WPHI-FM
Encyclopedia
WPHI-FM, " Hot 107.9", is a radio station owned by Radio One, that airs a Urban Contemporary
format. The station is licensed to Pennsauken, New Jersey and serves the Philadelphia
market. When WPHI was on 100.3, it was known as "100.3 The Beat". On August 27, 2011, the "Beat" moniker was dropped in preparation for sister station WRNB
's move to the 100.3 frequency. Hot 107.9 launched on September 8, 2011.
, the current owners of what is now WTXF-TV
). By the mid-1970s, the station had switched to religious and ethnic programming. In 1992, the station became WDRE, playing a Modern Rock format. In 1996, WDRE was sold to Radio One.
Then on February 7, 1997, under this new ownership, the Modern Rock format ended and was replaced by a Hip Hop based Urban Contemporary
format. The call letters became WPHI. In 2001, the station modified the format to include dance music. The station at that point was reclassified as Rhythmic CHR. By 2004, the station backed off the dance music and became all hip hop and R&B. On February 22, 2005, the intellectual property of WPHI moved over to 100.3, ending the Y-100 Modern Rock format for good. 103.9 then became a Gospel Music station known as Praise 103.9 WPPZ.
, a Bible Presbyterian
minister; it ran a religious format. In 1973, the FCC revoked the station's license for violating the Fairness Doctrine
, refusing to air competing viewpoints. The frequency then went dark.
In 1981, after a seven year comparative hearing, the FCC award the license to Greater Media Radio Company, owned by Daniel Lerner. The name referred to the city of license and was not associated with company Greater Media
that owns WMGK
and other stations. On November 8, 1982, 100.3 signed on again as WKSZ, "Kiss 100," with an Adult Contemporary format. By 1987, Kiss 100 was the #1 Arbitron ranked station among women ages 25 to 54. In the early '90s, however, the battle for AC listeners heated up, and Kiss lost ground in the ratings, falling to 17th place in 1992 behind three other AC stations. They tried to mix AC and oldies with what they called the "50/50 mix," but it didn't work, and in 1993 returned to just a contemporary mix of love songs.
Radio One tried to make a deal to swap formats with Greater Media's 95.7 FM which at that time ran a rhythmic '70s based oldies format called Jammin Gold but the deal fell through. Radio One did continue to run Y-100 WPLY as a modern rock station for nearly 5 years. While ratings had gone down, the station still was moderately successful.
station 103.9 The Beat to Gospel. They simultaneously moved 103.9's format to 100.3, creating 100.3 The Beat-and leaving Philadelphia without an Alternative Rock station. The last song on Y100 was Alive by Pearl Jam
.
In the Fall of 2005, former rival personality Colby Colb was hired as the Program Director and afternoon host. The next few years the Beat enjoyed it's highest ratings in it's history helped by Miss Jones in the morning and Colby Colb in the afternoon. Monie Love and Pooch took over mornings in 2005, some of the other talents on the station was Micheal Shawn, Dj Touchtone, Dj Jay Ski, Megatron, Dj Bent Rock, Moshay, Toshamakia, DJ JDS, Laiya and Hansoul. In late 2010, it became the home of the Star and Buc Wild Morning Show, in spite of the radio team's previous controversies during its tenure as a syndicated show (it previously aired on WUSL in early 2006). Under Radio One ownership, and prior to 2011, WPHI was one of three stations not to convert to a syndicated morning show; KBXX
in Houston and WCKX
in Columbus are the other two such stations.
, WPHI dropped its "The Beat" moniker for 100.3 Philly in preparation for WRNB
to move to 100.3 on September 1. 107.9 simulcasted WRNB until September 2, when the station began stunting as "Michael Vick
107.9." On September 6, it became "Rickey Smiley 107.9," introducing radio personality Rickey Smiley
to Philadelphia radio for the first time. Two days later, at 5 PM, the station officially debuted Hot 107.9 with a Urban Contemporary
format.
6am-10am: Ricky Smiley Morning Show
A third 100.3 The Beat no longer exists in St. Louis
, the station uses a different logo and tagline. However, it is owned by Clear Channel Communications
, not Radio One.
Only after KKBT which was owned by Radio One in Los Angeles changed to KRBV, now KSWD
which is now owned by Bonneville, WPHI remained one of only two Radio One-owned stations left branded "The Beat"; that other station is KBFB 97.9 FM
in Dallas
.
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...
format. The station is licensed to Pennsauken, New Jersey and serves the 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,...
market. When WPHI was on 100.3, it was known as "100.3 The Beat". On August 27, 2011, the "Beat" moniker was dropped in preparation for sister station WRNB
WRNB
WRNB is an Urban Adult Contemporary station broadcasting at 100.3 FM. Licensed to Media, Pennsylvania, it serves the Philadelphia market and is owned by Radio One. The station originally operated as WSNJ-FM in Bridgeton, New Jersey, first broadcasting on 98.9 in the 1950s before moving to 107.7...
's move to the 100.3 frequency. Hot 107.9 launched on September 8, 2011.
103.9 History
The station unit now occupying 100.3 began broadcasting in 1960 on 103.9 FM. The call letters WIBF stood for William, Irwin, and Benjamin Fox, who also owned channel 29 in the '60s (This Fox family had no association with Fox BroadcastingFox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, the current owners of what is now WTXF-TV
WTXF-TV
WTXF-TV, virtual channel 29 , is an owned-and-operated station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
). By the mid-1970s, the station had switched to religious and ethnic programming. In 1992, the station became WDRE, playing a Modern Rock format. In 1996, WDRE was sold to Radio One.
Then on February 7, 1997, under this new ownership, the Modern Rock format ended and was replaced by a Hip Hop based 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...
format. The call letters became WPHI. In 2001, the station modified the format to include dance music. The station at that point was reclassified as Rhythmic CHR. By 2004, the station backed off the dance music and became all hip hop and R&B. On February 22, 2005, the intellectual property of WPHI moved over to 100.3, ending the Y-100 Modern Rock format for good. 103.9 then became a Gospel Music station known as Praise 103.9 WPPZ.
100.3 FM History
100.3 FM first went on the air in the 1940s as KYW-FM, and was changed to WXUR-FM in the 1960s, and simulcasting its sister station, WXUR/690. The station was owned by Carl McIntireCarl McIntire
Carl McIntire was a founder of, and minister in, the Bible Presbyterian Church, founder and long president of the and the American Council of Christian Churches, and a popular religious radio broadcaster, who proudly identified himself as a fundamentalist.-Youth and education:Born in Ypsilanti,...
, a Bible Presbyterian
Bible Presbyterian Church
The Bible Presbyterian Church is an American Protestant denomination.-History:The Bible Presbyterian Church was formed in 1937, predominantly through the efforts of such conservative Presbyterian clergymen as Carl McIntire, J. Oliver Buswell and Allen A. MacRae. Francis Schaeffer was the first...
minister; it ran a religious format. In 1973, the FCC revoked the station's license for violating the Fairness Doctrine
Fairness Doctrine
The Fairness Doctrine was a policy of the United States Federal Communications Commission , introduced in 1949, that required the holders of broadcast licenses to both present controversial issues of public importance and to do so in a manner that was, in the Commission's view, honest, equitable...
, refusing to air competing viewpoints. The frequency then went dark.
In 1981, after a seven year comparative hearing, the FCC award the license to Greater Media Radio Company, owned by Daniel Lerner. The name referred to the city of license and was not associated with company Greater Media
Greater Media
Greater Media, Inc., known as Greater Media, is an American media company that specializes in radio stations. The markets where they own radio stations include Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, Charlotte, and the state of New Jersey...
that owns WMGK
WMGK
WMGK, known as "Classic Rock 102.9 MGK" or "Philadelphia's Classic Rock: 102.9 MGK", is a Classic rock formatted radio station which is broadcast in the Philadelphia area. The station features popular Philadelphia radio personality John DeBella and former Howard Stern Show censor Andre Gardner. ...
and other stations. On November 8, 1982, 100.3 signed on again as WKSZ, "Kiss 100," with an Adult Contemporary format. By 1987, Kiss 100 was the #1 Arbitron ranked station among women ages 25 to 54. In the early '90s, however, the battle for AC listeners heated up, and Kiss lost ground in the ratings, falling to 17th place in 1992 behind three other AC stations. They tried to mix AC and oldies with what they called the "50/50 mix," but it didn't work, and in 1993 returned to just a contemporary mix of love songs.
WKSZ Z100
On March 15, 1993, still struggling, WKSZ became "Z-100," playing a Top 40 format, filling the void left by Eagle 106, who had switched to a smooth jazz format on March 12. New York's WHTZ, also on the same frequency, and also called Z-100 since 1983, demanded that WKSZ drop the name to avoid listener confusion. After a brief legal battle, the call letters and name were changed to WPLY, "Y-100." The station initially did have a slight alternative rock lean but still played a decent amount of non rock product. In early 1995, WPLY evolved into an Alternative Rock format, which lasted nearly 10 years. From 1996 to about 1999 Y 100 leaned toward a Hot AC format but still playing only modern rock artists. The station moved to a harder rock lean by 2000. Also in 2000, the station was sold to Radio One which focuses mostly on Urban type formats.Radio One tried to make a deal to swap formats with Greater Media's 95.7 FM which at that time ran a rhythmic '70s based oldies format called Jammin Gold but the deal fell through. Radio One did continue to run Y-100 WPLY as a modern rock station for nearly 5 years. While ratings had gone down, the station still was moderately successful.
100.3 debuts as WPHI-FM
On February 24, 2005, Radio One flipped their Urban ContemporaryUrban 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...
station 103.9 The Beat to Gospel. They simultaneously moved 103.9's format to 100.3, creating 100.3 The Beat-and leaving Philadelphia without an Alternative Rock station. The last song on Y100 was Alive by Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
.
In the Fall of 2005, former rival personality Colby Colb was hired as the Program Director and afternoon host. The next few years the Beat enjoyed it's highest ratings in it's history helped by Miss Jones in the morning and Colby Colb in the afternoon. Monie Love and Pooch took over mornings in 2005, some of the other talents on the station was Micheal Shawn, Dj Touchtone, Dj Jay Ski, Megatron, Dj Bent Rock, Moshay, Toshamakia, DJ JDS, Laiya and Hansoul. In late 2010, it became the home of the Star and Buc Wild Morning Show, in spite of the radio team's previous controversies during its tenure as a syndicated show (it previously aired on WUSL in early 2006). Under Radio One ownership, and prior to 2011, WPHI was one of three stations not to convert to a syndicated morning show; KBXX
KBXX
KBXX is a Houston-based radio station with an urban contemporary musical format. It is owned by Radio One. Its transmitter is located in Missouri City, Texas. 97.9 The Box is currently the only station that plays hip hop and modern R&B music in the Greater Houston area after the demise of KPTY in...
in Houston and WCKX
WCKX
WCKX is a radio station broadcasting an Rhythmic Contemporary format. The station is licensed to and serves the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area. It first began broadcasting in 1993 under the call sign WJZA. The station is currently owned by Radio One...
in Columbus are the other two such stations.
Move to 107.9
On August 27, 20112011 in radio
The following events occurred in radio broadcasting in 2011.-Events:*January 1: 2 Knoxville stations change formats as WDLF and WYLV flip to K-LOVE and Air 1 , and a few Pittsburgh station change formats, as ESPN Radio moves from WEAE to WBGG, and Radio Disney moves from WWCS to the renamed WDDZ,...
, WPHI dropped its "The Beat" moniker for 100.3 Philly in preparation for WRNB
WRNB
WRNB is an Urban Adult Contemporary station broadcasting at 100.3 FM. Licensed to Media, Pennsylvania, it serves the Philadelphia market and is owned by Radio One. The station originally operated as WSNJ-FM in Bridgeton, New Jersey, first broadcasting on 98.9 in the 1950s before moving to 107.7...
to move to 100.3 on September 1. 107.9 simulcasted WRNB until September 2, when the station began stunting as "Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
107.9." On September 6, it became "Rickey Smiley 107.9," introducing radio personality Rickey Smiley
Rickey Smiley
Rickey Smiley is a standup comedian, television host, actor, and radio personality best known for his prank phone calls. The calls feature Smiley disguising his voice and carrying on a conversation with the recipient of the call....
to Philadelphia radio for the first time. Two days later, at 5 PM, the station officially debuted Hot 107.9 with a 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...
format.
On air
Monday-Friday:6am-10am: Ricky Smiley Morning Show
A third 100.3 The Beat no longer exists in St. Louis
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...
, the station uses a different logo and tagline. However, it is 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...
, not Radio One.
Only after KKBT which was owned by Radio One in Los Angeles changed to KRBV, now KSWD
KSWD
KSWD may refer to:* KSWD , a radio station licensed to Los Angeles, California, United States* KSEW, a radio station licensed to Seward, Alaska, United States, which used the call sign KSWD from September 1991 to May 2008...
which is now owned by Bonneville, WPHI remained one of only two Radio One-owned stations left branded "The Beat"; that other station is KBFB 97.9 FM
KBFB-FM
KBFB is a Dallas/Fort Worth-based radio station with a rhythmic contemporary musical format, although with an urban lean . It is owned by Radio One with sister station KSOC-FM 94.5...
in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
.