WKKR
Encyclopedia
WKKR is a radio station
licensed
in Auburn, Alabama
, USA. The station, established in 1968, is currently owned by Qantum Communications and the broadcast license
is held by Qantum of Auburn License Company, LLC. In 1988, WKKR became the first Alabama radio station to earn the National Association of Broadcasters
Crystal Radio Award
for outstanding commitment to community service
.
format to the Auburn, Alabama metropolitan area. In addition to its usual music programming, WKKR broadcasts Opelika High School
football
and Auburn University
's Auburn Tigers football
games.
s of power on 97.7 MHz licensed to Faulkner Radio, Inc. Owner James H. Faulkner, Sr., also owned several other Alabama radio stations as well as the newspapers Baldwin Times and Foley Onlooker in Baldwin County, Alabama
. Broadcasting a middle of the road music radio format
, the station upgraded its signal strength to 3,000 watts of effective radiated power
in 1970. In 1973, the station switched to a "solid gold" oldies
and adult standards
music format. By 1979, WFRI had changed musical directions again and was programming a Top 40 pop music format. This change would also prove short-lived as WFRI aired a classic rock
format branded as "Rock 97" for most of the early 1980s.
In November 1984, Faulkner Radio, Inc., made a deal to sell WFRI and AM station WAOA (now WTLM
) to Fuller Broadcasting Company, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on January 7, 1985, and the transaction was consummated on March 18, 1985.
The AM station's format was flipped from country music
to oldies
and WFRI's format was switched from the "97 Rock" classic rock
format to a country music
format branded as "Kicker FM". New owner Fuller Broadcasting had the Federal Communications Commission
assign current call letters WKKR to match the branding on March 1, 1985
.
In August 1998, Fuller Broadcasting Company, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to Root Communications License Company, L.P., as part of a five-station deal. The deal was approved by the FCC on October 5, 1998, and the transaction was consummated in December 1998. Gary Fuller, president and CEO of Fuller Broadcasting Company, Inc. from 1985 until he sold the company in December 1998, was elected mayor of Opelika, Alabama
, in August 2004.
In March 2003, Root Communications License Company, L.P., reached an agreement to sell this station to Qantum Communications subsidiary Qantum of Auburn License Company, LLC, as part of a 26 station deal valued at $82.2 million. The deal was approved by the FCC on April 30, 2003, and the transaction was consummated on July 2, 2003.
) became the first stations in Alabama to earn the National Association of Broadcasters
Crystal Radio Award
. Established in 1987, the NAB Crystal Radio Awards recognize broadcasters for outstanding commitment to community service
.
WKKR is continuously chosen as "Best Of" in the local "OA News" and was awarded the 2008 "National Promotion of Year" Award from the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, Tennessee
.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
licensed
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
in Auburn, Alabama
Auburn, Alabama
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2010 population of 53,380. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area...
, USA. The station, established in 1968, is currently owned by Qantum Communications and the broadcast license
Broadcast license
A broadcast license or broadcast license is a specific type of spectrum license that grants the licensee the privilege to use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum in a given geographical area for broadcasting purposes. The licenses are generally straddled with additional restrictions that...
is held by Qantum of Auburn License Company, LLC. In 1988, WKKR became the first Alabama radio station to earn the National Association of Broadcasters
National Association of Broadcasters
The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association, workers union, and lobby group representing the interests of for-profit, over-the-air radio and television broadcasters in the United States...
Crystal Radio Award
NAB Crystal Radio Awards
The NAB Crystal Radio Awards are presented annually by the National Association of Broadcasters to American radio stations. The award was established in 1987 to recognize radio stations for year-round commitment to community service....
for outstanding commitment to community service
Community service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
.
Programming
WKKR broadcasts a country musicCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format to the Auburn, Alabama metropolitan area. In addition to its usual music programming, WKKR broadcasts Opelika High School
Opelika High School
Opelika High School is located in Opelika, Lee County, Alabama. Opelika High School, of the Opelika City Schools, serves students in grades 9-12. The principal is Dr. Farrell Seymore...
football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
and Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
's Auburn Tigers football
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
games.
History
New radio station WFRI began broadcasting on July 8, 1968, with 860 wattWatt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s of power on 97.7 MHz licensed to Faulkner Radio, Inc. Owner James H. Faulkner, Sr., also owned several other Alabama radio stations as well as the newspapers Baldwin Times and Foley Onlooker in Baldwin County, Alabama
Baldwin County, Alabama
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*85.7% White*9.4% Black*0.7% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.5% Two or more races*4.4% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. Broadcasting a middle of the road music radio format
Radio format
A radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
, the station upgraded its signal strength to 3,000 watts of effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
in 1970. In 1973, the station switched to a "solid gold" oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
and adult standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
music format. By 1979, WFRI had changed musical directions again and was programming a Top 40 pop music format. This change would also prove short-lived as WFRI aired a classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
format branded as "Rock 97" for most of the early 1980s.
In November 1984, Faulkner Radio, Inc., made a deal to sell WFRI and AM station WAOA (now WTLM
WTLM
WTLM is a radio station licensed in Opelika, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Qantum Communications and the license is held by Qantum of Auburn License Company, LLC.-Programming:...
) to Fuller Broadcasting Company, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on January 7, 1985, and the transaction was consummated on March 18, 1985.
The AM station's format was flipped from country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
to oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
and WFRI's format was switched from the "97 Rock" classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
format to a country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format branded as "Kicker FM". New owner Fuller Broadcasting had the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
assign current call letters WKKR to match the branding on March 1, 1985
1985 in radio
The year 1985 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*January 1 - CKLW Windsor, Ontario adopts the Music of Your Life format.*March 28 - A Roger Waters concert is broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall...
.
In August 1998, Fuller Broadcasting Company, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to Root Communications License Company, L.P., as part of a five-station deal. The deal was approved by the FCC on October 5, 1998, and the transaction was consummated in December 1998. Gary Fuller, president and CEO of Fuller Broadcasting Company, Inc. from 1985 until he sold the company in December 1998, was elected mayor of Opelika, Alabama
Opelika, Alabama
Opelika is a city in and the county seat of Lee County in the east central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area. According to 2010 Census, the population of Opelika was 26,477...
, in August 2004.
In March 2003, Root Communications License Company, L.P., reached an agreement to sell this station to Qantum Communications subsidiary Qantum of Auburn License Company, LLC, as part of a 26 station deal valued at $82.2 million. The deal was approved by the FCC on April 30, 2003, and the transaction was consummated on July 2, 2003.
Awards and honors
In 1988, WKKR and AM sister station WZMG (now WTLMWTLM
WTLM is a radio station licensed in Opelika, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Qantum Communications and the license is held by Qantum of Auburn License Company, LLC.-Programming:...
) became the first stations in Alabama to earn the National Association of Broadcasters
National Association of Broadcasters
The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association, workers union, and lobby group representing the interests of for-profit, over-the-air radio and television broadcasters in the United States...
Crystal Radio Award
NAB Crystal Radio Awards
The NAB Crystal Radio Awards are presented annually by the National Association of Broadcasters to American radio stations. The award was established in 1987 to recognize radio stations for year-round commitment to community service....
. Established in 1987, the NAB Crystal Radio Awards recognize broadcasters for outstanding commitment to community service
Community service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
.
WKKR is continuously chosen as "Best Of" in the local "OA News" and was awarded the 2008 "National Promotion of Year" Award from the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.
Notable alumni
- Marc ChaseMarc ChaseMarc Chase is an award-winning American radio executive currently working for Tribune Company as the President of Tribune Interactive.- History :...
, now working for Tribune CompanyTribune CompanyThe Tribune Company is a large American multimedia corporation based in Chicago, Illinois. It is the nation's second-largest newspaper publisher, with ten daily newspapers and commuter tabloids including Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel, South Florida...
as the President of Tribune Interactive, began his broadcasting career as a disc jockeyDisc jockeyA disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
at several Auburn area stations, including WFRI.