 | |
| Broadcast area | Fort Wayne metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 103.9MHz |
| Branding | 103.9 Wayne FM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic Hits |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | May 1, 1976; 48 years ago (May 1, 1976) (as WXKE) |
Former call signs |
|
Call sign meaning | FortWayne |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 56765 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 1,600watts |
| HAAT | 140 meters (460 ft) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 1039waynefm.com |
WWFW (103.9MHz) is acommercialFMradio station inFort Wayne, Indiana. It airs aclassic hitsradio format and is owned by theAdams Radio Group. The studios are on Lower Huntington Road in Fort Wayne.
WWFW is aClass A station. It has aneffective radiated power (ERP) of 1,600watts directional with a null to the northwest. Thetransmittertower is off Hillegas Road in Fort Wayne, nearInterstate 69.[2]
The stationsigned on the air on May 1, 1976; 48 years ago (May 1, 1976). The originalcall sign was WXKE. For four years, 2002 to 2006, it changed its call sign to WYLT when it aired a "Lite" music format. It returned to its original call sign from 2006 to 2014. The station was owned by Summit City.
In March 2014, the Adams Radio Group entered an agreement to purchase Summit City's cluster (which included WXKE). Days later, Adams announced the company would also purchase the Oasis Radio Group's stations. To meet ownership limits, Adams would retainWNHT 96.3,WGL 1240 and WXKE 103.9, as well as acquiring Oasis Radio Group'sWJFX 107.9 andWBTU 93.3. At the same time, it would sell offWHPP 106.3 to Fort Wayne Catholic Radio, and sellWGL-FM 102.9 to the Calvary Radio Network.WLYV 1450 and two translators (on 96.9 FM and 103.3 FM) would also be acquired by Adams. The transaction, at a price of $6.4 million, was consummated on June 2, 2014.
As a result, Adams planned a multi-station format restructuring. On June 2, Adams announced that WXKE would move to the stronger 96.3 signal, displacing WNHT'sRhythmic Contemporary format. The two stations would simulcast for ten days.
The 103.9 station changed to the current WWFW call sign on June 2, 2014. Later that month, on June 20, 2014, at 10:39 pm, afterstunting for an hour and a half with music similar to that of call holding or elevator music, WWFW launched asoft adult contemporary format. It was branded as "The New Soft Rock 103-9". The first song on "Soft Rock" was "Celebration" byKool and the Gang.[3]
Starting in the fall of 2014, WWFW annually made a seasonal format change to all-Christmas music for much of November and December. The station initially featured a Soft AC lean, but gradually evolved to Mainstream AC during the first year on the air. During the Christmas music stint in November 2016, WWFW dropped the "Soft Rock" branding in favor of "Christmas 103.9". On December 7, the station announced through itsFacebook page, that they would rebrand as "103.9 Sunny FM" on the 26th.[4] The change took place at midnight on that date; the first song on Sunny FM was "Faith" byGeorge Michael (serving as a tribute to Michael, as he had died on Christmas Day).[5] The format shifted back to Soft AC by 2018.
On December 18, 2019, WWFW announced that the station would flip toVariety Hits as "103.9 Wayne FM" upon the conclusion of its Christmas music run.[6] At 6 p.m. on December 25, after playing "Merry Christmas Darling" byThe Carpenters (bookending the "Sunny" format, as it was also the last Christmas song played before the previous relaunch in 2016), WWFW flipped to "Wayne FM", withTom Petty and the Heartbreakers' "Mary Jane's Last Dance" being the first song played.
Effective June 9, 2023, Adams Radio Group's portfolio of eighteen stations and translators, including WWFW, was sold for $12.6 million.
On May 13, 2024, WWFW flipped to classic hits, directly competing with similarly formattedWLDE. WWFW's playlist leans more towards pop and dance titles, while WLDE is moreclassic rock-oriented.[7]
41°06′32″N85°09′54″W / 41.109°N 85.165°W /41.109; -85.165