Radio landscape in OKC

[windowphobe]

Just for the record, these are the only commercial frequencies actually formally allocated to Oklahoma City: 92.5, 94.7, 96.1, 98.9, 100.5, 101.9, 102.7, 104.1 and 107.7. (And 107.7 was the last to be added, in 1976.)

Tulsa allocations: 92.9, 95.5, 96.5, 97.5, 98.5, 103.3.

All the rest are lower-power suburban facilities, move-ins from somewhere else, or translators. (Jake FM, 93.3, originally was KTEN-FM out of Ada before moving to, um, Newcastle. And that's hardly the weirdest of the lot.)

[Plutonic Panda]

104.9 isn't one?

[zookeeper]

104.9 isn't one?

PluPan, It's actually licensed to Bethany. It was a contemporary christian station "Lite 105" for quite a few years.

[Plutonic Panda]

PluPan, It's actually licensed to Bethany. It was a contemporary christian station "Lite 105" for quite a few years.

thanks. I didn't know that. I guess it isn't that bad anyhow. What is the possibility that OKC acquires one or two of Tulsas frequencies?

[Zorba]

Just for the record, these are the only commercial frequencies actually formally allocated to Oklahoma City: 92.5, 94.7, 96.1, 98.9, 100.5, 101.9, 102.7, 104.1 and 107.7. (And 107.7 was the last to be added, in 1976.)

Tulsa allocations: 92.9, 95.5, 96.5, 97.5, 98.5, 103.3.

All the rest are lower-power suburban facilities, move-ins from somewhere else, or translators. (Jake FM, 93.3, originally was KTEN-FM out of Ada before moving to, um, Newcastle. And that's hardly the weirdest of the lot.)

Are you only including frequencies in the actual city, or that serve the city? For example, 104.5 is broadcast out of Pryor but is considered a Tulsa Station. And 106.9 is broadcast from Muskogee but for all intents and purposes it is a Tulsa station.

[Bunty]

Oklahoma City has at least one or two stations like that. Enid has a FM station on 96.9, but since they are on a frequency that allows up to 100,000 watts they were eligible by the FCC to move its tower between Enid and Oklahoma City and declare Oklahoma City, in addition to Enid in their required top of the hour ID. Stillwater couldn't do anything like that, since it didn't have a FM commercial frequency that allowed up to 100,000 watts and so can't get a local quality signal into OKC, while at the same time serving Stillwater with a local quality signal. However, KOSU Stillwater, being on a public frequency, could with its max allowed 100,000 watts, so relocated its tower between Guthrie and Edmond.

[windowphobe]

99.7 was also allocated to Enid, but they wangled a transfer to Mustang.

Speaking of Stillwater, KVRO used to be at 98.1, while the Sports Animal was still at 97.9. The operators came to an agreement so that the Animal could move to 98.1 and upgrade while KVRO would slide down the dial to 101.1 -- but the KATT (co-owned with the Animal) had to cut power from 100kw to down below 30kw to make room.

[bchris02]

99.7 was also allocated to Enid, but they wangled a transfer to Mustang.

Speaking of Stillwater, KVRO used to be at 98.1, while the Sports Animal was still at 97.9. The operators came to an agreement so that the Animal could move to 98.1 and upgrade while KVRO would slide down the dial to 101.1 -- but the KATT (co-owned with the Animal) had to cut power from 100kw to down below 30kw to make room.

The Sports Animal was never at 97.9. KKWD was originally and they were the #1 station in the OKC market as Wild 97.9. They also leaned closer to urban in those times though were never completely hip-hop and r&b. The Sports Animal was primarily an AM station but bounced around on FM until they found their permanent home on 98.1 after the upgrade. KKWD was then moved to 104.9 where the station has progressively gone downhill ever since.

On a slightly different note, I wonder what it will take before 94.7 will be up for a format flip? The Brew is a real waste of a 100kW signal.

[hfry]

The Sports Animal was never at 97.9..

The Sports Animal (2006–present)[edit]


On October 23, 2006, WWLS (then at 104.9) switched signals with sister station KKWD and moved to the 97.9 frequency. On July 9, 2008 WWLS upgraded its signal to 31,000 watts ERP and moved from 97.9 to 98.1 FM.

d.

from WWLS-FM - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia but the sports animal was at 97.9 for a decent period of time before it went to 98.1.

[Bunty]

Speaking of Stillwater, KVRO used to be at 98.1, while the Sports Animal was still at 97.9. The operators came to an agreement so that the Animal could move to 98.1 and upgrade while KVRO would slide down the dial to 101.1 -- but the KATT (co-owned with the Animal) had to cut power from 100kw to down below 30kw to make room.

How sad the low reception quality of FM radios that are sold, so I guess it was thought that the moderate strength signal from a station on 100.5 had to be reduced to protect a local signal on 101.1. from interference. In turn, it keeps people in Stillwater, who would rather hear rock on 100.5, from enjoying a quieter stereo signal, assuming the much stronger local station on 101.1 isn't interfering with it.

[theparkman81]

The brew changed to active rock with the slogan Man Up, about time they do something with 94.7.

[bchris02]

Awesome. It's about time they changed it. Classic Rock had long overstayed its welcome there. I do wonder if this is just an interim format though. The Buzz flipped from alternative rock to active rock in 2009 just for a few months before going classic rock. If it didn't work then I am wondering why iHeartMedia thinks it will work now.

[Zorba]

I'll have to give it a listen. I don't get why they don't bring the Buzz back. IIRC, it was pretty good back in the day. Or bring The Edge here. Make it just like the one in Dallas and I think it'd do great here, with basically no competition.

[bchris02]

Tyler Media has flipped the main frequency for Now 96.5 over to 92.9 and rebranded it as Now 92.9. It is still simulcasting on the 96.5 frequency. They have been simulcasting for about six months now.

Does Tyler have any known plans for the 96.5 frequency?

[YO MUDA]

The brew changed to active rock with the slogan Man Up, about time they do something with 94.7.

I guess they killed Lex and Terry. Pitty they made me laugh.

[Zorba]

I guess they killed Lex and Terry. Pitty they made me laugh.

Weren't Lex and Terry a rebroadcast out of Dallas? Seems like it would be hard to keep them with a format change.

[bchris02]

Tyler Media has launched V 103.1. It's an old-school hip-hop station. I would rather it have been mainstream urban instead of classic, but its still good to have a new format on the dial in OKC.

Tyler Media/Oklahoma City Launches Old School Urban/Hip-Hop V-103 | AllAccess.com

[Snowman]

Tyler Media has launched V 103.1. It's an old-school hip-hop station. I would rather it have been mainstream urban instead of classic, but its still good to have a new format on the dial in OKC.

Tyler Media/Oklahoma City Launches Old School Urban/Hip-Hop V-103 | AllAccess.com

I think one of the issues leading to old-school being more commercially viable than more mainstream is they kind of need to target over 35 to be more likely to pick up an audience less likely to have there entire music collection on an iPod or cell phone, then just using that as a music source in the car.

[bchris02]

I think one of the issues leading to old-school being more commercially viable than more mainstream is they kind of need to target over 35 to be more likely to pick up an audience less likely to have there entire music collection on an iPod or cell phone, then just using that as a music source in the car.

You have a good point here, but mainstream urban is a format that is a staple in other cities but that hasn't been legitimately tried in OKC since the late 1980s, long before cell phones and iPods were a thing. It will be interesting to see how this old school station does.

It will also be interesting to see what Tyler Media does with 96.5 (which is currently still simulcasting Now 92.9). The fact they are doing old-school hip-hop shows that they aren't afraid to try new formats. I doubt the simulcast will continue forever.

[theparkman81]

I think its great that they are trying something new in this market, it needs it, now I am waiting to see if somebody brings in ALT rock, but until then, I'll keep listening to the Brew or the KATT.

[HOT ROD]

but why so close to 103.5 FM? Why not spread the formats out a little.

[loveOKC]

I listened to 103.1 all weekend and couldn't stop listening. They played Hip Hop and R&B hits from my high school and college days (late 90's to 2008). It's about time someone came in to compete with the complacent 103.5. I hope 103.1 stays for good, they have taken over the #1 slot on my radio dial!!

[bchris02]

I listened to 103.1 all weekend and couldn't stop listening. They played Hip Hop and R&B hits from my high school and college days (late 90's to 2008). It's about time someone came in to compete with the complacent 103.5. I hope 103.1 stays for good, they have taken over the #1 slot on my radio dial!!

I don't really consider them competitors any more than an alternative rock station would be a competitor to a classic rock station. I also don't consider Power 103.5 to even be viable in the OKC market. It can barely be heard north of I-40 and in terms of ratings I believe it is assigned to the Lawton market and not the OKC market.

[theparkman81]

I notice over the weekend that 969 is no longer called Bob FM, even though their website still says Bob fm, now they just call themselves Classic Rock 969, as for V103, me and my nephew will be in the city Friday, so I will take a listen to them.

[HOT ROD]

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