WKTU

WKTU-FM, "KTU"

KTU 103.5 logo
Broadcast area	New York City
Frequency	103.5 MHz
Programming
Format	Dance Top 40
Ownership
Owner	Clear Channel Communications
History
First air date	1948 (frequency) June 5, 1975 (at 92.3 FM) 1996 (at 103.5 FM)

103.5 WKTU (nicknamed "KTU") is a radio station based in New York City. The station's broadcast transmitter is located on the top of the Empire State Building and its city of license is Lake Success, New York.

The original WKTU

See WXRK section on WKTU for the original WKTU that existed from 1975-1985 and achieved great fame as a disco station in the late 1970s.

WNNJ and pre-move WPAT-FM

The 103.5 frequency first went on the air in 1948, as WNNJ, which then changed its name to WPAT-FM. FM listenership was very light in those early days of FM broadcasting, and during the 1950s the station would sometimes be off the air for long stretches without anyone knowing it was gone.

By 1957 WPAT-FM had relocated to its much better-known frequency of 93.1.

WTFM

In 1958, the 103.5 FM frequency in New York City went back on the air as WTFM. They played an instrumental-based easy listening format until 1978, when the old WKTU went from an adult contemporary format to a disco music format. As an easy listening station, WTFM's ratings were low, as WRFM and WPAT had higher ratings with the same format. So in the fall of 1978, WTFM switched to an adult contemporary format, even though ratings would remain low with the new format.

WAPP

In 1982, Doubleday would buy the station, and that June, the station would switch to an Album-oriented rock format similar to WPLJ and WNEW-FM down the dial. The station was renamed "The Apple 103.5", with the call letters WAPP. The station went commercial-free for the duration of that summer, and as a result, it became the highest-rated radio station in New York City. Then, when the station added commercials, listeners switched back to WPLJ and WNEW-FM, and so ratings went down. In 1983, when WPLJ switched to a CHR format, the station's ratings got a slight boost.

As 1984 progressed, the WAPP's ratings were on the upswing. However, the station's owners decided to change the station's format to CHR that fall. They felt that if stations that they owned in Washington, D.C. and Minnesota could do well with the format, then this station could as well. This would not be the case, as the station could not compete with WPLJ or Z-100, and their ratings would fall. Not even a change back to a rock format in the summer of 1985 could solve the station's ratings woes.

The pre-move WQHT

In 1986, Emmis Communications would buy the station from Doubleday, as Doubleday was in the process getting out of the radio business. That August, after stunting with classic rock for a very brief period, the station relaunched as "HOT 103", with the call letters WQHT. The new station, which played a mix of pop hits, dance songs, rap songs and r&b songs, was an instant ratings success.

The post-move WYNY

In 1988, WQHT would change frequencies, as Emmis acquired NBC's radio stations. Since Federal Communications Commission regulations at the time required that a company can only own one FM radio station in a market, Emmis sold the 103.5 frequency to Westwood One. At the same time, they moved the format at 103.5 FM to the 97.1 FM frequency which they acquired from NBC. As a result, WYNY, which was running a country music format at the 97.1 frequency prior to the sale, would move from 97.1 FM to 103.5 FM.

The station, now known as "Country 103.5", had mediocre ratings in their first few months at its new frequency. Even though rumors of a format change were always existent at the station, the country format remained. In 1993, the station would be sold to Broadcast Partners, whom were committed to keeping Country on WYNY. As a country station, Jim Kerr would be the station's morning show host from 1990 to 1992, while their airstaff included the likes of Dan Daniel, Randy Davis, Kat & Dave, Ray Rossi, Lisa Taylor and Charlie Berger.

Meanwhile, Hot 97 began to move away from dance music in 1992 and toward Hip Hop and R & B. By 1994 they played almost no dance music. After Hot 97 changed to a hip hop format in 1993, New Yorkers demanded a Dance music station.

In the spring of 1995, Broadcast Partners opted to sell to Evergreen Media, and after a lot of speculation about the station's future, Evergreen confirmed in January 1996 that the station would be changing formats. On the final weekend that the station would play country music (which would be from February 2 to February 4, 1996), the entire airstaff said goodbye in a very melodramatic manner. After airing the syndicated After Midnight show in the early morning hours of February 5, the country music format was gone from the station. (Later that year a new WYNY at the 107.1 frequency would emerge playing country music.)

Sing you sisters!

For the next week, Evergreen simulcasted several sister stations on the 103.5 frequency. They included 103.5 WRCX "Rock 103.5" (now WKSC) in Chicago, 92.3 KKBT "92.3 The Beat" in Los Angeles, 97.9 WLUP in Chicago, 101.3 KIOI "K101" in San Francisco, and 107.9 WXKS "Kiss 108" in Boston.

The new WKTU

At 6 PM that February 9, the station started airing sounds of a heart beating and liners about a new radio station coming. Then, the next day at Noon, WKTU was relaunched at 103.5 FM with a dance-based CHR format. The station instantly skyrocketed to number one in the Arbitron ratings, although they have since cooled down.

Some believe that the cause for the lower ratings is the fact that WNEW-FM changed to an Rhythmic AC format, even though WNEW's ratings, which are among the lowest for any New York City FM station, have remained about the same since their format change.

As a result of a series of transactions in the late 1990's and early 2000's, WKTU is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications.

Current DJs

Current DJs include:

• Baltazar (Morning Show 5-9am)
• Goumba Johnny (Morning Show 5-9am)
• Speedy (Morning Show 5-9am)
• Cindy Vero (Morning Show 5-9am)
• Diane Prior (9-2pm)
• Broadway Bill Lee (2-6pm)
• Vic Latino (6-10pm)
• Jewelz (10pm-2am)
• Charlie Burger (2-5am)
• Al Bandiero (Weekends)
• Lil' Cee (Weekends)
• Showboat (Weekends)
• Judy Torres (Weekends)
• K-7 (Weekends)
• Bartel (Weekends)

Management

• Regional Vice President - General Manager - Andrew Rosen
• Program Director - Jeff Zuchowski
• Music Director - Skyy Walker (has since left WKTU for XM Radio)
• Director of Marketing - Susan Bacich
• General Sales Manager - Mike Juliano
• Local Sales Manager - Scott Eisenberg

External link

• Official website of KTU