christian radio station licensed to Cullman, Alabama, serving the Birmingham metropolitan area and nearly all of north-central Alabama. The station is owned by Crawford Broadcasting Company, and airs a mix of Christian talk and teaching programs with Southern Gospel music. The studios and offices are located in Homewood.
WQBK-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Malta, New York, and serving the Capital District, New York. The station is owned by Townsquare Media, and simulcasts a classic rock radio format with co-owned 103.5 WQSH in Cobleskill. Its studios are on Kings Road in Schenectady. In morning drive time, WQBK-FM carries the syndicated Free Beer and Hot Wings Show. It also airs New York Jets football games.
WARM is an AM radio station licensed to the city of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and serving the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre–Hazleton radio market. The station is owned by Seven Mountains Media, through licensee Southern Belle, LLC. The station is silent; it most recently simulcast classic country with former sister station WLGD. The studios and offices are on Baltimore Drive in Wilkes-Barre.
KENZ is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Provo, Utah and serving the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. It broadcasts a top 40 (CHR) radio format simulcast with 101.9 KHTB Ogden and is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. The radio studios are located in South Salt Lake, near the I-15/I-80 interchange.
WJZN is a radio station licensed to serve Augusta, Maine, United States. The station, established in 1932 as WRDO, is owned by Townsquare Media; it broadcast an alternative rock format simulcast from WCYY in Portland prior to going silent in May 2023. WJZN's programming is also heard on W240DH in Augusta.
WTCB is a commercial radio station licensed to Orangeburg, South Carolina, and serving the Columbia metropolitan area. The station, known as "B106.7", is owned by Cumulus Media and airs an adult contemporary radio format. For much of November and December, it switches to all-Christmas music. The studios and offices are located on Gervais Street in Downtown Columbia.
WFFN is a radio station licensed to serve Coaling, Alabama, United States, and broadcasting to the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, area. The station is owned by Townsquare Media. It broadcasts a country music format. In 2021, it became the home of the long-running, popular "Steve & DC Show". As of 2024, WFFN-FM's Steve & DC is by far the top-rated dominant show in mornings, with the all-important advertiser coveted Adults 25-54 demographic, according to the latest Nielsen Audio report.
WLXQ is a radio station licensed to serve Greensboro, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by Educational Media Foundation.
WTSK is a radio station serving the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, area with a gospel music format. It is under ownership of Townsquare Media.
WTBC is a radio station broadcasting a sports radio format. Licensed to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States, the station serves the greater Tuscaloosa area. The station is owned by Townsquare Media. It was also the first media position that James Spann ever had in the media.
WTUG-FM is a radio station serving the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, vicinity with an urban adult contemporary format. Licensed to Northport, Alabama, United States. The station is currently owned by Townsquare Media.
KFXD is a commercial radio station, owned by Townsquare Media, which airs a rhythmic contemporary format branded as "Power 105.5". The station is licensed to serve Boise, Idaho.
WINU is a commercial radio station licensed to Altamont and serving New York's Capital District. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting and airs a classic country radio format.