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|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Knoxville metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 1180kHz |
| Branding | 92.5 & 1180 WKCE |
| Programming | |
| Format | Oldies |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WKVL,WTLT,WVLZ,WGAP,WATO | |
| History | |
First air date | June 1, 1988; 37 years ago (June 1, 1988) (as WHJM) |
Former call signs |
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| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 43771 |
| Class | D |
| Power |
|
Transmitter coordinates | 35°58′48″N83°49′9″W / 35.98000°N 83.81917°W /35.98000; -83.81917 |
| Translator | 92.5 W223DM (Sevierville) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | www |
WKCE (1180kHz) is acommercialAM radio station inKnoxville, Tennessee.[2] It is owned by Loud Media and it airs anoldiesradio format. The station is branded as92.5 WKCE, referring to itsFM translator's dial position. The studios and offices are on the fifth floor of theSunsphere in Knoxville.
WKCE operates at 10,000 watts by day, using anon-directional antenna.[3] BecauseAM 1180 is aclear-channel frequency, reserved forClass AstationWHAM inRochester, New York, WKCE must reduce power to 2,600 watts duringcritical hours andsign-off at night. The AMtransmitter is located off Strawberry Plains Pike in Knoxville.
Aconstruction permit to build a radio station on AM 1180 was first issued in December 1986. On June 1, 1988, WHJM firstsigned on.[4] It was owned by Morgan Broadcasting Company, and was anaffiliate of the formerSatellite Music Network's "Pure Gold" service, playingoldies from the 1960s and 70s. Studios and offices were located at 802 S. Central Avenue in downtown Knoxville.
By 1990, the station had changed formats from oldies toadult standards, using SMN'sStardust music service. In 1993, WHJM changed its format toChristiancountry andsouthern gospel music.[5] Later, the station was programmed as atalk radio outlet.[6]
Morgan Broadcasting Co., of which Harry Morgan was president, sold WHJM and WKCE to Kirkland Wireless Broadcasters, Inc. for $400,000, in a deal reported February 24, 2002.[7] Upon acquisition, the station's call letters were changed to WVLZ.
From January 2009 until August 29, 2014, WVLZ was known as "Tennessee Sports Radio". Many of the station's previous local sports talk shows were aboutTennessee Volunteers football. The station's show hosts included former University of Tennessee quarterbackErik Ainge and former UT wide receiver Jayson Swain.
On August 29, 2014, WVLZ changed branding and reverted to its earlier format as "Oldies 1180", but returned to sports as "Sports Radio 1180 The VLZ" on Monday, January 5, 2015.[8]
Kirkland Wireless Broadcasters sold WVLZ to John Pirkle's Oak Ridge FM, Inc. The sale was effective July 11, 2018, for $30,000. The station changed its call sign to WKCE on September 19, 2018, and returned to oldies.[9] The station plays hits of the 1960s and 1970s.
Effective December 31, 2018, Oak Ridge FM, Inc sold the station to Mid-Century Radio LLC.[10]