WCKN

WCKN
Broadcast areaCharleston metropolitan area
Frequency92.5 MHz
Branding92.5 Kickin' Country
Programming
FormatCountry
AffiliationsCompass Media Networks
Ownership
Owner
  • Saga Communications
  • (Saga South Communications, LLC)
WAVF, WMXZ, WSPO, WXST
History
First air date
1973 (as WTWE)
Former call signs
WTWE (1973–1986)
WHLZ (1986–2003)
WCSQ (2003–2005)
WIHB (2005–2011)
Call sign meaning
W KiCKiN
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID11651
ClassC1
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT237 meters (778 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
32°49′4.00″N 79°50′8.00″W / 32.8177778°N 79.8355556°W / 32.8177778; -79.8355556
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Website925kickincountry.com

WCKN (92.5 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Moncks Corner, South Carolina, United States, the station serves the Charleston, South Carolina area. The station is owned by Saga Communications as part of its Charleston Radio Group.[2] The station's studios are located in Charleston (east of the Cooper River) and the transmitter tower is in Mount Pleasant.

History

[edit]

This station started out at 92.1 with 3,000 watts and the letters WTWE and was licensed to Manning, South Carolina.[3]

In 1986, WTWE moved to 92.5 and became WHLZ "Wheels 92.5", a country radio station, broadcasting at 100,000 watts while remaining licensed to Manning. It was one of the biggest country stations in the Carolinas, with a signal from Lumberton, NC to Charleston, SC.

92.5 moved closer to Charleston in 2003 and became hot adult contemporary WCSQ "Coast 92.5," while the country format and WHLZ call letters moved to a smaller station licensed to Marion, South Carolina, near Florence.[4][5] WCSQ changed its format to top 40 with the call letters WIHB in 2005 with the moniker B92. It mainly competed with the more established top 40 in the market, WSSX, although B92 had more of a rhythmic lean.

In 2009, WIHB applied for a taller tower with power reduced to 77,000 watts.[2]

On Friday, March 19, 2010, "B-92" flipped formats from top 40 to Mainstream Urban as "92-5 The Box." The station called itself "Charleston's New #1 for Hip-Hop" and featured the Rickey Smiley Morning Show from 6:00am to 10:00am.

On May 31, 2011, WIHB changed their format to country, simulcasting WIOP 95.9 FM, which began its own format two weeks later. WIHB became WCKN "Kickin' 92.5", with Charlie James of WWNU as the morning host.[6][7]

In August 2013, WCKN began calling itself "New Country, Kickin’ 92.5."[8] In June 2017, WCKN rebranded as "92.5 Kickin' Country" with the slogan "Real Country Variety from the 1990s to Now."

On September 6, 2017, the sale of the station to Saga Communications was complete.[9]

Call sign history

[edit]

The station was assigned call sign WHLZ on 1986-03-01. On 2003-01-01, the station changed its call sign to WCSQ and again on 2005-09-21 to WIHB and on 2011-06-03 to the current WCKN.[10]

Previous logos

[edit]

References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WCKN". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ a b "WCKN Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. ^ Broadcasting and Cablecasting Yearbook, 1986.
  4. ^ "SC Radio Stations in South Carolina". Retrieved 2009-02-03.
  5. ^ "Access denied". whlz1005.com. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  6. ^ "WCKN Is Now Charleston's Kickin' 92.5". allaccess.com. 2011-07-05. Retrieved 2013-08-14.
  7. ^ Venta, Lance (2011-06-15). "Kickin' Moves To 92.5; WIOP Becomes Lite 95.9". radionisight.com. Retrieved 2013-08-14.
  8. ^ "WCKN Becomes 'New Country, Kickin 92.5'". allaccess.com. 2013-08-05. Retrieved 2013-08-14.
  9. ^ "Saga Closes The Door On TV, Welcomes Apex Stations". Radio + Television Business Report. 2017-09-06. Retrieved 2018-04-18.
  10. ^ "WCKN Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
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