 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Philadelphia metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 1340kHz |
| Branding | La Kalle 99.9 |
| Programming | |
| Language | Spanish |
| Format | Contemporary hit radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | October 17, 1922; 103 years ago (October 17, 1922) |
Former call signs | WNAT (1922–1929) |
Call sign meaning | The hat of theWilliam Penn statue atopPhiladelphia City Hall |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 33686 |
| Class | C |
| Power | 1,000 watts |
Transmitter coordinates | 40°00′6″N75°12′35″W / 40.00167°N 75.20972°W /40.00167; -75.20972 |
| Translator | 99.9 W260CZ (Philadelphia) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | elzolphilly |
WHAT (1340 kHz) is acommercialAM radio station inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The station is owned by VM Broadcasting. It airs aSpanish-languagecontemporary hit radioformat. It was one of the first radio stations in Philadelphia, going on the air in 1922.
WHAT is powered at 1,000 watts. Thetransmitter is on Conshohocken Avenue, nearFairmount Park.[2] Programming is also heard on 50-wattFM translator W260CZ at 99.9MHz.[3] It uses itsFM dial position for its moniker "La Kalle 99.9" (The Street).
On October 17, 1922, a new Philadelphia radio station was authorized, as WNAT, by the government to the Lennig Brothers Co., a radio supply company headed up by Frederick Lennig at 827 Spring Garden Street.[4] The call sign was randomly assigned from a roster of available call letters. In late 1929, the call sign was changed to WHAT.[5]
In the 1930s, WHAT was powered at only 100 watts and was heard on 1310kilocycles.[6] It had to share time on that frequency with other radio stations. It had studios in thePublic Ledger Building.
Ownership of the station changed twice within a two-year span. In 1939, theBonwit Teller department store replacedThe Evening Ledger newspaper as owner; in July 1940, J. David Stern, who publishedThe Philadelphia Record newspaper bought the station from Bonwit Teller. At that time, WHAT operated with 100 watts of power.[7]
On February 12, 1944, former radio station WIP salesman William Banks purchased WHAT for $22,500 from the Philadelphia Record and became the station's new president. His sister, Dolly Banks, became program director and expanded on the ethnic format while ending time-brokered programming.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, WHAT was known for innovation. "In 1945, WHAT became the first U.S. radio station to hire a full-time black announcer, the first to program a regular show featuring a black woman as hostess and the first station in the city to hire black newscasters. It also was the first in the nation to feature a black as host of a daily talk show."
In 1954, the station moved its studios and transmitters to a new structure at 3930-3940 Conshohocken Ave in Wynnefield Heights and was dubbed "The WHAT Radio Center."
In October 1986, Reginald N. Lavong and Miller Parker, owners of Main Line Communications purchased WHAT from Independence Broadcasting for $625,000. The sale included the station's office building and 4.5 acres of land on Conshohocken Ave. Former sister station WWDB-FM was sold to lawyer Ragan A. Henry around the same time. In 1989, the station, now running an African American-oriented talk and Nostalgia format, was sold to Philadelphia radio veteran Cody Anderson. Anderson had been general manager of WDAS-AM-FM and his company "KBT Communications" paid $1.65 million to obtain WHAT. Anderson moved the WHAT offices and studios to North 54th Street near City Line Avenue in nearby Wynnefield.
In 2007, WHAT was sold to Marconi Broadcasting, who ended the station's longtime African American-focus. Known for years as the "Voice of the African American Community," all station employees, including hosts Albert Butler, Elmer Smith, and Mary Mason were let go.
WHAT programmed an"urban talk" format until 2007. From 2004 to 2006, they were an affiliate ofAir America Radio and carried several shows from the network. The station was sold in 2006. On January 19, 2007, after stunting with a variety of music ranging from classical pieces to modern hits, the new owners programmed analternative rock music format called "Skin Radio".[8] Skin Radio also featured many local musicians and poets. It was seen as a replacement toY-100, a former modern rock station in Philadelphia. Though no longer on-air, Skin Radio continued, but as an internet-only radio station.
WHAT flipped formats to anadult standards "Martini Lounge" format on August 31, 2007, beginning with a month ofFrank Sinatra's music. According to theirwebsite The All-Sinatra format aired throughout the month of September. After September 30, the station started an Adult Standards format featuring artists includingMichael Bublé,Harry Connick, Jr.,Diana Krall and their format predecessors likeTony Bennett andPeggy Lee. Many have considered it the successor toWPEN's format from 1979 to 2004, even hiring former station D.J.s like Bob Craig and Mike Bowe. On November 17, 2008, WHAT dropped the "Martini Lounge Radio" branding but continued with a similar format.
On August 1, 2011, WHAT ceased broadcasting without any announcement, leading to speculation that the station had been sold. One month later, on September 12, 2011 at 12 P.M., WHAT changed their format to Spanish-language music, branded as "El Zol 1340 AM". On September 3, 2018, the station rebranded itself as "Z99.9".
On March 19, 2020, WHAT was sold to investor Matthew Braccili and Programmer Victor Martinez. (VM Broadcasting LLC) rebranded as "La Kalle 99.9".[9]
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