 | |
| Broadcast area | Fort Myers -Naples -Southwest Florida |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 107.1MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Cat Country 107.1 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Country |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WBCG,WBTT,WCCF,WCVU,WIKX,WOLZ,WWCD,WZJZ | |
| History | |
First air date | January 1, 1976; 49 years ago (January 1, 1976) (as WAWK-FM) |
Former call signs | WAYK-FM (1976–1979) WSWF-FM (1979-1983) WOOJ-FM (1983–1989) WCKT (1989–2003) WRLR (2003) WDRR (2003–2004) WZJZ (2004–2007) |
Call sign meaning | sounds like "Cat" |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 55755 |
| Class | C2 |
| ERP | 23,500watts |
| HAAT | 220 meters (722 ft) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | catcountry1071.iheart.com |
WCKT (107.1FM) is acommercialradio stationlicensed toLehigh Acres, Florida, and serving theFort Myers-Naples area ofSouthwest Florida. It airs acountry musicformat branded as "Cat Country" and is owned byiHeartMedia, Inc. In morningdrive time, the station carriesThe Bobby Bones Show fromNashville. It airsThe Boxer Show with Brandon Nasby fromWCOL-FMColumbus in evenings.[2] And overnight,After Midnite with Granger Smith is heard. WCKT's studios and offices are on Metro Parkway in Fort Myers.
WCKT is aClass C2 FM station. It has aneffective radiated power (ERP) of 23,500watts. Thetransmitter is off Old 41 Road at Channel 30 Drive inBonita Springs.[3]
The stationsigned on the air on January 1, 1976; 49 years ago (January 1, 1976).[4] Itscall sign was WAYK-FM and it was owned by Broadcast Management, Inc., as thesister station to WAYK1440 AM (nowWWCL). At first, WAYK-FM wasautomated with abeautiful music format. It played quarter-hour sweeps of soft, mostly instrumental music and was anaffiliate of theABC Information Network. It was originally powered at just 2,350 watts, a fraction of its current output.
In the late 1970s,disco music was gaining in popularity. In 1979, the format was flipped to all-disco and the call letters were changed to WSWF-FM (standing for Southwest Florida). In 1985, the station flipped toalbum-oriented rock (AOR) and the call letters were changed to WOOJ (Orange Rock 107). In 1988, facing competition from a new and more powerful rock competitor, 96.1WRXK, WOOJ tweaked its format toclassic rock.
In 1989, the station changed to "Cat Country 107.1" and the call sign became WCKT. In only one ratings period, the new Cat Country beat longtime Southwest Florida country outlet 101.9 WHEW to become the area's #1 country station. WCKT programmed a music intensive format up against WHEW's morefull service personality approach. WCKT 107.1 continued for several years until WHEW made a major change. It stayed country but becomeWWGR as "Gator Country 101.9" about the same time as the Ft. Myers and Naples markets were combined to become oneradio market. Since then, WWGR has been the #1 country outlet in the Ft. Myers - Naples metro area.
In 1996, WCKT was acquired byClear Channel Communications, which changed its name to iHeartMedia in 2014.[5] During WCKT's history, Clear Channel briefly had the station on its 100.1 FM frequency (what is nowWZJZ). Even though the 100.1 frequency is a stronger Class C1 signal, it is based inPort Charlotte. Its tower there didn't send a strong enough signal to cover the population living around Naples andMarco, on the southern end of the Fort Myers-Naples market.
In 2007, "Cat Country" returned to the 107.1 frequency. Over the years, it has gotten a boost in power and antenna height to better cover the spread-out Fort Myers radio market.
26°19′01″N81°47′13″W / 26.317°N 81.787°W /26.317; -81.787