WVOK-FM
Encyclopedia
WVOK-FM is a radio station
broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary music format. Licensed to Oxford, Alabama
, it serves the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Area
. It is owned and operated by Woodard Broadcasting Company, Inc.
was launched in Birmingham, Alabama
as an Album-Oriented Rock
radio station called “K-99.” The station broadcast from the 99.5 MHz frequency; it was originally a counterpart to WVOK-AM
690http://wvok-memories.tripod.com/, one of the more popular Top 40 stations of its era. WVOK-FM changed its call letters to WRKK in 1979; it kept its Rock format until 1983, when it became “K99 Country.” Several format changes later, the station is now known in Birmingham as WZRR
“Rock 99.5.”
The WVOK call letters would not be heard on the FM dial again until the creation of a new radio station in Oxford, Alabama
. Jimmy and Geraldine Woodard, owners of WEYY-FM in Talladega, Alabama
, were granted a construction permit for the first commercial FM station licensed to Oxford. The station began broadcast in 1990 as WKFN “K98” on the 97.9 MHz frequency. In 1992, WKFN acquired the WVOK call letters; however, its “K98” nickname remained the same.
station WHMA of Anniston
, known by listeners as “Alabama 100.” In early 2001, Susquehanna Radio purchased Alabama 100 and moved it to College Park, Georgia
. After the move, Alabama 100 changed its call letters to WWWQ and became a Top-40 station serving the Atlanta radio market. As a result, WVOK saw an increase in their local Arbitron
ratings.
Since K98 began broadcast in 1990, it has employed a number of various disk jockeys, including Rick Burgess from the syndicated “Rick and Bubba
” radio program. Its radio format
, however, has seen little change. Shortly after Clear Channel
station WQEN ("103-7 the Q")
relocated its transmitter from Springville, Alabama
to Birmingham
in early 2005, WVOK briefly changed its music format to Contemporary Hit Radio
. They have, however, since returned to the lighter Hot AC format.
In early 2006, WVOK-FM began using its frequency
and call letters often (instead of the "K98" nickname) as its station identifier. Its slogan is "The Best of the 80's, 90's and Today".
In early 2008, a new morning talk show called The Steve and Carl Show signed on.
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...
broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary music format. Licensed to Oxford, Alabama
Oxford, Alabama
Oxford is a city in Calhoun and Talladega counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population was 14,592 at the 2000 census. Oxford is one of two principal cities of and included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, it serves the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Area
Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Area
The Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area is the most populated metropolitan area in Northeast Alabama next to Huntsville. At the 2000 census, it had a population of 112,249...
. It is owned and operated by Woodard Broadcasting Company, Inc.
Early history
In 1977, WVOK-FMWZRR
WZRR is a classic rock FM radio station licensed to Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. Its on-air name is "Rock 99". The station is owned by Cumulus Media. Other stations in the market that Cumulus owns include WJOX-FM , WAPI-FM , WUHT-FM , WJOX-AM and WAPI-AM...
was launched in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
as an Album-Oriented Rock
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
radio station called “K-99.” The station broadcast from the 99.5 MHz frequency; it was originally a counterpart to WVOK-AM
WSPZ
WSPZ — branded SportsTalk 570 — is a sports radio station licensed to Bethesda, Maryland and serving the Washington metro area. It has a daytime power of 5,000 watts....
690http://wvok-memories.tripod.com/, one of the more popular Top 40 stations of its era. WVOK-FM changed its call letters to WRKK in 1979; it kept its Rock format until 1983, when it became “K99 Country.” Several format changes later, the station is now known in Birmingham as WZRR
WZRR
WZRR is a classic rock FM radio station licensed to Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. Its on-air name is "Rock 99". The station is owned by Cumulus Media. Other stations in the market that Cumulus owns include WJOX-FM , WAPI-FM , WUHT-FM , WJOX-AM and WAPI-AM...
“Rock 99.5.”
The WVOK call letters would not be heard on the FM dial again until the creation of a new radio station in Oxford, Alabama
Oxford, Alabama
Oxford is a city in Calhoun and Talladega counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population was 14,592 at the 2000 census. Oxford is one of two principal cities of and included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. Jimmy and Geraldine Woodard, owners of WEYY-FM in Talladega, Alabama
Talladega, Alabama
Talladega is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 15,143. The city is the county seat of Talladega County. Talladega is approximately 50 miles east of Birmingham, Alabama....
, were granted a construction permit for the first commercial FM station licensed to Oxford. The station began broadcast in 1990 as WKFN “K98” on the 97.9 MHz frequency. In 1992, WKFN acquired the WVOK call letters; however, its “K98” nickname remained the same.
Recent history
On February 19, 1990, K98 signed on as an Adult Contemporary station, playing music from the 1950’s through the 1990’s. At that time, WVOK was one of very few local stations to compete against the 100,000-watt 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...
station WHMA of Anniston
Anniston
Anniston may refer to:* Places:** Anniston, Alabama** Anniston, Missouri* Anniston Munitions Center* Anniston * USS Anniston, a.k.a. USS Montgomery See also:* Aniston...
, known by listeners as “Alabama 100.” In early 2001, Susquehanna Radio purchased Alabama 100 and moved it to College Park, Georgia
College Park, Georgia
College Park is a city located partly in Fulton County, Georgia and partially in Clayton County, Georgia, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 13,942...
. After the move, Alabama 100 changed its call letters to WWWQ and became a Top-40 station serving the Atlanta radio market. As a result, WVOK saw an increase in their local 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.
Since K98 began broadcast in 1990, it has employed a number of various disk jockeys, including Rick Burgess from the syndicated “Rick and Bubba
Rick and Bubba
Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey are cohosts of The Rick & Bubba Show—a syndicated comedic radio program based in Birmingham, Alabama...
” radio program. Its 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...
, however, has seen little change. Shortly after Clear Channel
Clear channel
A clear-channel station is an AM band Radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. Usually known as class A stations since 1982, they are occasionally still referred to by their former...
station WQEN ("103-7 the Q")
WQEN
WQEN is a radio station licensed to serve Trussville, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications...
relocated its transmitter from Springville, Alabama
Springville, Alabama
Springville is a town in St. Clair County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,521.-Geography:Springville is located at .According to the U.S...
to Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
in early 2005, WVOK briefly changed its music format to Contemporary Hit Radio
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
. They have, however, since returned to the lighter Hot AC format.
In early 2006, WVOK-FM began using its frequency
Frequency
Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit time. It is also referred to as temporal frequency.The period is the duration of one cycle in a repeating event, so the period is the reciprocal of the frequency...
and call letters often (instead of the "K98" nickname) as its station identifier. Its slogan is "The Best of the 80's, 90's and Today".
In early 2008, a new morning talk show called The Steve and Carl Show signed on.
Other facts
- WVOK-FM is recognized as one of the only radio stations in Alabama to remain on the air during the "Storm of the Century" in 1993. WVOK received honors from the city of OxfordOxford, AlabamaOxford is a city in Calhoun and Talladega counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population was 14,592 at the 2000 census. Oxford is one of two principal cities of and included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, former Alabama Governor Guy Hunt, and others for keeping the station on the air through the duration of the storm. - WVOK-FM is one of three stations in the Anniston/Gadsden market whose call letters were previously assigned to Top 40 stations in Birmingham. The other two are WSGN-FM and WKXXWKXXWKXX is a radio station licensed to the community of Attalla, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Broadcast Media LLC.WKXX broadcasts a hot adult contemporary music format to the greater Gadsden, Alabama, area...
. - There has been much speculation about the WVOK call signCall signIn broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
meaning over the years. Although disk jockeys from the original WVOK-AM radio station sometimes referred to it as the Voice Of Kindness, the call letters themselves actually do not stand for anything.