WWL-FM

Last updated

WWL-FM
Simulcast of WWL, New Orleans
WWL AM870-FM105.3 logo.png
Broadcast area New Orleans metropolitan area
Frequency 105.3 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding105.3 WWL-FM
Programming
Format News - Talk - Sports
Subchannels HD2: Sports–food–lifestyle
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
September 8, 1970;54 years ago (1970-09-08)
Former call signs
  • WVSL-FM (1970–1975)
  • WXEL (1975–1981)
  • WAIL (1981–1984)
  • WLTS (1984)
  • WLTS-FM (1984–2000)
  • WKZN (2000–2005)
  • WKBU (2005)
  • WTKL (2005–2006)
Call sign meaning
Taken from WWL
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 52435
Class C1
ERP 96,000 watts
HAAT 306 meters (1,004 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
 29°58′57.7″N89°57′9.2″W / 29.982694°N 89.952556°W / 29.982694; -89.952556
Links
Public license information
Webcast
Website www.audacy.com/wwl

WWL-FM (105.3 MHz) is a commercial radio radio station licensed to Kenner, Louisiana, and serving the New Orleans metropolitan area. It is owned by Audacy, Inc. WWL-FM and sister station WWL 870 AM simulcast a News - Talk - Sports radio format. The studios and offices are in the 400 Poydras Tower in the New Orleans Central Business District.

Contents

WWL-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 96,000 watts. Its transmitter site is off Paris Road in Chalmette, Louisiana. WWL-FM broadcasts in the HD Radio hybrid format, with its HD2 digital subchannel carrying both Infinity Sports Network and shows on food and lifestyles.

Programming

News - Talk

The weekday schedule features news and talk programming mornings and early afternoons, shifting to sports talk and live play-by-play after 4 pm. All weekday programming from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. is hosted by local WWL personalities and reporters. The only nationally syndicated programs are Infinity Sports Network shows at 8 pm, family finances expert Dave Ramsey at 1 a.m. and This Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal , at 4 am.

Weekend programming includes shows on money, law, gardening, home improvement and the outdoors before sports takes over the schedule. WWL is a long-time affiliate of the CBS Radio Network. Most hours on weekdays begin with local newscasts branded as WWL First News, while CBS News begins most hours nights and weekends.

Sports

Sports shows begin during afternoon drive time, hosted by former NFL quarterback Bobby Herbert. WWL-AM-FM are part-time Infinity Sports Network affiliates. Programming from that network is heard in late evenings, and in several blocks during the day on weekends. When two live sporting events occur at the same time, one of the games moves to sister station WWWL 1350 AM, which airs a mostly sports format.

For many years, WWL has been the flagship station for broadcasts of New Orleans Saints football games, continuously since the 1995 season. [2] WWL-AM-FM continue to be the lead stations on the New Orleans Saints Radio Network, with affiliates in Louisiana, Mississippi and three other states.

WWL-AM-FM are also the flagships for New Orleans Pelicans basketball broadcasts. The team had been with 100.3 KLRZ Larose for five years leading up to 2024. With the 2024-25 season, team broadcasts return to WWL-AM-FM. [3]

WWL-AM-FM serve as the New Orleans outlets of the LSU Tigers, simulcasting all football games, while some men's basketball and baseball games are also heard. WWL-AM-FM share flagship status with WDGL 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge. WWL was previously the radio home of the Tulane Green Wave.

History

WVSL, WXEL, WAIL, WLTS, WKZN

On September 8, 1970, the station signed on the air as WVSL-FM in Slidell, Louisiana. [4] It was owned by Bill Garrett Broadcasting, which also owned WBGS (1560 AM). In the late 1970s, the call sign for 105.3 was WXEL. In 1981, the station switched formats to rhythmic contemporary as WAIL.

The station was acquired in 1984 by Phase Two Broadcasting, which changed the call sign to WLTS, and flipped to a soft adult contemporary format. [5] "Lite 105" spent 16 years in this format, although over time, the playlist shifted to a more uptempo, mainstream direction.

In 1999, the station was acquired by Entercom, its current owner. [6] The city of license was changed from Slidell to Kenner, where Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is located. During this time, the station evolved to a hot adult contemporary format as WKZN "105.3 The Zone".

Switch to WWL-FM

On August 29, 2005, the station's transmitter was severely damaged during Hurricane Katrina, knocking it off the air. It returned to broadcasting with low power as a temporary simulcast of co-owned WWL 870. Other FM stations in New Orleans suspended their music formats during the storm's aftermath to rebroadcast news from local TV stations.

In early October 2005, Entercom decided to switch two of its New Orleans FM station dial positions, with WTKL and WKBU exchanging frequencies. FM 105.3 became WTKL with a classic hits format and the "Kool" name, formerly "Kool 95.7". However, only three weeks later, it was decided by Entercom to scrap the classic hits format and return 105.3 to the WWL simulcast. Entercom cited positive listener response to WWL being heard on FM and complaints about its removal from the FM dial. Some listeners said they wanted WWL programming to remain on FM due to issues receiving the AM station in the New Orleans Central Business District. The "Kool 105.3" format continued as an Internet-only webcast for a short time after it was discontinued on FM. [7]

With 105.3 simulcasting WWL, Entercom asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to switch the call letters to WWL-FM. Sister station WLMG was the original home of the WWL-FM call sign, from 1970 to 1980, airing beautiful music at first, and then Top 40 hits.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJFK-FM</span> Sports radio station in Manassas, Virginia, serving Washington, D.C.

WJFK-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Manassas, Virginia, and serving the Washington metropolitan area. WJFK-FM airs a sports radio format and is owned and operated by Audacy, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KRLD (AM)</span> Clear-channel news/talk radio station in Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas

KRLD is a commercial AM radio station in Dallas, Texas. Owned and operated by Audacy, Inc., the station runs news blocks during morning and afternoon drive time, with talk shows the rest of the day. Syndicated shows include The Chad Benson Show, The Dave Ramsey Show, Our American Stories with Lee Habeeb and America in the Morning with John Trout. Some weekend hours carry paid brokered programming. Most hours begin with CBS News Radio. The studios and offices are in Uptown Dallas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KXNT (AM)</span> Radio station in Nevada, United States

KXNT is a commercial AM radio station licensed to North Las Vegas, Nevada. It broadcasts a news-talk radio format and is owned and operated by Audacy, Inc. The studios are in the unincorporated Clark County community of Spring Valley, while KXNT's transmitter is on U.S. Route 93 at Great Valley Parkway in North Las Vegas.

WWL is an AM radio station in New Orleans, Louisiana, owned by Audacy, Inc. WWL and 105.3 WWL-FM simulcast a news/talk format with sports talk at night. The studios are in the 400 Poydras Tower in the New Orleans Central Business District.

KMBZ is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Kansas City, Missouri. KMBZ is owned by Audacy, Inc. and it airs a talk radio format. Its studios and transmitter tower are in suburban Mission, Kansas, at separate locations.

WLMG is a commercial radio station licensed to New Orleans, Louisiana. Owned by Audacy, Inc., it broadcasts an adult contemporary radio format. From mid-November to December 25 each year, it switches to all-Christmas music. The station's studios and offices are located at the 400 Poydras Tower in New Orleans' downtown district.

WWWL is a commercial radio station in New Orleans, Louisiana. Owned by Audacy, Inc., it broadcasts a sports gambling format. The station's studios are located at the 400 Poydras Tower in Downtown New Orleans. Its transmitter site is in Algiers, near the city limits of Gretna and Terrytown. The station operates at 5,000 watts during the day and 480 watts at night, using a non-directional antenna. The station is simulcast on FM translator station W225CZ.

United Radio Broadcasters of New Orleans was a consortium of radio stations in Greater New Orleans, Louisiana, formed in response to the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. It began on September 1, 2005. Led by WWL-AM, the stations shared equipment, space, and personnel, and simulcast public affairs and public service programming—including efforts to reunite families.

KFNZ is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Kansas City, Missouri. The Audacy, Inc.-owned station broadcasts a sports radio format. Its studios and offices are located on Squibb Road in Mission, Kansas. KFNZ is one of the oldest radio stations in the Kansas City metropolitan area, going on the air in 1922.

KRLD-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Dallas, Texas, and serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. KRLD-FM is owned by Audacy, Inc., and airs a sports radio format. The station's studios and offices are located along North Central Expressway in Uptown Dallas, and the transmitter site is in Cedar Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KPTR (AM)</span> Talk radio station in Seattle

KPTR is a commercial AM radio station in Seattle, Washington. It airs a Conservative talk format and is owned by iHeartMedia. The studios and offices are in the Belltown neighborhood northwest of Downtown Seattle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KIKK</span> Radio station in Pasadena, Texas, United States

KIKK is a daytime-only station, licensed to Pasadena, Texas, which broadcasts a sports gambling format under ownership of Audacy, Inc. Its studios are located in the Greenway Plaza district of Houston, and its transmitter is located in Pasadena. While it only broadcasts during daytime hours at 250 watts, KIKK's low frequency gives the station a large coverage area, stretching from Flatonia, Texas to the west, and past Lake Charles, Louisiana to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KWPN (AM)</span> Sports radio station in Oklahoma City

KWPN is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Moore, Oklahoma, and serving the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. It is owned by Cumulus Media and airs a sports format. While Cumulus owns three sports stations in Oklahoma City, WWLS-FM and WKY have mostly local shows on weekdays, while KWPN carries mostly syndicated programming from ESPN Radio. The studios and offices are on NW 64th Street in Northwest Oklahoma City.

WFNZ, known on air as "102.5 The Block", is a commercial AM radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina. Owned by Urban One, the station airs an urban contemporary radio format. Its studios and offices are at 1 Julian Price Place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KEPN</span> ESPN Radio affiliate in Lakewood, Colorado

KEPN is a commercial radio station licensed to Lakewood, Colorado, and serving the Denver metropolitan area. It is owned by Salt Lake City–based Bonneville International with studios and located in Greenwood Village, and the transmitter is in Lakewood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KFH (AM)</span> Sports radio station in Wichita, Kansas

KFH is a commercial AM radio station in Wichita, Kansas. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. It airs a sports radio format. The station's studios and offices are located on East Douglas Avenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRNL</span> Radio station in Richmond, Virginia

WRNL is a commercial radio station licensed to Richmond, Virginia. WRNL features a sports radio format and is owned and operated by Audacy, Inc. The studios, offices and transmitter are all co-located just north of the Richmond city line on Basie Road in Dumbarton, Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJZ-FM</span> Radio station in Maryland, United States

WJZ-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Catonsville, Maryland, and serving the Baltimore metropolitan area. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. through licensee Audacy License, LLC, and it broadcasts a sports radio format. Local shows are heard on weekdays, with programming from the Infinity Sports Network airing nights and weekends. The station's studios and offices are located in Towson.

Crescent City Radio is an internet radio station based in New Orleans serving Metropolitan New Orleans and southern Mississippi as well as globally through its internet presence as a Freeform radio station. The station broadcasts a diverse offering of music along with locally produced entertainment and talk programs. Music genres typically aired include urban contemporary, mainstream urban, adult contemporary, swamp pop, gospel, and Latin CHR. The station is managed and operated by the Music Industry Studies Program of the College of Music and Fine Arts at Loyola University New Orleans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infinity Sports Network</span> Sports radio network

Infinity Sports Network is an American sports radio network. It debuted as CBS Sports Radio with hourly sports news updates on September 4, 2012, and with 24/7 programming on January 2, 2013.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WWL-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ "Saints Radio Network Stations". New Orleans Saints. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  3. ↑ RadioInsight.com "WWL Extends Rights Deal, Adds NBA Pelicans" June 5, 2024
  4. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1972 page B-92
  5. ↑ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1992 page A-153
  6. ↑ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2003-2004 page D-206
  7. ↑ Tucker, Ken (April 14, 2006). "Oldies Come And Go In New Orleans". Billboard Radio Monitor. Archived from the original on May 5, 2006. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.