WARH
Encyclopedia
WARH is a radio station
in Granite City, Illinois
. WARH serves the St. Louis, Missouri
, metropolitan area.
WARH plays an adult hits
format as "106.5 The Arch - It's all about the variety"(Formerly "70s, 80s, and whatever we want"). The format is quite similar to the Jack FM
stations in the U.S. & Canada. It programs slightly differently from the Jack FM-branded stations, including more news and traffic and having voice-overs performed by John O'Hurley
. This variant, right down to the O'Hurley voiceovers, was later adopted by WBEN-FM
in Philadelphia
.
WARH is currently owned by Hubbard Broadcasting and broadcasts with 90 kW of effective radiated power
from Resurrection Cemetery in Shrewsbury, Missouri
. Because of the high concentration of radio and television transmitters in this area, it is sometimes referred to as the St. Louis Master Antenna site.
When the station was purchased by Zimmer Radio Group of Cape Girardeau, Missouri
in the mid 1990s, the station flip-flopped dial positions with sister station WKKX (currently WHHL
) on 104.1, which had a country format known as "Kix 104." The station became "New Country Kix 106.5", where it would remain until 2000 when it was purchased by Bonneville
, when it adopted a Smooth Jazz/NAC format as "Smooth 106.5 WSSM" (later "106.5 Smooth Jazz"). In April of 2005, the station adopted its current format and call letters.
Bonneville announced the sale of WARH, as well as 16 other stations, to Hubbard Broadcasting on January 19, 2011. The sale was completed on April 29, 2011.
), Christy Swyers in the evenings and Andrew Eads overnights. The voice of the station, Simon Archer, is the voice of John O'Hurley
(Seinfeld
, Dancing With the Stars
, Family Feud
) produced by Brendan Shanahan
. The Program Director is Kevin Robinson.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
in Granite City, Illinois
Granite City, Illinois
Granite City is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States, part of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. At the 2010 census, the population was 29,849, making it the third largest city in the Metro-East and Southern Illinois, behind Alton and Belleville...
. WARH serves the St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, metropolitan area.
WARH plays an adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
format as "106.5 The Arch - It's all about the variety"(Formerly "70s, 80s, and whatever we want"). The format is quite similar to the Jack FM
Jack FM
JACK FM is the alternative name and on-air brand of 60 radio stations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Jack stations play a mix of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles. Jack's slogan "playing what we want" can also be...
stations in the U.S. & Canada. It programs slightly differently from the Jack FM-branded stations, including more news and traffic and having voice-overs performed by John O'Hurley
John O'Hurley
John George O'Hurley is an American actor, voice actor, and television personality. He is known for the role of J. Peterman on the NBC sitcom Seinfeld and was the host of the game show Family Feud from 2006 to 2010.-Early life:...
. This variant, right down to the O'Hurley voiceovers, was later adopted by WBEN-FM
WBEN-FM
WBEN-FM, known as "95.7 Ben FM," is an adult hits station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station plays a mix of 1970s, 1980s and 1990s hits, with some current hot adult contemporary rock singles. Named after Benjamin Franklin, the station pioneered a "Playing Anything We Feel Like" radio...
in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.
WARH is currently owned by Hubbard Broadcasting and broadcasts with 90 kW of effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
from Resurrection Cemetery in Shrewsbury, Missouri
Shrewsbury, Missouri
Shrewsbury is an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis, located in St. Louis County, Missouri. The population was 6,254 at the 2010 census.The city is home to the broadcast towers of KSDK- and KDNL-TV.-Geography:Shrewsbury is located at ....
. Because of the high concentration of radio and television transmitters in this area, it is sometimes referred to as the St. Louis Master Antenna site.
History
Originally, the station took to the air in 1965 as WGNU-FM under the ownership of the late Chuck Norman. The station was programmed with a country music format and was simulcast on WGNU 920 AM. Norman sold the station to Doubleday Broadcasting in 1976. Doubleday changed the station's call letters to WWWK (later KWK-FM) and the format to Top 40. Eventually, KWK became WKBQ-FM, retaining the Top 40 format.When the station was purchased by Zimmer Radio Group of Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
in the mid 1990s, the station flip-flopped dial positions with sister station WKKX (currently WHHL
WHHL
WHHL, known as "HOT 104.1", is a Urban Contemporary radio station serving the St. Louis area. The Radio One owned outlet broadcasts at 104.1 MHz with an ERP of 50 kW and is licensed to Hazelwood, Missouri and formerly licensed to Jerseyville, Illinois. Its transmitter is located in St. Louis,...
) on 104.1, which had a country format known as "Kix 104." The station became "New Country Kix 106.5", where it would remain until 2000 when it was purchased by Bonneville
Bonneville
-People:* Benjamin Louis Eulalie de Bonneville, a French-born officer in the United States Army, fur trapper, and explorer in the American West* Hugh Bonneville, an English stage, television, and film actor* Nicholas Bonneville, a French writer-Places in the USA:...
, when it adopted a Smooth Jazz/NAC format as "Smooth 106.5 WSSM" (later "106.5 Smooth Jazz"). In April of 2005, the station adopted its current format and call letters.
Bonneville announced the sale of WARH, as well as 16 other stations, to Hubbard Broadcasting on January 19, 2011. The sale was completed on April 29, 2011.
On-air personalities
WARH has a roster of on-air personalities that include morning drive-time hosts Van Lorenz (formerly with WVRV) and Rick Wallace. Midday host is Michelle Steele, afternoons with Al Hofer (formerly with KSHEKSHE
KSHE is a rock & roll radio station licensed to Crestwood, Missouri which serves the Greater St. Louis area. KSHE is located at 94.7 MHz and currently uses the slogan "KSHE 95, Real Rock Radio". The station's studios have been located in the Powerhouse building at St. Louis Union Station since...
), Christy Swyers in the evenings and Andrew Eads overnights. The voice of the station, Simon Archer, is the voice of John O'Hurley
John O'Hurley
John George O'Hurley is an American actor, voice actor, and television personality. He is known for the role of J. Peterman on the NBC sitcom Seinfeld and was the host of the game show Family Feud from 2006 to 2010.-Early life:...
(Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
, Dancing With the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
, Family Feud
Family Feud
Family Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people...
) produced by Brendan Shanahan
Brendan Shanahan
Brendan Frederick "Shanny" Shanahan is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey winger who currently serves as the National Hockey League's Vice President of Hockey and Business Development and head disciplinarian. Originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils second overall in the 1987 NHL Entry...
. The Program Director is Kevin Robinson.
External links
- WARH official website
- MissouriRadio.net
- KWK FM 106 AM 13.8 A tribute site for KWK "The Rockin' Best!"