 | |
| Broadcast area | Lexington Metro Area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1580kHz |
| Branding | WTF 97.7 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Active rock/alternative rock |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WBUL-FM,WKQQ,WLAP,WLKT,WMXL | |
| History | |
First air date | September 6,1957 (as WGOR) |
Former call signs | WGOR (1957–1968) WAXU (1968–1991) WTKT (1991–1992) WBBE (1992–1995) WTKT (1995–2001) WSNE (2001–2002) WXRA (2002–2008) WGVN (2008–2012) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 34246 |
| Class | AM and FM: D |
| Power | AM: 10,000watts day 45 watts night |
| ERP | FM: 250 wattsvertical |
Transmitter coordinates | 38°10′5″N84°35′37″W / 38.16806°N 84.59361°W /38.16806; -84.59361 |
| Translator | 97.7 W249DJ (Lexington) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | wtf977rocks.iheart.com |
WWTF (1580AM) is a commercialradio station broadcasting anactive rock andalternative rockradio format.Licensed toGeorgetown, Kentucky, United States, WWTF serves theLexington Metro Area. The station is currently owned byiHeartMedia, Inc.[2] WWTF programming issimulcast onFMtranslatorW249DJ at 97.7MHz.[3] Since most listening torock music is on FM, the station uses its FM dial position to identify itself, as "97.7 Lexington's Rock Alternative."
WWTF broadcasts with 10,000watts by day but severely reduces power at night to 45 watts due to international treaty obligations.1580 AM is designated aclear-channel frequency allocated toCanada. Since 2006, the allocation has been used byCKDO inOshawa, and thus no stations are allowed to broadcast a signal on 1580 that reaches within 750 miles of CKDO during nighttime hours. CKDO's directional signal, pointed away from the United States and at the bare minimum allowed for a clear-channel station, is not audible anywhere near Lexington.[4] It uses adirectional antenna at all times. The FM translator operates at 250 watts around the clock, the maximum power allowed for a translator. Thetransmitter is on Ironworks Road in Georgetown. The studios and offices are located on Nicholasville Road in Lexington, with the other iHeart stations in the Lexingtonmedia market.
Former radio engineer and business owner, Robert Johnson began on September 6, 1957,WGORsigned on the air as a 250–wattdaytime-only station.[5] For many years, the station had theWAXUcall sign. In the 1960s, WAXU flipped fromTop 40 tocountry music. On September 10, 1973,sister station 103.1 WAXU-FM (now 103.3WXZZ) signed on the air,simulcasting the country format around the clock.
By the end of 1982, the AM station dropped the country music simulcast and began airingSatellite Music Network's "Stardust"adult standards format, with the call signWBBE. In 1990, the station reverted to theWAXU call letters, carrying SMN's "Real Country" format.
On April 15, 1991, WAXU becameWTKT, simulcasting theoldies format of its FM sister station. WTKT becameWBBE again in September 1992, flipping back toWTKT (when the call sign was dropped by the FM) on November 10, 1995. For a few years, WTKT aired anurban contemporary format, as "The Beat." WTKT was purchased byJacor in 1997.[6] Jacor was acquired by Clear Channel (nowiHeartMedia) in 1999. The urban contemporary format moved to 107.9WBTF in nearbyMidway, Kentucky in 2000. WTKT flipped back to adult standards, first simulcasting co-ownedWSAI inCincinnati, Ohio, then asWSNE ("Sunny 1580") in early 2001.
The station switched tosports talk, taking the call lettersWXRA (as "Xtra Sports 1580") on October 30, 2002. In 2006, the station flipped toSpanish-language programming as "La Pantera 1580". Anurban oldies format was launched in May 2008, with the "Groovin 1580" moniker andWGVN call letters following soon after.[7]
On October 29, 2012, the station flipped to all-comedy, usingClear Channel Radio's24/7 Comedy Radio service. The call sign was concurrently changed toWWTF. WWTF returned to the all-sports format, using programming fromFox Sports Radio, on Thursday, May 15, 2014.[8]
In September 2016, WWTF added FM translator W249DJ. On February 20, 2017, WWTF flipped to an active rock/alternative rock format as "WTF 97.7."[9]