| Broadcast area | Metrolina |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 96.9MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 96.9 The Kat |
| Programming | |
| Format | Country music |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WEND,WHQC,WLKO,WRFX,W254AZ | |
| History | |
First air date | March 16, 1961; 64 years ago (1961-03-16) |
Former call signs |
|
Call sign meaning | Kat Kountry |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 68207 |
| Class | C |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 472 meters (1,549 ft) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live (viaiHeartRadio) |
| Website | 969thekat |
WKKT (96.9FM) is acommercial radio stationlicensed toStatesville, North Carolina, and serving theCharlotte -Metrolinaradio market. It airs acountryradio format and is owned byiHeartMedia, Inc. WKKT features twosyndicated programs on weekdays from co-ownedPremiere Networks:The Bobby Bones Show in evenings andAfter Midnite with Granger Smith overnight. WKKT's studios are in the 2100 building in Charlotte's south end district.
WKKT is aClass C station. It has aneffective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, the maximum for most FM stations. It broadcasts usingHD Radio technology. In theBoone area, WKKT is subject toco-channel interference fromWXBQ-FM, licensed toBristol, Virginia. The transmitters of the two stations are less than 100 miles (160 km) apart and both usedirectional antennas. WKKT has itstower on Mill Pond Lane near Shearers Road inMooresville.[2]
The stationsigned on the air on March 16, 1961; 64 years ago (1961-03-16).[3] Its originalcall sign was WDBM-FM, thesister station to co-ownedAMdaytime-only station 550 WDBM (nowWAME). The original owner was Walter B. Duke, with both stationssimulcasting their programming. When WDBM 550 would go off the air each evening at sunset, WDBM-FM would continued to broadcast. It was only powered at 3,000 watts, so the station signal was limited to the Statesville area.
The Duke family sold the stations in 1973, and the new owners separated the operations of the AM and FM outlets. At first, the FM station aired anautomatedTop 40 format with news supplied from theABC Contemporary Network. It later tried anunderground-styleprogressive rock sound, changing the call letters to WOOO and the station's slogan to "Triple-O-97".
In 1980, Metrolina Communications ofOrlando bought WOOO and WDBM for $660,000.[4] The new owners planned a soft music format on WOOO, along with new call letters, WLVV.[5] The station increased power from 9,000 to 100,000 watts with a new tower nearLake Norman, with the intention of covering Charlotte.[4] The change to "Love 97" happened February 3, 1981.[6] At first, problems with the new transmitter forced it to operate at reduced power.
Its initial format under the new call letters was "contemporary beautiful music"[4] using an automated system called "The FM100 Plan." It later changed to Churchill Productions' "Radio One", asoft adult contemporary format. Popular announcers on the station in those years included Phil Green, Bob Brandon, Bob Chrysler, Dan Lucas, Dick Durante and Anne Cruse. WLVV finally reached full power in November 1981 and began showing up in Charlotte ratings. In 1982, a year after it officially became a full-market Charlotte station, Capitol Broadcasting bought WLVV for $2 million along with its AM sister station. At the time, WLVV played artists such asJourney,Billy Joel,The Pointer Sisters,Kenny Rogers andHall & Oates.[4]
Another ownership change came in 1985. The new management flipped the station to country music and changed the call letters to WLVK ("K-97"). In January 1989, Bill Blevins, using the on-air nameBilly Buck, became the new morning host to compete with Charlotte's top DJ, Bill Dollar on WSOC.[7]
On March 23, 1990, the station switched to a more youthful "high-octane country" format as WTDR "Thunder 96.9." The first song was "If You Don't LikeHank Williams" byHank Williams Jr. Research showed many male listeners who liked country music also listened to leadingalbum rock station 99.7WRFX. Program director Mark Tudor said the previous target audience was 25-54, while the new audience for Thunder 96.9 was 21-37, specifically a median age of 33. Theplaylist included newer hits and less gold. Country-style rock songs in the new format included "Move It On Over" byGeorge Thorogood and "Sharp Dressed Man" byZZ Top. Softer acts such asKenny Rogers,Crystal Gayle andAnne Murray were no longer played, thoughRonnie Milsap's "Smoky Mountain Rain" andGeorge Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today" were acceptable. Liners included "Slammin' the Door on the Same Old Country" (referring to WSOC-FM), "Country Without theRestrictor Plate" and "Playing What You Asked for 'Cause No One Else Will".[8]
The experiment didn't last long, and the station went back to a more standard country sound under the moniker "New Country 96.9." However, the WTDR call sign remained for a while longer. Chuck Boozer returned to mornings on WTDR in 1994 after working afternoons atKPLX inDallas.[9]
The call sign was changed to the current WKKT in 1997. Along with the new call letters came a new nickname, "96.9 Kat Country." In December 1997, Paul Schadt moved to WKKT after 16 years at WSOC.[10] Schadt and Sarah Lee host morningdrive time on the station. Most iHeart Country stations carryThe Bobby Bones Show live on weekday mornings fromsister stationWSIX-FMNashville. But WKKT delays the show for airing in the evening.
WKKT'sHD2digital subchannel once carried achildren's radio format known as "Kids Club Radio", mixingcontemporary hits with music from popular kids shows and movies. Under the new name "iHeart Family Kids Club Radio," it remains on theiHeartRadio website and app. But the WKKT subchannel has since been turned off.[11]
35°31′59″N80°47′46″W / 35.533°N 80.796°W /35.533; -80.796