| Simulcast ofWWL,New Orleans | |
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| Broadcast area | New Orleans metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 105.3MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 105.3 WWL-FM |
| Programming | |
| Format | News-talk-sports |
| Subchannels | HD2: Sports–food–lifestyle |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| History | |
First air date | September 8, 1970; 55 years ago (1970-09-08) |
Former call signs |
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Call sign meaning | Taken fromWWL |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 52435 |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 96,000 watts |
| HAAT | 306 meters (1,004 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 29°58′57.7″N89°57′9.2″W / 29.982694°N 89.952556°W /29.982694; -89.952556 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast |
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| Website | www |
WWL-FM (105.3MHz) is acommercial radio stationlicensed toKenner, Louisiana, and serving theNew Orleans metropolitan area. It is owned byAudacy, Inc. WWL-FM andsister stationWWL (870 AM)simulcast anews-talk-sportsradio format. The studios and offices are in the400 Poydras Tower in theNew Orleans Central Business District.
WWL-FM has aneffective radiated power (ERP) of 96,000 watts. Itstransmitter site is off Paris Road inChalmette, Louisiana. WWL-FM broadcasts in theHD Radio hybrid format, with its HD2digital subchannel carrying bothInfinity Sports Network and shows on food and lifestyles.
The weekday schedule features news and talk programming mornings and early afternoons, shifting to sports talk and live play-by-play after 4 pm. All weekday programming from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. is hosted by local WWL personalities and reporters. The only nationallysyndicated programs areInfinity Sports Network shows at 8 pm, family finances expertDave Ramsey at 1 a.m. andThis Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal, at 4 am.
Weekend programming includes shows on money, law, gardening, home improvement and the outdoors before sports takes over the schedule. WWL is a long-timeaffiliate of theCBS Radio Network. Most hours on weekdays begin with local newscasts branded asWWL First News, whileCBS News begins most hours nights and weekends.
Sports shows begin during afternoondrive time, hosted by formerNFL quarterbackBobby Herbert. WWL-AM-FM are part-timeInfinity Sports Network affiliates. Programming from that network is heard in late evenings, and in several blocks during the day on weekends. When two live sporting events occur at the same time, one of the games moves tosister stationWWWL, which airs a mostly sports format.
For many years, WWL has been theflagship station for broadcasts ofNew Orleans Saintsfootball games, continuously since the1995 season.[2] WWL-AM-FM continue to be the lead stations on theNew Orleans Saints Radio Network, withaffiliates inLouisiana,Mississippi and three other states.
WWL-AM-FM are also the flagships forNew Orleans Pelicansbasketball broadcasts. The team had been withKLRZ for five years leading up to 2024. With the 2024-25 season, team broadcasts returned to WWL-AM-FM.[3]
WWL-AM-FM serve as the New Orleans outlets of theLSU Tigers, simulcasting all football games, while some men's basketball and baseball games are also heard. WWL-AM-FM share flagship status withWDGL inBaton Rouge. WWL was previously the radio home of theTulane Green Wave.
On September 8, 1970, the stationsigned on the air as WVSL-FM inSlidell, Louisiana.[4] It was owned by Bill Garrett Broadcasting, which also ownedWBGS (1560 AM). In the late 1970s, thecall sign for 105.3 was WXEL. In 1981, the station switched formats torhythmic contemporary as WAIL.
The station was acquired in 1984 by Phase Two Broadcasting, which changed thecall sign to WLTS, and flipped to asoft adult contemporary format.[5] "Lite 105" spent 16 years in this format, although over time, theplaylist shifted to a more uptempo, mainstream direction.
In 1999, the station was acquired byEntercom, its current owner.[6] Thecity of license was changed from Slidell to Kenner, whereLouis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is located. During this time, the station evolved to ahot adult contemporary format as WKZN "105.3 The Zone".
On August 29, 2005, the station's transmitter was severely damaged duringHurricane Katrina, knocking it off the air. It returned to broadcasting with low power as a temporary simulcast of co-owned WWL 870. Other FM stations in New Orleans suspended their music formats during the storm's aftermath to rebroadcast news from local TV stations.
In early October 2005, Entercom decided to switch two of its New Orleans FM station dial positions, with WTKL andWKBU exchanging frequencies. FM 105.3 became WTKL with aclassic hits format and the "Kool" name, formerly "Kool 95.7". However, only three weeks later, it was decided by Entercom to scrap the classic hits format and return 105.3 to the WWL simulcast. Entercom cited positive listener response to WWL being heard on FM and complaints about its removal from the FM dial. Some listeners said they wanted WWL programming to remain on FM due to issues receiving the AM station in theNew Orleans Central Business District. The "Kool 105.3" format continued as an Internet-only webcast for a short time after it was discontinued on FM.[7]
With 105.3 simulcasting WWL, Entercom asked theFederal Communications Commission (FCC) to switch the call letters to WWL-FM.Sister stationWLMG was the original home of the WWL-FM call sign, from 1970 to 1980, airingbeautiful music at first, and thenTop 40 hits.