WKHL (FM)

WKHL
Broadcast areaHarrisburg, Pennsylvania
Frequency92.1 MHz
BrandingK-LOVE
Programming
FormatContemporary Christian
Ownership
OwnerEducational Media Foundation
WROZ
History
First air date
1959 (1959) (as WJWR)
Former call signs
  • WJWR (1959–1965)
  • WRLC (1965–1969)
  • WCTX (1969–1995)
  • WNCE-FM (1995–2001)
  • WWKL (2001–2011)
  • WTPA (2011–2018)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID12050
ClassA
ERP1,500 watts
HAAT183.2 meters (601 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
40°23′28.3″N 76°43′29.8″W / 40.391194°N 76.724944°W / 40.391194; -76.724944 (WKHL)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live
Websitewww.klove.com

WKHL (92.1 FM, "K-LOVE") is a non-commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Palmyra, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Educational Media Foundation and is an affiliate of K-LOVE, EMF's contemporary Christian music network.

History

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The station was first licensed on December 4, 1959, with the WJWR call sign. It was owned by William N. Reichard. The station was sold effective January 1, 1961, to Radio Music, Inc. On July 20, 1965, the call sign was changed to WRLC, followed by a change in ownership to Harrisburg Broadcasting Corporation effective on August 27, 1965. Another ownership change took place effective April 14, 1969, to Clinton Broadcasting Company, followed by a call sign change on May 15, 1969, to WCTX.[2] By 1977, the station was broadcasting a beautiful music format.[3]

By 1990, the station had switched to an oldies format,[4] but by 1994 the format had switched back to beautiful music.[5]

On November 2, 1995, the station was sold to Quaker State Broadcasting corporation.[6] Following the change in ownership, the station's call sign was changed to WNCE-FM on November 8, 1995.[7] The station's beautiful music format was not changed.[6]

In 1999, AMFM, Inc, through licensee Capstar TX L.P., purchased WNCE-FM (along with WTPA) for $15 million.[8] On October 3, 1999, Clear Channel Communications announced the purchase of AMFM, Inc., in a deal valued at $17.4 billion.[9] As a condition of the Clear Channel-AMFM merger, the United States Department of Justice forced the new company to sell 99 radio stations in 27 markets in United States, including Harrisburg-area stations WTPA, WNNK-FM, WTCY and WNCE-FM. All went to Cumulus Media.[10] The sale of WNCE-FM was completed on November 28, 2000.[11]

Following the sale, the station switched format to classic rock via a simulcast of Cumulus-owned sister station WTPA.[11] On August 3, 2001, the station's call sign was changed to WWKL.[7] The WTPA (FM) simulcast would continue until 2004.[12]

By 2005, the station had switched to a CHR/rhythmic format, branded as HOT 92. The move was part of a shakeup in the market when sister station WNNK-FM shifted to Adult Top 40 and to counter Rhythmic-leaning Top 40 Mainstream rival upstart WHKF-FM, a move that has paid off for them in terms of ratings. By 2006 WWKL began shifting towards a mainstream CHR direction to compete with WLAN-FM, even though as of 2009 they still reported to R&R/Nielsen BDS Rhythmic Airplay panel.[13]

In 2011, the United States Department of Justice approved the purchase of Citadel Broadcasting by Cumulus, provided that Cumulus divest itself of three stations,[14] two of which were WWKL (HOT 92) and WCAT-FM (Red 102.3) as well as the "intellectual property" of WTPA.[15] Cumulus chose to swap the WTPA and WWKL licenses, effectively moving the WTPA call sign and the rock music format to 92.1, while the WWKL call sign and the CHR format moved to 93.5. The swap took place on September 16, 2011,[16] after which WTPA changed its branding to 92.1 WTPA.

Cumulus Media placed WTPA into a trust named Potential Broadcasting LLC. On October 12, 2012, it was announced that the trust had sold WTPA to Patrick H. Sickafus, owner of WWSM in Annville, Pennsylvania.[17] The transaction consummated on January 31, 2013, at a purchase price of $530,000.[18]

Sale to Educational Media Foundation

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On November 9, 2017, Educational Media Foundation purchased WTPA for $750,000.[19] EMF planned to transition the station to become part of their K-LOVE contemporary Christian radio network,[20] which in the Harrisburg area already includes translator W269AS[19] and WKHW.[21] WTPA went silent on January 31, 2018, in preparation for the ownership change.[22][23] The sale consummated on February 1, 2018.[24] On February 12, 2018, the FCC granted WTPA a new license, which modified the previous license granted in 2006 from commercial to non-commercial status.[25][26] Two days later, on February 14, 2018, the FCC assigned the WKHL call sign to the station.[7] Prior to this call sign change, a station with the WTPA call sign had been on the air in the Harrisburg market since 1980.[20]

WKHL resumed operations with K-Love programming on March 21, 2018.[27]

References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WKHL". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Broadcast Station License Record". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  3. ^ "Stations by State NE-Territories" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1977. p. C-180. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  4. ^ "Stations by State N-W and Territories" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1990. p. B-266. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  5. ^ "Stations by State NE to USVI" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1994. p. B-318. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Stations by State NE-Territories" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1996. p. B-361. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  7. ^ a b c "Call Sign History [WKHL]". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  8. ^ "Stations by State NE to USVI" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 2000. p. D-385. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  9. ^ "Clear Channel gets AMFM". CNNMoney. October 4, 1999. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
  10. ^ "Clear Channel-AMFM Merger Gets Approval". Los Angeles Times. Washington. August 30, 2000. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  11. ^ a b "Stations by State NE to USVI" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 2001. p. D-387. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  12. ^ "Stations by State NE-Territories" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 2003–2004. p. D-408. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  13. ^ From bdsonline.com Archived March 8, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ "Cumulus gets antitrust OK to buy Citadel". Reuters. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  15. ^ "DOJ Approves Cumulus/Citadel Merger Pending Additional Spinoffs". radioinsight.com. September 15, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  16. ^ "Radio dial rotates 93.5 WTPA, HOT 92.1 and other area stations are undergoing changes". York Daily Record. Archived from the original on June 1, 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  17. ^ Venta, Lance (October 12, 2012). "WTPA Harrisburg Sold". RadioInsight. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  18. ^ "Classic Rocker WTPA Sold! Format change next?". mediaconfidential.blogspot.com. October 15, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  19. ^ a b "WTPA Harrisburg Sold To EMF - RadioInsight". RadioInsight. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  20. ^ a b Adams, Sean (January 12, 2018). "92.1 WTPA will transition from rock music to Christian adult contemporary". PennLive. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  21. ^ "Master Station List [Pennsylvania]". klove.com. Educational Media Foundation. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  22. ^ "Notification of Suspension of Operations". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. February 13, 2018. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  23. ^ "Notification of Suspension of Operations / Request for Silent STA". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. March 6, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  24. ^ "Consummation Notice". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. February 1, 2018. Retrieved February 8, 2018.
  25. ^ "Application Search Details [WKHL]". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. February 12, 2018. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  26. ^ "FM BROADCAST STATION LICENSE" (PDF). fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. February 12, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  27. ^ "Resumption of Operations". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. March 21, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
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