WHOT-FM
 | |
| Broadcast area | Youngstown, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Branding | HOT 101 |
| Slogan | "Today's Hottest Music" |
| Frequency | 101.1 (MHz) |
| First air date |
February 1, 1984 (at 101.1 MHz) October 16, 1955 (at 1570 kHz) |
| Format | Top 40 (CHR) |
| ERP | 24,500 watts |
| HAAT | 215 meters |
| Class | B |
| Callsign meaning | HOT Music |
| Owner |
Cumulus Broadcasting (Cumulus Licensing LLC) |
| Webcast | Listen Live! |
| Website | www.hot101.com |
WHOT-FM (101.1 FM, "Hot 101") is a commercial radio station in Youngstown, Ohio, United States, broadcasting at 101.1 MHz with a Top 40 (CHR) format. It is one of seven radio stations in the Youngstown market owned by Cumulus Broadcasting. Its transmitter is located in Youngstown. WHOT competes with 95.9 KISSFM/Youngstown, WLER/Butler, WDJQ/Alliance/Canton, WKDD/Akron/Monroe Falls, WAKS 96.5 KISS FM/Akron/Cleveland, WQAL/Cleveland and WKST 96.1 KISS FM/Pittsburgh.
On August 15, 2006 WHOT became the first station in Eastern Ohio to broadcast in HD until it ceased HD transmission in 2015.
The connection between the WHOT callsign and the Top 40/CHR format is one of the longest running in modern radio history, dating back to 1955. WHOT is one of the first Top 40 stations in the country, as an daytime-only signal licensed to Campbell, Ohio on the 1570 kHz facility (currently home to the Warren, Ohio-licensed WHTX). Despite its technical limitations, the station attained high ratings in the Youngstown, Ohio market, which has lasted after frequency moves; first to 1330 kHz in 1963 (now WGFT), then to 1390 kHz (now WNIO) in 1990.
By 1991, the AM and FM stations broke into separate programming with the 1390 kHz facility taking an adult standards format (one that would be revisited in 1999 when WNIO's call letters and format moved to that dial position), while the 101.1 MHz taking the Top 40 format. Excluding a period of several months when WHOT-FM carried a rock music format in late 1991-early 1992, the station has since continued with a Top 40/CHR format.
Since 1995, the WHOT calls have existed exclusively on the FM dial. Prior to becoming WHOT-FM on February 1, 1984, the station used the call letters WSRD. WSRD, nicknamed "The Wizard", featured an Album-oriented rock format that was established back in the late 1970s. Known for many years as HOT FM 101, the branding was changed to HOT 101 in the 1990s.