WEKT (1070 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Classic hits format. Licensed to and located in Elkton, Kentucky, United States, the station is currently owned by the Cadiz, Kentucky-based Edge Media Group, a unit of Ham Broadcasting Company, Inc.[3]
| Frequency | 1070 kHz |
|---|---|
| Branding | Todd 1070 WEKT |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic hits |
| Affiliations | Salem Radio Network |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WKDZ, WKDZ-FM, WHVO | |
| History | |
First air date | July 21, 1977 [1] |
Former call signs | WSRG (1977–1988) WOAM (1988–1989) |
Call sign meaning | ElKTon |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 39460 |
| Class | D |
| Power | 500 watts day 18 watts night |
Transmitter coordinates | 36°48′33″N 87°09′38″W / 36.80917°N 87.16056°W |
| Translator(s) | W221EU (92.1 FM) Elkton |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | wektradio.com |
The station's studio is located at the Public Square (junction of US 68 Business and KY 181) in downtown Elkton, and its transmission facility is located on Marion Street on the west side of Elkton.
History
editThe station signed on the air as WSRG on July 21, 1977, initially broadcasting a country music format under ownership of Jim White.[4][5] It became known as WOAM on February 1, 1988, when country music singer Ernie Ashworth purchased the station.[5][6] After the station was purchased by Marshall and Ruby Sidebottom shortly after he sold WIRV of Irvine, WOAM officially became WEKT on January 3, 1989.[5][7][8]
The station switched to a Southern Gospel format at some time in the early 1990s.
On March 24, 2016, WEKT was granted an FCC construction permit to increase day power to 1,000 watts.[9]
On June 16, 2023, it was announced that M&R Broadcasting was intending to sell WEKT to Ham Broadcasting Company, Incorporated (also known as the Edge Media Group), the owners of WHVO in nearby Hopkinsville and three other radio stations in the region.[10][11] The sale was finalized later that month. On July 1, 2023, the station began broadcasting their current Classic hits format, but retains their Sunday schedule of church worship programming from their previous format. Starting with the 2023–24 academic year, the station also began offering programming produced by students of Todd County Schools as part of the multimedia cirriculum.[12]
On April 12, 2024, WEKT launched a low-power translator to simulcast its AM programming at 92.1 megahertz.[13] WEKT was previously one of a few remaining AM radio stations in western Kentucky without an FM companion until that day. The translator, as W218CR, was purchased by Ham Broadcasting from Hope Media Group in 2023.[14] The translator's callsign was changed to W221EU before it began Elkton operations as the FM companion of WEKT.
Programming
editIn addition to classic hit music, the station also broadcasts church services on Sundays. It is also the home of football and basketball games of the Todd County Central High School athletic teams. Since 2001, the station also serves as a part-time affiliate of the Hilltopper Sports Network, broadcasting games of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team.[15]
National news updates are currently provided by the Salem Radio Network.
Past programming
editFrom 2000[16] until around the mid-2010s, WEKT previously served as the Todd County radio home of the NFL's Tennessee Titans football games through the Titans Radio Network.
References
edit- ^ "Directory of Radio Stations in the United States and Canada". Broadcasting Yearbook 1979. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 2010. p. D-240. [1]
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WEKT". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "WEKT Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ^ "Elkton Radio Station Set To Broadcast". Kentucky New Era. Hopkinsville, Kentucky. July 20, 1977. p. 10. Retrieved February 21, 2024 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c "WEKT Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ^ "Todd radio station for sale". Kentucky New Era. Hopkinsville, Kentucky. September 6, 1988. p. 8A. Retrieved February 21, 2024 – via Google Books.
- ^ Nash, Francis M. (1995). Towers Over Kentucky: A History of Radio and TV in the Bluegrass State. HOST Communications. ISBN 9781879688933.
- ^ "Elkton radio station sold". Kentucky New Era. Hopkinsville, Kentucky. February 10, 1989. p. 5A. Retrieved February 21, 2024 – via Google Books.
- ^ Application for Construction Permit for Commercial Broadcast Station - Federal Communications Commission
- ^ Claussen, Joshua (June 16, 2023). "Edge Media Group Acquiring Todd County's WEKT, Pending FCC Approval". WKDZ-FM. Archived from the original on June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ "STATION SALES WEEK OF 6/16". Radio Insight. June 16, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
- ^ "About us". WEKT Radio. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
- ^ Claussen, Joshua (April 12, 2024). "WEKT Adds 92.1 FM To Bolster Community Presence". Elkton, Kentucky: WEKT. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
- ^ "STATION SALES WEEK OF 7/21: A MIRACLE OF A SALE IN SHREVEPORT". Radio Insight. July 21, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
- ^ Big Red Page (September 6, 2001). "Big Red Radio Network balloons coverage across Kentucky". Park City Daily News. p. 8C. Retrieved February 21, 2024 – via Google Books.
- ^ Robinson, George (September 9, 2000). "Blue Fever: People from different walks of life now root for the Titans". Kentucky New Era. Hopkinsville, Kentucky. pp. B1, B6. Retrieved February 21, 2024 – via Google Books.
External links
edit- Facility details for Facility ID 39460 (WEKT) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WEKT in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- WEKT-AM 1070 Website
- WEKT on Facebook