WQKS-FM
Encyclopedia
WQKS-FM is a radio station
licensed
to serve Montgomery, Alabama
, USA. The station, established in 1990, is currently owned by Bluewater Broadcasting.
music format. It adopted its current oldies format in 2008 after broadcasting as classic hits
"Alice 96.1" since early 2000. The station's "Q-96.1" imaging is very much like radio station identifications of the 1960s and 1970s, the heyday of Top 40 and MOR radio.
Q-96.1 has an extensive playlist
of nearly two thousand songs that draws from five decades of rock and pop history. Notable on-air personalities include former Miami market morning disc jockey Greg Budell, local songstress Susan Woody, and longtime Montgomery personality Skipper. Budell hosts the morning show and has a daily "Q-nundrum" contest; Woody takes requests during her midday shift; and Skipper anchors the afternoon drive shift and features the "Forgotten 45
" of the day, typically a low-charting single
or one-hit wonder
. On the weekends, the programming shifts to the "1000-Song Weekend," reminiscent of the original iPod shuffle made popular on Alice. Weekend disc jockeys include the station's owner, Rick Peters.
Q-96.1 has proven to be quite successful in the Montgomery market, moving into the #7 position in the Spring 2009 Arbitron
ratings
for Average Quarter Hour 12+ listeners.
from the Federal Communications Commission
on December 4, 1990
. The new station was assigned the call letters WLNE-FM by the FCC on December 21, 1990. WLNE-FM received its license to cover
from the FCC on February 1, 1991.
From its origins in the early 1990s, the station was created and owned by Al Stroh and the now-defunct Montgomery Broadcast Properties. This frequency began as WLNE-FM ("We're Light N Easy") with beautiful music and standards in 1991. Later, 96.1 moved towards Lite AC as "Lite FM 96".
In March 1995, the station switched to the popular "Arrow" (All Rock and Roll Oldies) format and changed the calls to WRWO. The station dropped oldies in 1997 and became known as "Kiss 96" with an urban contemporary format. The station debuted another new format in late 1998, this time all 1980s music with the slogan "The 80's Channel, Kiss 96.1". In June 1999, the call letters officially changed to WQKS-FM to match the "Kiss" branding.
WQKS-FM made yet another format tweak in early 2000 into "Rockin' hits of the 80's, 90's and 70's" with the slogan "Alice 96.1". Alice was a successful station for most of its eight years, particularly on weekends with its popular "Alice Shuffle" format -- the musical predecessor of Q-96.1.
On August 25, 2008, WQKS-FM dropped its rockin' hits format for oldies, adopting the moniker "Q-96.1".
music format.
format branded as "Yo! 107.1", using the frequency of FM translator W296AI in its branding.
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....
to serve Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
, USA. The station, established in 1990, is currently owned by Bluewater Broadcasting.
Programming
WQKS-FM broadcasts an oldiesOldies
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....
music format. It adopted its current oldies format in 2008 after broadcasting as classic hits
Classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
"Alice 96.1" since early 2000. The station's "Q-96.1" imaging is very much like radio station identifications of the 1960s and 1970s, the heyday of Top 40 and MOR radio.
Q-96.1 has an extensive playlist
Playlist
In its most general form, a playlist is simply a list of songs. They can be played in sequential or shuffled order. The term has several specialized meanings in the realms of radio broadcasting and personal computers.-In radio:...
of nearly two thousand songs that draws from five decades of rock and pop history. Notable on-air personalities include former Miami market morning disc jockey Greg Budell, local songstress Susan Woody, and longtime Montgomery personality Skipper. Budell hosts the morning show and has a daily "Q-nundrum" contest; Woody takes requests during her midday shift; and Skipper anchors the afternoon drive shift and features the "Forgotten 45
45
Year 45 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Vinicius and Sabinus...
" of the day, typically a low-charting single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
or one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
. On the weekends, the programming shifts to the "1000-Song Weekend," reminiscent of the original iPod shuffle made popular on Alice. Weekend disc jockeys include the station's owner, Rick Peters.
Q-96.1 has proven to be quite successful in the Montgomery market, moving into the #7 position in the Spring 2009 Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
ratings
Audience measurement
Audience measurement measures how many people are in an audience, usually in relation to radio listenership and television viewership, but also in relation to newspaper and magazine readership and, increasingly, web traffic on websites...
for Average Quarter Hour 12+ listeners.
History
96.1 has only been in existence a relatively short time, but has featured several sets of call letters and various formats over the past two decades. This station received its original construction permitConstruction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
from 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...
on December 4, 1990
1990 in radio
The year 1990 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*KJJO in Minneapolis, Minnesota transitions from active rock to alternative rock.*KBLN in Dallas, Texas becomes KXEB.*Daytimer KKDA in Dallas, Texas begins nighttime broadcasting....
. The new station was assigned the call letters WLNE-FM by the FCC on December 21, 1990. WLNE-FM received its license to cover
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...
from the FCC on February 1, 1991.
From its origins in the early 1990s, the station was created and owned by Al Stroh and the now-defunct Montgomery Broadcast Properties. This frequency began as WLNE-FM ("We're Light N Easy") with beautiful music and standards in 1991. Later, 96.1 moved towards Lite AC as "Lite FM 96".
In March 1995, the station switched to the popular "Arrow" (All Rock and Roll Oldies) format and changed the calls to WRWO. The station dropped oldies in 1997 and became known as "Kiss 96" with an urban contemporary format. The station debuted another new format in late 1998, this time all 1980s music with the slogan "The 80's Channel, Kiss 96.1". In June 1999, the call letters officially changed to WQKS-FM to match the "Kiss" branding.
WQKS-FM made yet another format tweak in early 2000 into "Rockin' hits of the 80's, 90's and 70's" with the slogan "Alice 96.1". Alice was a successful station for most of its eight years, particularly on weekends with its popular "Alice Shuffle" format -- the musical predecessor of Q-96.1.
On August 25, 2008, WQKS-FM dropped its rockin' hits format for oldies, adopting the moniker "Q-96.1".
Ownership
In March 2004, Montgomery Broadcast Properties Ltd. (Allan Stroh, CEO) reached an agreement to sell this station to Bluewater Broadcasting LLC. The sale was part of a four-station deal valued at a reported $15.3 million. The deal was approved by the FCC on April 21, 2004, and the transaction was consummated on June 21, 2004. At the time of the sale, WQKS-FM was broadcasting a classic hitsClassic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
music format.
WQKS-HD2
On August 17, 2011 WQKS-HD2 launched a soft AC format, branded as "Lite 100.5", using the frequency of FM translator W263BX in its branding.WQKS-HD3
On August 17, 2011 WQKS-HD3 launched a classic hip hopHip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
format branded as "Yo! 107.1", using the frequency of FM translator W296AI in its branding.