WKKV-FM
Encyclopedia
WKKV-FM, also known as V-100.7 Jams, is an urban contemporary
owned by Clear Channel Communications
serving the Milwaukee
area. The station broadcasts at 100.7 MHz on the FM dial with an ERP of 50 kW and is licensed to Racine, Wisconsin
. The playlist of V-100.7 consists of primarily current hip-hop
and R&B, but airs slower R&B and classic soul songs on its Quiet Storm
program in the weekday late night hours.
At 50,000 watts, WKKV's signal is one of the strongest in the area, and can travel over Lake Michigan into the state of Michigan. V-100.7 can be heard locally as far west as Madison, Wisconsin
, north to Sheboygan, Wisconsin
, south into the Chicago
suburbs, and east to South Haven, Michigan
, Fremont, Michigan
, Ludington, Michigan
, and beyond. Due to its tower lying in close proximity to the open waters of Lake Michigan, both its analog and digital signal can travel with local quality in excess of 120 miles to the east without interference.
WKKV is home to the annual "Jam 4 Peace" concert.
. In early 1969, the owner of another Racine station, WRAC, purchased WRJN-FM for $60,000. A few months later, the station became WRAC-FM.
In December 1970, WRAC-FM flipped to a rock-based Top 40 format with the WRKR call sign, primarily targeting Racine
, Kenosha and the southern part of Milwaukee County. They were known at various times as "The Rocker", "Hot 100" and "Hit Radio 100.7". WRKR gradually started targeting the whole Milwaukee market. At one time, WRKR was the Milwaukee-area affiliate of American Top 40
.
Due to heavy Top 40 competition, WRKR began adding light R&B
music around 1986, and for less than a year were called "Heartbeat 101" (WHBT-FM). The WRKR call sign was reassigned by the FCC to a Kalamazoo, MI station about that time, where it remains today.
In 1987, the station became new age music
-formatted WBZN-FM {Breezin' 100.7). The station flipped to Urban contemporary
in June 1991, becoming WKKV-FM (V-100).
After many years, the "Doug Banks
Morning Show" ended in December 2007, and the station replaced him with Steve Harvey
.
. In the summer of 2009, the "Hallelujah" format was replaced by "All My Jams," an Adult Urban Contemporary format available through Clear Channel's "iheartradio" application.
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
owned by Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
serving the Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
area. The station broadcasts at 100.7 MHz on the FM dial with an ERP of 50 kW and is licensed to Racine, Wisconsin
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
. The playlist of V-100.7 consists of primarily current hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and R&B, but airs slower R&B and classic soul songs on its Quiet Storm
Quiet storm
Quiet storm is a late-night radio format, featuring soulful slow jams, pioneered in the mid-1970s by then-station-intern Melvin Lindsey at WHUR-FM, in Washington, D.C. Smokey Robinson's like-titled hit single, released in 1975 as the title track to his third solo album, lent its name to the format...
program in the weekday late night hours.
At 50,000 watts, WKKV's signal is one of the strongest in the area, and can travel over Lake Michigan into the state of Michigan. V-100.7 can be heard locally as far west as Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, north to Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
-Airport:Sheboygan is served by the Sheboygan County Memorial Airport, which is located several miles from the city.-Roads:Interstate 43 is the primary north-south transportation route into Sheboygan, and forms the west boundary of the city. U.S...
, south into the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
suburbs, and east to South Haven, Michigan
South Haven, Michigan
South Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city is in Van Buren County, although a small portion extends into Allegan County. The population was 5,021 at the 2000 census....
, Fremont, Michigan
Fremont, Michigan
Fremont is a city in Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,081 at the 2010 census.- History :The first inhabitants of the Fremont area were native Americans. A group of settlers led by Daniel Weaver first settled in the area in 1855. The Weaver homestead served as the...
, Ludington, Michigan
Ludington, Michigan
Ludington is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,357. It is the county seat of Mason County.Ludington is a harbor town located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Pere Marquette River...
, and beyond. Due to its tower lying in close proximity to the open waters of Lake Michigan, both its analog and digital signal can travel with local quality in excess of 120 miles to the east without interference.
WKKV is home to the annual "Jam 4 Peace" concert.
History
The original call letters were WRJN-FM, shared with its then-sister stationWRJN
WRJN is a news/talk radio station located in Racine, Wisconsin, and serving the areas of Racine, Kenosha and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The station is owned by Bliss Communications, along with local sister station WEZY-FM....
. In early 1969, the owner of another Racine station, WRAC, purchased WRJN-FM for $60,000. A few months later, the station became WRAC-FM.
In December 1970, WRAC-FM flipped to a rock-based Top 40 format with the WRKR call sign, primarily targeting Racine
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
, Kenosha and the southern part of Milwaukee County. They were known at various times as "The Rocker", "Hot 100" and "Hit Radio 100.7". WRKR gradually started targeting the whole Milwaukee market. At one time, WRKR was the Milwaukee-area affiliate of American Top 40
American Top 40
American Top 40 is an internationally syndicated, independent radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds and Ron Jacobs. Originally a production of Watermark Inc...
.
Due to heavy Top 40 competition, WRKR began adding light R&B
Urban Adult Contemporary
Urban adult contemporary is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have rap music on their playlists. The format was designed by Barry Mayo when he, Lee S. Simonson and Bill Pearson organized Broadcast...
music around 1986, and for less than a year were called "Heartbeat 101" (WHBT-FM). The WRKR call sign was reassigned by the FCC to a Kalamazoo, MI station about that time, where it remains today.
In 1987, the station became new age music
New Age music
New Age music is music of various styles intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments, and is often...
-formatted WBZN-FM {Breezin' 100.7). The station flipped to Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
in June 1991, becoming WKKV-FM (V-100).
After many years, the "Doug Banks
Doug Banks
Doug Banks is an American radio personality and host of The Doug Banks Radio Show.-Career highlights:The Philadelphia-born, Detroit raised Banks began his radio career broadcasting on the high school radio station. Local station WDRQ took notice of his talent and offered him a spot as a temporary...
Morning Show" ended in December 2007, and the station replaced him with Steve Harvey
Steve Harvey
Broderick Steven "Steve" Harvey is an American actor, comedian, entertainer, television and radio personality and best-selling author. He is best known as the star of the WB sitcom The Steve Harvey Show, and as one of the four comedians featured in the Spike Lee film The Original Kings of Comedy...
.
WKKV HD2
On April 25, 2006, Clear Channel announced that WKKV's HD2 subchannel will carry a format focusing on gospel musicGospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
. In the summer of 2009, the "Hallelujah" format was replaced by "All My Jams," an Adult Urban Contemporary format available through Clear Channel's "iheartradio" application.