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|---|---|
| Broadcast area | New Orleans metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 98.5MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 98.5 WYLD |
| Programming | |
| Format | Urban adult contemporary |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| History | |
First air date | March 11, 1965; 60 years ago (1965-03-11) |
Former call signs |
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Call sign meaning | Sounds like "wild" |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 11972 |
| Class | C0 |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 300 meters (980 ft) |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen live (viaiHeartRadio) |
| Website | wyldfm |
WYLD-FM (98.5MHz) is acommercial radio station inNew Orleans, Louisiana, and one of the highest-rated radio stations in the market. It airs anurban adult contemporaryradio format and is owned byiHeartMedia, Inc. The studios and offices are located inDowntown New Orleans. It carries thesyndicatedSteve Harvey Morning Show weekdays from co-ownedPremiere Networks.
WYLD-FM has aneffective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts.[1] Thetransmitter is on Behrman Highway in theAlgiers neighborhood of New Orleans.[2]
On March 11, 1965, 98.5 MHzsigned on as WWOM-FM, thesister station toWWOM.[3] It was owned by the Wagenwood Broadcasting Company, with studios at 344 Camp Street.
The station was sold to Advance Communications in 1972, and becameTop 40-formatted WIXO ("98.5 - a little cooler than normal"). However, in the early 1970s, only some people owned FM radios and ratings were low. On September 24, 1974, at 4 p.m., WIXO wentdark. "Golden Slumbers", "Carry That Weight", and "The End", tracks fromThe Beatles’Abbey Road album, were the final tunes to be played on the station. After Program Director and morning disc jockey Michael Greene (formerly ofWTIX) read the sign-off announcement, the station called it a day with "Her Majesty", the very last track fromAbbey Road.[4]
The station remained silent for five months, with the owners stating they could no longer bear its operating costs.[5] It was sold to Peterson Broadcasting Corporation in February 1975. Under Peterson, the newly renamed WYLD-FM began a successful run as arhythmic contemporary ("CHUrban") outlet after the format was shifted over fromWYLD (AM), which Peterson separately bought at the same time. For years, it was branded asWYLD FM 98 and later asWYLD FM 98 Jammin'!. By the late 1980s, it competed withWQUE-FM, which lasted until 1993, when it became WQUE'ssister station. With WQUE concentrating on youthful listeners, WYLD-FM evolved into its currenturban adult contemporary format.
WYLD-AM-FM were acquired bySan Antonio-basedClear Channel Communications in 1993.[6] Clear Channel was the forerunner to today's owner,iHeartMedia, Inc.
Until December 2013, WYLD-FM carried the syndicatedTom Joyner Morning Show. Crosstown competitorKMEZ picked up Joyner, and WYLD-FM switched to carryingSteve Harvey in the morning, which formerly aired on WQUE.
On August 1, 2012, WYLD-FM'sHD2 subchannel and itsFM translatorK242CE (96.3 FM) dropped theirsmooth jazz format forTop 40/CHR as "96.3 KISS FM". This marks the second time in the market that Clear Channel has used the Top 40 "KISS-FM" brand, which was previously used atKSTE-FM.[7] The "Kiss FM" format lasted until February 17, 2014, when K242CE switched toactive rock,simulcasting WRNO-HD2.[8] The translator now carries the "Throwback" format, airingclassic hip hop.
29°55′12″N90°01′30″W / 29.920°N 90.025°W /29.920; -90.025