WWL-FM

WWL-FM (105.3 MHz) is a commercial radio station, licensed to Kenner, Louisiana, and serving the New Orleans metropolitan area. It is owned by Entercom and airs a news-talk and sports radio format, simulcast with AM 870 WWL. The station's studios and offices are located at the 400 Poydras Tower in New Orleans' downtown district.

WWL-FM
CityKenner, Louisiana
Broadcast areaNew Orleans metropolitan area
BrandingFM 105.3
SloganThe News, Talk, and Sports Leader
Frequency105.3 MHz (HD Radio)
First air dateSeptember 8, 1970 (1970-09-08) (as WVSL-FM Slidell)
FormatFM/HD1: News/Talk/Sports
HD2: Sports/food/lifestyle talk
ERP96,000 watts
HAAT306 meters (1,004 ft)
ClassC1
Facility ID52435
Transmitter coordinates29°58′57″N 89°57′9″W
Call sign meaningWide World Loyola (Loyola University of New Orleans, former owner of WWL 870)
Former call signsWVSL-FM (1970–1975)
WXEL (1975–1981)
WAIL (1981–1984)
WLTS (5/1984–9/1984)
WLTS-FM (1984–2000)
WKZN (2000–2005)
WKBU (1/2005–10/2005)
WTKL (2005–2006)
OwnerEntercom
(Entercom License, LLC)
Sister stationsWEZB, WKBU, WLMG, WWL, WWWL
WebcastFM/HD1: Listen Live
HD2: Listen Live
WebsiteWWL.com

WWL-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 96,000 watts. The transmitter site is off Paris Road in Chalmette, Louisiana. WWL-FM broadcasts in the HD Radio hybrid format. The HD-2 subchannel carries both CBS Sports Radio and shows on food and lifestyles.

Programming

Weekdays begin with an hour of early news, anchored by Dave Cohen. Then four hours of news, sports, traffic and weather, "WWL's First News," is hosted by Tommy Tucker. Newell Norman and Scoot host midday talk shows. Afternoon drive time features a sports show with former New Orleans Saints' quarterback Bobby Hebert along with Kristian Garic. In the evening, WWL-AM-FM carry the CBS Sports Radio Network when live sports are not on the air. Overnight, a syndicated family financial show hosted by Dave Ramsey is heard, followed by This Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal.

Weekends feature programs on money, health, gardening, the outdoors, home repair and religion, as well as repeats of weekday shows. Some hours are paid brokered programming. Local reporters anchor news updates in most daytime hours. Nights and weekends, CBS Radio News is heard at the beginning of each hour.

WWL-AM-FM are the flagship stations of the NFL's New Orleans Saints.[1] On game days, the stations offer pre-game and post-game coverage from early morning to late night. The stations also carry Louisiana State University Tigers football.

History

Early Years

On September 8, 1970, the station signed on the air as WVSL-FM in Slidell, Louisiana.[2] It was owned by Bill Garrett Broadcasting, which also owned AM 1560 WBGS. The station switched formats in 1981 to Rhythmic Contemporary as WAIL 105.

The station was acquired in 1974 by Phase Two Broadcasting, which changed the call sign to WLTS, with a soft adult contemporary sound.[3] Lite 105 spent 16 years in this format, although over time, the tempo did pick up from its original soft AC sound.

In 1999, the station was acquired by Entercom, its current owner.[4] The city of license was changed from Slidell to Kenner, where Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is located. It switched to a Hot Adult Contemporary format as WKZN "105.3 The Zone."

Switch to WWL Simulcast

On August 29, 2005, the station's transmitter was severely damaged during Hurricane Katrina, knocking it off the air. It returned to broadcasting with low power as a temporary simulcast of co-owned WWL 870. Other FM stations in New Orleans suspended their music formats during the storm's aftermath to rebroadcast news from local TV stations.

In early October 2005, Entercom decided to switch two of its New Orleans FM station dial positions. 95.7 WTKL and WKBU Bayou 105.3 switched frequencies. The 105.3 frequency became WTKL with a classic hits format and the "Kool" name, formerly "Kool 95.7." Only three weeks later, it was decided by Entercom to scrap the classic hits format and return 105.3 to the WWL simulcast.

Entercom cited positive listener response to WWL being heard on FM and complaints about its removal from the FM dial. Some listeners said they wanted WWL programming to remain on FM due to issues receiving the AM station in the New Orleans Central Business District. The "Kool 105.3" format continued as an Internet-only webcast for a short time it was discontinued on FM.[5]

With 105.3 simulcasting WWL, Entercom asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to switch the call letters to WWL-FM. Sister station 101.9 WLMG was the original home of the WWL-FM call sign, from 1970 to 1980, airing beautiful music at first, and then Top 40 hits.


References
  1. "Saints Radio Network Stations". New Orleans Saints. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  2. Broadcasting Yearbook 1972 page B-92
  3. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1992 page A-153
  4. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2003-2004 page D-206
  5. Tucker, Ken (14 April 2016). "Oldies Come And Go In New Orleans". Billboard Radio Monitor. Retrieved 14 January 2019.


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