WKY

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WKY
City of license Oklahoma City, OK
Slogan "Las Mas Mexicana"
First air date 1922
Frequency 930 kHz
Format Regional Mexican
Power 5,000 Watts
Class C
Owner Citadel Broadcasting Corporation
Website http://www.laindomable.com

WKY (930 kHz AM) is Oklahoma's oldest radio station. It is located in Oklahoma City and is owned by Citadel Broadcasting Corporation, who will merge with ABC Radio during the first quarter of 2007.

Contents

[edit] Early History

"5XT" became the 28th licensed station in the United States on March 16, 1922. The Oklahoma Radio Shop (Earl C. Hull & H.S. Richards) was the owner at the time.

The station was assigned the WKY call letters and began broadcasting weekdays from noon to 1:00 P.M. and from 7:30 to 9:30 P.M. On Sundays, WKY was on the air from 3 to 4 P.M. and 7:30 to 9:30 P.M.

In November 1922, WKY announced a "silent night" policy, meaning the station would broadcast only four, and later three nights a week. This was so listeners could have a chance to tune in to other stations in neighboring states.

Richards and Hull struggled to keep WKY on the air. In late 1925, Richards left the radio business, but Hull continued to keep WKY on the air by selling shares of the station to radio dealers in Oklahoma City. The dealers paid Hull a small salary to keep the station broadcasting; however they decided the financial drain had become too much.

In 1928, WKY was purchased by the Oklahoma Publishing Company, publishers of the Daily Oklahoman for the hefty sum of $ 5,000.

The formal opening of the new WKY was set for November 11, 1928, but the station went on the air several days earlier to carry the presidential election returns as Herbert Hoover won in a Republican landslide.

That December, the station became an NBC affiliate and began broadcasting the network's programs. By the following year, WKY was attempting to operate like the powerhouse stations in the east.

Aside from the programming from NBC, everything broadcast by WKY originated locally.

[edit] The Skirvin Connection

WKY operated from the Skirvin Hotel in downtown Oklahoma City from 1936 to 1951. Station contracted to broadcast live from the Venetian Room from 11:00 to Midnight every evening. The opening night performance cost $15 a couple for dinner and dancing.

[edit] WKY-FM

WKY-FM was launched on July 1, 1947 at 98.9, (now sister station KYIS). The programming was classical or semi-classical music. A strong effort was made to minimize the duplication of WKY-AM programs and make WKY-FM a true second station.

By 1952, WKY management had to make a decision about keeping the station on the air or increasing the power of their new television tower. Since the FM dial was struggling during this time, radio lost out.

WKY-FM donated its transmitter and other equipment to the Oklahoma City Public School District and went off the air. The station received one letter of protest, that from a music lover in Norman, Oklahoma.

[edit] Top-40 Years

In 1958, WKY became the second Top-40 formatted station in Oklahoma City, behind KOCY, now KEBC. During the 1960s and 70's WKY fended off serious challenges from 50,000 watt rival 1520 KOMA.

Ironically, WKY mainstays during that time --Danny Williams, Ronnie Kaye and Fred Hendrickson --would go on to become "KOMA Good Guys" when the station flipped from a standards to an oldies format.

[edit] Formats - 1930's - January, 2006

  • Full Service NBC Affiliate
  • Top-40 (1958-1980)
  • Oldies
  • Country
  • Adult Contemporary
  • Easy Listening
  • Christian
  • "Hot Talk"
  • News-Talk

[edit] Changing Times

WKY would remain solely in OPUBCO's ownership until 2002. From the mid-90's up to the sale to Citadel Communications, Clear Channel Communications operated the station through a local marketing agreement.

From 2000-2002, WKY flirted with sports talk, with two local sports talk shows in the drive time periods.

"SuperTalk 930 WKY" was launched in March 2003. The format featured local-oriented talk shows throughout the day with some syndicated talk shows during the evening and weekend.

In an effort to target Oklahoma City's growing Hispanic population, "SuperTalk" was dropped in January 2006. Now in place - a simulcast of sister station - KINB "La Indomoble 105.3 FM."

[edit] Notable WKY Alumni

  • TV Show host Mike Douglas (1926-2006) started his career as a staff singer on WKY before joining the Navy during World War II and serving on a munitions ship.
  • Kevin Metheny[1], "Kevin Michaels" during his 1971 stint at WKY, was portrayed by Paul Giamatti under the name Kenny "Pig Vomit" Rushton in the movie Private Parts, starring Howard Stern. Metheny was the program director at WNBC-AM in New York City during the early 1980s. He went on to work at MTV as Vice President for Production and Programming. Metheny is now regional vice president of programming at Clear Channel Radio Cleveland.
  • Jimmy O'Neill, Host of ABC's Shindig TV program from 1964-66; longtime DJ in Los Angeles.

[edit] Oklahoma City sister stations

KATT - 100.5 FM - Rock Image:HD Symbol.png
KINB - 105.3 FM - Regional Mexican
KKWD - 104.9 FM - Rhythmic Top 40 Image:HD Symbol.png
KQOB - 96.9 FM - Classic HitsImage:HD Symbol.png
KYIS - 98.9 FM - Hot AC Image:HD Symbol.png
WWLS - 640 AM/97.9 FM - Sports Image:HD Symbol.png

[edit] External links

Oklahoma City metro area AM Radio stations (Arbitron #48)

By Frequency: 640 | 740 | 800 | 890 | 930 | 960 | 1000 | 1140 | 1220 | 1340 | 1400 | 1460 | 1490 | 1520 | 1560 | 1640

By Callsign: KEBC | KFXY | KGWA | KMFS | KOCY | KOKC | KQCV | KREF | KRMG | KRMP | KTLR | KTLV | KTOK | KZUE | WKY | WWLS

See also: Oklahoma City (FM) (AM)

Oklahoma State Radio Markets
Oklahoma City (FM) (AM) · Tulsa (FM) (AM) · Lawton 
See also: List of radio stations in Oklahoma and List of United States radio markets
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