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|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Hampton Roads |
| Frequency | 95.7MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 95-7 R&B |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Format | Urban adult contemporary |
| Subchannels | HD2: The Bet (sports gambling) |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| History | |
First air date | September 21, 1961; 64 years ago (1961-09-21) |
Former call signs |
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Call sign meaning | former "Virginia Kool" branding |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 4672 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 40,000 watts |
| HAAT | 268 meters (879 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 36°48′56.5″N76°27′58.8″W / 36.815694°N 76.466333°W /36.815694; -76.466333 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast |
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| Website | www |
WVKL (95.7FM) – branded95-7 R&B – is a commercialurban adult contemporary radio station licensed to serveNorfolk, Virginia. Owned byAudacy, Inc.,[2] the station services theHampton Roads region, and is the market affiliate forThe Steve Harvey Morning Show. The WVKL studios are located inVirginia Beach, while the station transmitter resides in nearbySuffolk. In addition to a standardanalog transmission, WVKL broadcasts over twoHD Radiodigital subchannels, and is available online viaaudacy
This station began operations as WTAR-FM on September 21, 1961,[3] owned by Norfolk Newspapers, publisher ofThe Virginian-Pilot andThe Ledger-Star. Norfolk Newspapers also owned Virginia's first radio station,WTAR (790 AM), and the market'sCBS network affiliate,WTAR-TV.[4] There had been a previous WTAR-FM on 97.3 MHz that began broadcasting in 1948, but had ceased operations a couple of years later.
From its sign-on, WTAR-FM has had aneffective radiated power of 40,000 watts, broadcasting from a tower built for WTAR-TV, giving WTAR-FM aheight above average terrain of 879 feet (268 meters), which makes the station overpowered by current standards. On that tower, aClass B station should be limited to around 16,000 watts, but WVKL continues to enjoy a larger coverage area thanks to itsgrandfathered power.
By the early 1970s, WTAR-FM was separately programmed, airing abeautiful music format; by 1977, WTAR-FM switched itscall sign to WKEZ, with the "EZ" in the call letters referring toeasy listening music.[5]
As Norfolk Newspapers began acquiring newspapers and broadcast properties in other states, it was renamed Landmark Communications, and laterLandmark Media Enterprises. In the 1970s, the FCC began discouraging one company from owning a newspaper, TV station and radio stations, all in the samemedia market. Landmark was exempt because it owned the properties before the FCC rules went into effect, but decided to sell WTAR-TV toKnight-Ridder in 1981. WKEZ was concurrently moved to asoft adult contemporary format as WLTY, brandedThe New Y96.[6] The "LT" stood for both "Lite Music" and the slogan "We Listen To You". WLTY shifted tooldies asThe New Oldies 96 in May 1989, and then later asOldies 95.7.[7]
In 1993, Benchmark Communications spent $4.5 million to buy both WLTY and WTAR.[8] In 1997, Benchmark sold WLTY to Heritage Broadcasting, which changed WLTY's call letters to WVCL and re-branded as "Cool 95."[9] The following year, the call sign was modified to WVKL, so instead of "Cool" it became "Kool 95.7."
In February 1998, the Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired WVKL.[10] In December 1999, the station was bought by Entercom.[11] On January 9, 2001, WVKL switched to its currentUrban AC format.[12] Entercom has guided WVKL to becoming one of the top stations in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News radio market.
On February 23, 2022, WVKL added The Bet to its HD3 subchannel.[13]