WKTR (840 kHz) is a classic hits formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Earlysville, Virginia, serving Charlottesville. WKTR is owned by Piedmont Communications, Inc.
| Simulcasting WOJL, Louisa | |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Charlottesville, Virginia Central Virginia |
| Frequency | 840 kHz |
| Branding | Classic Hits 105.5 and 95.3 Sam FM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic hits |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Piedmont Communications, Inc. |
| WOJL, WCVA, WVCV | |
| History | |
First air date | February 17, 1991 |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 73191 |
| Class | D |
| Power | 8,200 watts daytime only |
Transmitter coordinates | 38°15′57.0″N 78°24′53.0″W / 38.265833°N 78.414722°W |
| Translator(s) | 105.5 W288ED (Charlottesville) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | https://www.1055samfm.com |
History
editBaker Family Stations, then doing business as Rural Radio Service, was first issued a construction permit for 840 kHz in September 1986. WKTR signed on February 17, 1991, with a religious talk format. The station is a rimshot daytimer with a transmitter located near Stanardsville, Virginia.[2][3]
By 2005, the station was still running religious talk under the branding "The Ministry Station". That March 1, it became the Charlottesville market's first ESPN Radio affiliate under the branding "ESPN 840 Charlottesville".[4]
In 2010–11, WKTR flipped twice more: first to Southern gospel by joining the Joy FM network on June 30, 2010, then to country in a simulcast of WBNN-FM (105.3 MHz) in Buckingham County the next January 1.[5]
Baker donated WKTR, by then valued at just $120,000, to CSN International on October 15, 2015.[6]
CSN sold WKTR to Piedmont Communications, Inc. in 2022 for $10,000.[7] WKTR now simulcasts the classic hits format originating at Piedmont's WOJL (105.5 FM) in Louisa.[8] At the same time, Piedmont purchased the under-construction FM translator W288ED in Charlottesville, also on 105.5 FM, and assigned it to WKTR to function as co-channel booster for WOJL's programming in the city.[9]
References
edit- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WKTR". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 2010 (PDF). ProQuest, LLC/Reed Publishing (Nederland), B.V. 2010. p. D-563. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
- ^ "WKTR Facility Data". FCCData.
- ^ Corbin, Robert (March 2, 2005). "Group takes stations to Sports". VARTV.
- ^ Corbin, Robert (January 18, 2011). "Big Country now on AM too". VARTV.
- ^ "Charlottesville AM Daytimer Donated". All Access. October 15, 2015.
- ^ Deal Digest: Seven Mountains Media Picks Up Stations In Seven Pennsylvania Markets". Inside Radio. October 23, 2022. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
- ^ "WOJL/WCVA/WVCV/WKTR/W288ED/W237CA 1st Quarter 2024 Issues and Programs" (PDF). FCC Public Information Files. 3 April 2024.
- ^ "W288ED Facility Data". FCCData.
External links
edit- Facility details for Facility ID 73191 (WKTR) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WKTR in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- Facility details for Facility ID 148345 (W288ED) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- W288ED at FCCdata.org