| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Hampton Roads |
| Frequency | 107.7MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Party 107.7 |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Format | Gold-basedcontemporary hit radio |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | April 13, 1990 (35 years ago) (1990-04-13) |
Former call signs |
|
Call sign meaning | "Movin'" (former branding) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 31123 |
| Class | B1 |
| ERP | 15,000 watts |
| HAAT | 130 meters (430 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 36°48′37.0″N76°16′58.7″W / 36.810278°N 76.282972°W /36.810278; -76.282972 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live (viaiHeartRadio) |
| Website | party1077 |
WMOV-FM (107.7FM, "Party 107.7") is a commercial radio station inNorfolk, Virginia, servingHampton Roads. It carries a gold-basedcontemporary hit radio format and is owned byiHeartMedia.[2] The studios and offices are in Greenbrier.
Thetransmittertower is on Poindexter Street inChesapeake, near theElizabeth River andInterstate 464.[3] WMOV-FM broadcasts usingHD Radio technology. Its HD2digital subchannel formerly ran thesoft rock format of theiHeartRadio Cafe. The HD3 subchannel formerly carried iHeart'ssoft adult contemporary music service "The Breeze".
On April 13, 1990, the stationsigned on as WXRI-FM. It was owned by J.H. Communications, taking thecall sign of the former station on 105.3 MHz that had been owned by televangelistPat Robertson until its sale in May 1989.[4] It initially broadcast a business format from the Business Radio Network.
The stationstunting withChristmas music and then relaunched on Christmas day with thecontemporary Christian music format of the previous WXRI.[5] That ended when its parent company entered into an agreement in May 1992, to simulcast the music ofWBSK, anurban contemporary station that was co-owned withWOWI.[6]
On May 8, 1993, WBSK-FM changed its call sign to WSVY, and shifted to anurban adult contemporary format.[7]
In July 1997, WSVY began simulcasting with92.1 FM as "Vibe 107.7 and 92.1".[8]
By March 1999, WSVY shifted to the then-popularJammin' oldies format, which evolved back to urban AC. On June 25, 2001, WSVY and sisterWJCD swapped formats and call letters, with the urban AC "Vibe" format moving to 105.3 FM, while WJCD'ssmooth jazz format moved to 107.7.[9]
On March 1, 2004, WJCD flipped toadult contemporary as "Lite FM", and resumed its simulcast with 92.1, which dropped its urban format.[10] 92.1 would drop out of the simulcast again on August 12, 2005, when it flipped tooldies as WCDG.[11]
On December 26, 2006, WJCD flipped back to smooth jazz as "Smooth Jazz 107.7".[12]
On October 11, 2010, WJCD and WCDG became simulcasts again when WKUS moved from 105.3 to 107.7 and the 105.3 frequency became "Magic 105.3" with an AC-themedclassic hits format. The move meant the end for WJCD's smooth jazz format and WCDG's oldies format.[13][14] On October 27, 2010, WJCD changed their call letters to WKUS.
On March 31, 2011, at 3 p.m., WKUS broke away from its simulcast of WKSA and flipped torhythmic adult contemporary, branded as "MOViN' 107.7". The first song on "MOViN'" was "Get Ready for This" by2 Unlimited.[15]
On April 7, 2011, WKUS changed its call letters to WMOV-FM to match the new format. (The FMsuffix is required because there is aWMOV on the AM dial inRavenswood, West Virginia, with a different owner).
On November 2, 2012, WMOV-FM began to stunting with Christmas music as "Christmas 107.7", suggesting a possible format change. This did not occur, and it returned to its regular format on December 26.[16] It has continued switching to Christmas music every Mid-November to late December, ever since.
As of October 2018, WMOV-FM began patterning itself after sister stationWKTU New York City with an emphasis on rhythmic pop/dance music.
The station now competes withWVBW-FM 100.5, which flipped tourban adult contemporary in June 2022.
WMOV-FM had switched to Christmas music for most of November and December, beginning in 2013. With the competition from WVBW-FM, it stopped going all-Christmas in 2023. But in 2024, it returned to Christmas music, flipping earlier than most stations, at the beginning of November.[17] On December 26, 2024, WMOV-FM became gold-based CHR asParty 107-7.[18]
On WMOV-FM'sHD Radiodigital subchannel, its HD2 service originated "The iHeartRadio Café", a format consisting ofsoft rock from the 1970s and 1980s, and "yacht rock" music, much of it from singer-songwriters such asBilly Joel,Carly Simon,James Taylor andCarole King. It is heard nationally through the iHeartRadio app. The HD2 channel was dropped on October 1, 2022.
The HD3 subchannel carried iHeart's "The Breeze"soft adult contemporary music service. That was also dropped in 2022.