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Broadcast area | Lexington metropolitan area |
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Frequency | 100.1 MHz (HD Radio) |
Branding | 100.1 WKQQ |
Programming | |
Format | Classic rock |
Subchannels | HD2: Blues |
Affiliations | Westwood One |
Ownership | |
Owner |
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WBUL-FM, WLAP, WLKT, WMXL, WWTF | |
History | |
First air date | October 2, 1974 |
Former call signs | WKDJ (1974-1981) WFMI (1981-1989) WLFX (1989-1992) WHRS-FM (1992-1993) WWYC (1993-1998)[1] |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 68206 |
Class | C2 |
ERP | 20,000 watts |
HAAT | 194 meters (636 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 38°07′24″N 84°26′37″W / 38.12333°N 84.44361°W |
Links | |
Webcast | FM/HD1: Listen Live HD2: Strictly Blues Listen Live |
Website | wkqq.iheart.com |
WKQQ (100.1 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Winchester, Kentucky, and serving the Lexington metropolitan area. It broadcasts a classic rock radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc.[2] WKQQ carries the nationally syndicated Bob & Tom show in morning drive time. Other times of the day, DJs from other iHeart stations voicetrack their shows on WKQQ.
WKQQ has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 20,000 watts. The transmitter is on Russell Cave Road near Huffman Mill Pike, amid the towers for other Lexington-area FM and TV stations.[3] The studios and offices are on Main Street in Lexington.
The station signed on the air on October 2, 1974 .[4] The call sign was WKDJ. It was originally owned by Clark Communications Company, a business of David Greenlee.[5] The station was based in Winchester and with only 3,000 watts of power, its signal was not available in the greater Lexington area.
WKDJ went silent in December 1980. It returned in late February 1981 as WFMI. The station was owned by the Cromwell Group and featuring Top 40 music.[6][7]
WFMI and co-owned WHRS 1380 AM were then sold to Premier Broadcast Corporation of Albany, New York, in 1988.[8] Coinciding with an impending power increase from 3,000 to 20,000 watts, it switched to classic rock in February 1989 and rebranded as WLFX "Fox 100".[9]
Premier went into receivership in 1991. Hancock Communications of Nashville acquired the pair of stations the next year with plans to sell both facilities to other companies. While buyers were lined up for both stations, WLFX began simulcasting WHRS and its new soft adult contemporary format.[10] As a result of the sale action, the 100.1 station changed hands in rapid succession.
WLFX was purchased by Trumper Communications in 1993. Trumper relocated the transmitter facility to Lexington.[11] Upon taking over the more powerful, Lexington-centered signal, the format was changed to country music as "Young Country" WWYC. WWYC competed with market leader WVLK-FM.[12]
Trumper Communications's three-station Lexington cluster was acquired by Jacor in 1996.[13]
In 1998, Jacor effectuated a format swap between two of its stations. The country music format on WWYC was moved to 98.1, where it was relaunched as WBUL-FM "The Bull." Meanwhile, WKQQ's call sign and programming moved to 100.1 MHz.[14] The station has been assigned these call letters by the Federal Communications Commission since February 4, 1998.[1]
In 1998, Jacor was purchased by Clear Channel Communications for $2.8 billion.[15] Then in 2014, Clear Channel's corporate name was changed iHeartMedia, Inc.