WPHI
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| City of license | Media, Pennsylvania |
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| Broadcast area | Philadelphia |
| Branding | 100.3 The Beat |
| Slogan | "The Most Rap, Hip Hop and R&B" |
| First air date | February 25, 2005 |
| Frequency | 100.3 (MHz) |
| Format | Urban Contemporary Hit Radio |
| ERP | 17,000 watts |
| Callsign meaning | W PHIladelphia |
| Owner | Radio One |
| Website | www.1003thebeatphilly.com |
WPHI, also known as "100.3 The Beat", is a hip-hop-leaning Urban CHR FM radio station owned by Radio One. The station is licensed to Media, Pennsylvania and serves the Philadelphia market.
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[edit] WPHI FM Intellectual Unit History
The station unit now occupying 100.3 began broadcasting in the early '70's as an ethnic/religious station on 103.9 FM. The call letters WIBF stood for William, Irwin, and Benjamin Fox, who also owned channel 29 in the 60's (This Fox family had no association with Fox Broadcasting, the current owners of Channel 29). In 1992, the station became WDRE, playing a Modern Rock format. In 1996 103.9 WDRE was sold to Radio One.
Then on February 7, 1997, under this new ownership, the Modern Rock format ended and was replaced by a Hip Hop based Urban Contemporary format. The call letters became WPHI. In 2001 the station modified the format to include dance music. The station at that point was reclassified as Rhythmic CHR. By 2004 the station backed off the dance music and became all hip hop and R &B. In Feb. 2005, the intellectual WPHI FM unit moved over to 100.3 ending the Y-100 Modern Rock format there. 103.9 then became a Gospel Music station known as Praise 103.9 WPPZ.
[edit] 100.3 FM History
100.3 FM first went on the air in the 1960's as WXUR, simulcasting its sister station, WXUR 690-AM. The station was owned by Carl McIntire, a Presbyterian preacher. They ran a religious format. In 1973, the FCC revoked the station's license for violating the Fairness Doctrine, refusing to air competing viewpoints. The frequency then went dark.
The frequency was then sold to local owners in 1981. The owners were known as Greater Media Radio (referring to the city of license) but not associated in any way with company Greater Media that owns WMGK and other stations. On November 8, 1982, 100.3 signed on again as WKSZ, "Kiss 100," with an Adult Contemporary format. By 1987, Kiss 100 was the #1 Arbitron ranked station among women ages 25 to 54. In the early 90's, however, the battle for AC listeners heated up, and Kiss lost ground in the ratings, falling to 17th place in 1992 behind three other AC stations. They tried to mix AC and oldies with what they called the "50/50 mix," but it didn't work, and in 1993 returned to just a contemporary mix of love songs.
On March 15, 1993, still struggling, WKSZ became "Z-100," playing a Top 40 format, filling the void left by Eagle 106, who had switched to a smooth jazz format on March 12. New York's WHTZ, also on the same frequency, and also called Z-100 since 1983, demanded that WKSZ drop the name to avoid listener confusion. After a brief legal battle, the call letters and name were changed to WPLY, "Y-100." The station initially did have a slight alternative rock lean but still played a decent amount of non rock product. In early 1995, WPLY evolved into an Alternative Rock format, which lasted nearly 10 years. From 1996 to about 1999 Y 100 leaned toward a Hot AC format but still playing only modern rock artists. The station moved to a harder rock lean by 2000. Also in 2000, the station was sold to Radio One which focuses mostly on Urban type formats.
Radio One tried to make a deal to swap formats with greater Media's 95.7 FM which at that time ran a ryhthmic 70's based oldies format called Jammin Gold but the deal fell through. Radio One did continue to run Y 100 WPLY as a modern rock station for nearly 5 years. While ratings had gone down the station still was moderately successful.
On February 24, 2005, WPLY Y100 Philadelphia, an Alternative Rock station located on the 100.3 frequency, also owned by Radio One, was permanently killed off, in which WPHI was relocated to the 100.3 frequency, and a new station, WPPZ "Praise 103.9", was created on the 103.9 fequency.
[edit] Format Change Notice
WPHI is no longer in R&R's Rhythmic Airplay panel, but in its Urban Contemporary Airplay panel. In other words, it is now Urban.
[edit] On-air schedule
[edit] Monday-Friday
- 6AM to 10AM - Monie & Pooch in the Morning
- 10AM to 3PM - Touchtone
- 3PM to 7PM - Colby Colb
- 7PM to 12AM - Toshamakia and Da Strippa
- 12AM to 6AM - DJ Mil-Matik (Voice Tracked)
Friday only
- 10PM to 12AM- Live Mix Show
[edit] Saturday
- 12AM to 7AM - DJ Mil-Matik
- 7AM to 9AM - Monie & Pooch in the Morning
- 9am to 12PM- D.C Todd
- 12PM to 3PM - Touchtone
- 3PM to 6PM - Pooch
- 6PM to 9PM- Toshamakia & Da Strippa
- 9PM to 12AM- Live Mix Show
[edit] Sunday
- 12AM to 2AM- Live from Pinnacle Nightclub-720 Arch Street
- 2AM to 7AM DJ- Mil-Matik
- 7AM to 8AM- E. Steven Live
- 8AM to 10AM- Weekender
- 10AM to 2PM- Weekender
- 2PM to 6PM- Weekender
- 6PM to 9PM- Laiya
- 9PM to 12AM- Fearless
[edit] Relationship with 100.3 The Beat in Los Angeles
There is another station in Los Angeles with the same brand, but different logo, also named 100.3 The Beat. It is owned by the same owner Radio One.
A third 100.3 The Beat also exists in St. Louis, also with a different logo and tagline. However, it is owned by Clear Channel Communications, not Radio One.
