WFMF

WFMF (102.5 FM) is a Top 40 (CHR) music formatted radio station licensed to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Clear Channel Communications station broadcasts with an ERP of 100 kW.

History

The station signed on in 1941 as W45BR-FM, the FM counterpart of AM station WJBO with frequency 98.1. The calls later changed to WBRL-FM. It was owned by the Manship family under the name Capital City Communications, who also owned the Morning Advocate (as Capital City Press) and later WBRZ. In 1959, the station's call letters changed to WJBO-FM and continued to serve as an FM repeater of WJBO-AM and affiliate to NBC Radio. In the mid-1960s, the station started broadcasting in stereo and began programming independent of WJBO-AM, and in 1968, WJBO-FM moved to 102.5 frequency while WAFB-FM (now WDGL-FM), a companion station to WAFB-TV took the 98.1 frequency. In the late 60s and into the mid-70s, WJBO-FM was a freeform rock station that went by the name "Loose Radio". In 1976, WJBO-FM became WFMF, and shifted to Top 40 in the early 1980s. WFMF remained a top 40 station throughout the 80s and early 90s, using the monikers "102 WFMF," "Hot 102," and "Mix 102.5" for a short time in 1994 before reverting back to "102.5 WFMF.".

In 1989, the Manship family sold WFMF and WJBO to station manager George Jenne, who moved the stations' studios to Government Street. In 1996, WJBO and WFMF were sold by George Jenne/Capital City Communications to Capstar Broadcasting (under the name Gulfstar). Capstar immediately shifted WFMF from Top 40 to Modern AC as "Loose 102" under the new calls WLSS. After lasting only half a year as a Modern AC, WLSS went back to Top 40 in February 1997, using the name "Loose 102-5" at first, then simply "102.5". On October 7, 1999, WFMF returned as the call sign and the name "102.5 WFMF" was resurrected a short time later.

Since being bought by Capstar, WFMF has been through several owners as a result of buyouts; Capstar was purchased by Chancellor Media in 1998 (and renamed AMFM Communications), which in turn was purchased by Clear Channel Communications in 2000.

HD Radio

An Ibiquity-licensed station, WFMF began broadcasting an HD Radio signal in August 2007. At first, WFMF multicased the New CHR format from Clear Channel's Format Lab on its HD2 channel ^[1], but in the wake of Hurricane Gustav in September 2008, began simulcasting the news-talk format of sister station WJBO.

References

External links

• WFMF official website
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WFMF
• Radio-Locator information on WFMF
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for WFMF