WHBT-FM

WHBT-FM
Broadcast area
Frequency92.1 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding92-1 The Beat
Programming
FormatClassic hip hop/urban adult contemporary
AffiliationsPremiere Networks
Ownership
Owner
WMOV-FM, WNOH, WOWI
History
First air date
October 17, 1974 (1974-10-17)
Former call signs
  • WJLY (1974–1979)
  • WQZQ (1979–1990)
  • WOFM (1990)
  • WTZR (1990–1991)
  • WMYK (1991–1997)
  • WSVV (1997–2001)
  • WBHH (2001–2004)
  • WCDG (2004–2010)
  • WKSA (2010–2015)
Call sign meaning
"Hampton Roads Beat"
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID70345
ClassC3
ERP14,500 watts
HAAT131 meters (430 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
36°37′38.0″N 76°13′7.0″W / 36.627222°N 76.218611°W / 36.627222; -76.218611
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live (via iHeartRadio)
Websitethebeatva.iheart.com

WHBT-FM (92.1 MHz) is a classic hip hop/urban adult contemporary formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Moyock, North Carolina, serving Hampton Roads and Northeastern North Carolina.[2] WHBT-FM is owned and operated by iHeartMedia.[3] WHBT-FM broadcasts in the HD Radio (hybrid) format.[4]

History

The station originally signed on October 17, 1974, as WJLY, which played a variety of genres, but signed off in 1978 due to financial issues.[5] It signed back on as Top 40-formatted WQZQ in 1989.[6] It later changed to country, adult contemporary as WOFM and AAA formats. On July 16, 1990, it flipped to the satellite-fed Z-Rock network as WTZR.[7][8][9]

In June 1991, the station was sold to Willis Broadcasting who changed the calls to WMYK and instituted an urban AC format as "92.1 Kiss FM".[10] On August 9, 1996, after Clear Channel purchased the station, WMYK flipped to a Crossover format, which failed in the ratings; after this, the format shifted to a harder-edged urban as “K92" (not to be confused with Roanoke's K92). On July 3, 1997, WMYK flipped to a simulcast of sister station WSVY, which aired a Jammin' Oldies format, and was branded as "Vibe 107.7 and 92.1".[11] The format would later shift back to their urban AC roots. On February 1, 2001, 92.1 split from the simulcast and returned to urban as WBHH, "92.1 The Beat".[12] On March 1, 2003, the station dropped its hip hop format and started simulcasting a soft AC format with former smooth jazz sister station WJCD; the two stations together were known as "Lite FM", and WBHH adopted the call letters WCDG on March 9, 2004.[13][14]

On August 12, 2005, to fill the hole left when crosstown oldies WFOG switched to adult contemporary the month prior, WCDG broke away from the simulcast and became oldies-formatted "Cool 92.1". The first song played was Bill Deal and the Rhondels' "What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am)".[15]

On October 11, 2010, WCDG and WJCD became simulcasts again when WKUS moved from 105.3 to 107.7 and the 105.3 frequency became "Magic 105.3" with an AC-themed classic hits format. The move meant the end for WCDG's oldies format and WJCD's smooth jazz format.[16][17] On October 27, 2010, WCDG changed their call letters to WKSA. On March 31, 2011, WKUS broke away from its simulcast of WKSA to become rhythmic AC WMOV (MOViN' 107.7) after that station received a signal upgrade to cover the area.[18]

On December 26, 2014, at 10 a.m., WKSA began stunting as "Missy FM," featuring music recorded by Portsmouth-born artist Missy Elliott, who also did imaging and voice overs, as well as Timbaland and Aaliyah. On January 5, 2015, at 9 a.m., WKSA flipped to classic hip hop and returned to the "Beat" branding.[19][20][21] On January 22, 2015, WKSA changed their call letters to WHBT-FM to match the "Beat" branding.

References

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WHBT-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
  3. ^ "WHBT Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
  4. ^ "Station Guides". hdradio.com. Archived from the original on September 18, 2016. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  5. ^ "BC YB 1977" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Retrieved January 31, 2024.[dead link‍]
  6. ^ "2Facilities" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com.[dead link‍]
  7. ^ "1990/RR-1990-07-20" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com.
  8. ^ "B-Radio-NE-MT-1991-B&W" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com.[dead link‍]
  9. ^ Pryweller, Joseph (July 17, 1990). "Station WOFM Changes Format to Heavy Metal". Daily Press. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
  10. ^ "B-Radio-NE-Ter-BC-YB-1994-B&W" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com.
  11. ^ "RADIO STATION WMYK FIRES ALL OF ITS DEEJAYS, BEGINS TO SIMULCAST.(DAILY BREAK) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA) | HighBeam Research". 2018-04-23. Archived from the original on 2018-04-23. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  12. ^ "A-Radio-NE-TER-BC-YB-2002-3" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  13. ^ "CORPORATE CHANGES ABOUND FOR LOCAL RADIO STATIONS.(LOCAL) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA) | HighBeam Research". 2018-04-23. Archived from the original on 2018-04-23. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  14. ^ "FANS UPSET BY CHANGE IN RADIO FORMATS.(DAILY BREAK) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA) | HighBeam Research". 2018-04-23. Archived from the original on 2018-04-23. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  15. ^ "Missy Elliott up for 6 MTV awards.(Daily Break) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA) | HighBeam Research". 2018-04-23. Archived from the original on 2018-04-23. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  16. ^ "Smooth jazz format dropped in Clear Channel radio shuffle". Daily Press. October 11, 2010. Archived from the original on January 6, 2011. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
  17. ^ "Three Way Format Change in Norfolk/Virginia Beach". 11 October 2010.
  18. ^ "107.7 WKUS Norfolk Movin Towards a Divorce". 31 March 2011.
  19. ^ "WKSA Norfolk Flips to Classic Hip-Hop". 5 January 2015.
  20. ^ "WKSA-Norfolk flips to 92.1 the Beat – THE URBAN BUZZ".
  21. ^ "WKSA Becomes Classic Hip-Hop the Beat". 5 January 2015.