| Broadcast area | Memphis, Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 101.9MHz |
| Branding | Rock 102 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic rock |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KJMS,WDIA,WEGR,WHAL-FM,WHRK,WREC | |
| History | |
First air date | February 5, 1979; 46 years ago (1979-02-05) (as KBTM-FM) |
Former call signs |
|
Call sign meaning | "Radio Now" (previous branding and format) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 51855 |
| Class | C3 |
| ERP | 8,500watts |
| HAAT | 147 metres (482 feet) |
Transmitter coordinates | 35°8′0.3″N90°5′38.3″W / 35.133417°N 90.093972°W /35.133417; -90.093972 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | rock102memphis.iheart.com |
KWNW (101.9FM) - branded as "Rock 102" - is aradio station broadcasting aclassic rock format serving theMemphis, Tennessee, area. The station is currently owned byiHeartMedia and is licensed toCrawfordsville, Arkansas. The station's studios are located in Southeast Memphis, and the transmitter is located off Bridgeport Road inMarion, Arkansas, nearHarahan Bridge and the Arkansas-Tennessee border.
The station was previously licensed inJonesboro, Arkansas, and was a longtimeadult contemporary station sinceKBTM. On April 28, 1988, after playing "'65 Love Affair" byPaul Davis, the station flipped fromadult contemporary toTop 40 as "Superhits 102". A year later in 1989, the branding was changed to "Power 102".
The frequency was previously located in the Jonesboro market (where it had the call letters KIYS). The station relocated toCrawfordsville where it began to target theMemphis area on September 10, 2010. While located in Jonesboro, the station wasTop 40 (CHR) as "Kiss FM", owned by Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia) but operated by East Arkansas Broadcasters under a local marketing agreement (LMA). After the 101.9 frequency moved to Crawfordsville, East Arkansas Broadcasting acquiredKRLW-FM, which had been at 106.3, moved the frequency over to 101.7 and relaunched the station as "101.7 Kiss FM". The new station signed on September 12, 2010 (after the 101.9 frequency signed off with a 2-day loop redirecting listeners to 101.7) and began serving the Jonesboro market. Clear Channel Communications then affixed the "Radio Now" moniker to 101.9.
The station's competition as CHR was primarily WHBQ-FM-HD2 B96.3 andHot ACWMC-FM, and slightly favors Rhythmic hits to target teens and young adults.
On March 7, 2014, at 5pm, KWNW rebranded back to "101.9 Kiss FM", restoring the Kiss FM brand to the frequency for the first time since its days in Jonesboro.[2] Radio Now signed off with "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" byBoyz II Men, while the first song as the revived Kiss FM was "Kiss Kiss" byChris Brown.[3]
On April 29, 2020, KWNW addedElvis Duran and the Morning Show to their lineup.
On May 3, 2023, KWNW's format changed from top 40/CHR to classic rock, branded as "Rock 102" (format moved fromWEGR 102.7 FM Arlington, Tennessee).[4]
The callsign KWNW was previously assigned to an AM station in Wenatchee, Washington. A Don Lee Network affiliate, it began broadcasting June 15, 1948, on 1340 kHz with 250 watts of power. That station was owned by Apple-Land Broadcasters, Incorporated.[5]