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 "Kentucky Straight" Logo | |
| Broadcast area | Louisville metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 103.9MHz |
| Branding | Kentucky Straight 103.9 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic country |
| Affiliations | Compass Media Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WQNU,WSFR,WVEZ | |
| History | |
First air date | November 1974; 51 years ago (1974-11) (as WFIA-FM) |
Former call signs | WFIA-FM (1974–79) WXLN (1979–90) WZKS (1990–93) WHKW (1993–94) WQLL (1994–96) WSJW (1996–98) WMHX (1998–2000) WPTK (2000) WPTI (2000–08)[1] |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 48290 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 1,350watts |
| HAAT | 149meters (489 ft) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
WRKA (103.9FM, "Kentucky Straight 103.9") is acommercialradio station inLouisville,Kentucky, owned bySummitMedia,[3] It airs anclassic countryformat. WRKA previously carried twonationally syndicated programs on weekdays:The Rickey Smiley Morning Show in AMdrive time and theD.L. Hughley Show in afternoons.
The studios are in the SummitMedia building inDowntown Louisville. Thetransmitter is atop theNational City Tower. WKRA is aClass A station powered at 1,350watts.
The stationsigned on the air on November 1974; 51 years ago (1974-11). The originalcall sign was WFIA-FM, thesister station to 900WFIA. The stations aired aChristian radio format and were owned by AM 900, Inc.[4] The call sign was later changed to WXLN and playedContemporary Christian music.[citation needed]
In the summer of 1990, the Christian format ended. The station flipped toTop 40-CHR as WZKS "Kiss 104".[5]
Debuting on July 5, 1990, WZKS intended to challenge established Top 40 station 99.7WDJX. But WDJX's owners entered into alocal marketing agreement (LMA) to operate the station on January 27, 1992. That meant WZKS would no longer challenge WDJX. The two stations simulcast the same top 40 format for nearly a month and a half.[6][7] After the simulcast broke at 6 a.m. on March 20, WZKS beganstunting by playing songs recorded byGarth Brooks, then switched tocountry music on March 23.[8]
During this period, 103.9 became the first FM station in the market intended to challenge longtime country leader 97.5WAMZ. Initially, 103.9 was known as "Hot Country 103.9". Unlike WAMZ, WZKS had no localDJs, instead relying onWestwood One's "Hot Country" format.[citation needed] On March 30, 1993, the station was revamped as "103.9 The Hawk". It added local air personalities and changed its call sign to WHKW.[9]
The format, call letters, and "The Hawk" branding were transferred toWKJK (107.7 FM) on May 24, 1994.[10] After that programming move, WHKW adopted anoldies format branded as "Cool 103.9", with replacement WQLL call letters on June 6.[11][12] The playlist was later changed to all 1970's music, but the "Cool" branding was retained.[citation needed]
In May 1996, WQLL's format and "Cool" branding would move to107.7 FM.[13][14][15] After simulcasting for a few days, 103.9 FM changed its format tosmooth jazz on June 3, 1996, and changed its call letters to WSJW.[16] On August 7, 1998, the station changed again toadult contemporary as WMHX "Mix 103.9", reviving a format dropped by the formerWLRS a year earlier.[17]
After the station was purchased byCox Radio in 1999, WHMX switched to an all-80s hits format branded as "103.9 The Point" in November 2000.[18] The call letters were switched to WPTK on November 24, then a month later, on December 20, to WPTI.[19] WPTI dropped the 80s hits format for another attempt at country, branded "New Country 103.9", on October 21, 2004.[20][21][22] WPTI's call letters were changed to WRKA on July 18, 2008, and the format was changed toclassic country as "Country Legends 103.9" that July 23. The previous country format was moved to the former WRKA, renamedWQNU.[23]
Cox Radio, Inc. sold WRKA, along with 22 other stations, to Summit Media LLC for $66.25 million on July 20, 2012. The sale was consummated on May 3, 2013.[24][25] SummitMedia had new plans for the station.
On May 23, 2014, WRKA began stunting by only playing music byGarth Brooks as "103.9 Garth-FM." The station later claimed it was not able to use Brooks' name due to what was described as "legal issues". It rebranded as "XXXXX-FM" (with the "XXXXX" being pronounced on-air as a long beep) and promising a new format to debut the following Monday, June 2, at 7 a.m.. At that time, WRKA relaunched with a 1990s-heavy country format, once again branded as "103.9 The Hawk".[26] The first song on "The Hawk" wasGone Country byAlan Jackson.[27]
On December 31, 2018, WRKA dropped the classic country format and began stunting as "103.9 The Party" using the slogan, "Where it's New Year's Eve every day."[28] On January 14, 2019, at 9 a.m., WRKA flipped torhythmic adult contemporary, branded as "103.9 The Groove".[29]
In January 2020, WRKA shifted tourban adult contemporary, still under the "Groove" branding.[30] It addedThe Rickey Smiley Morning Show for wake-ups.
On July 14, 2025, WRKA changed their format from urban adult contemporary to classic country, branded as "Kentucky Straight 103.9".[31]
