WRQK-FM
 | This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject, potentially preventing the article from being verifiable and neutral. (July 2017) |
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| Broadcast area | Canton metropolitan area Akron metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 106.9 MHz |
| Branding | Rock 106.9 |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Format | Mainstream rock |
| Subchannels | HD2: Soft Adult Contemporary "The Breeze" |
| Affiliations | iHeartRadio Premiere Networks Premium Choice United Stations Radio Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| History | |
First air date | March 1, 1961 |
Former call signs | WCNO (1961–67) WNYN-FM (1967–71) WHLQ (1971–79) WOOS-FM (1979–85) WRQK (1985–89) |
Call sign meaning | RQK resembles "Rock" |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 8550 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 27,500 watts |
| HAAT | 103 meters (338 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 40°49′22.00″N 81°25′40.00″W / 40.8227778°N 81.4277778°W |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen live (via iHeartRadio) |
| Website | wrqk |
WRQK-FM (106.9 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Canton, Ohio, serving both the Canton and Akron metropolitan areas. It broadcasts a mainstream rock radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The station calls itself "Rock 106.9" and uses the slogan "It All Rocks!" The radio studios are on Freedom Avenue in North Canton.[1]
WRQK-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 27,500 watts. The transmitter is off Whipple Avenue NW in Meyers Lake, Ohio.[2] WRQK-FM broadcasts using HD Radio technology. The HD-2 digital subchannel carries iHeartRadio's soft adult contemporary music service, known as "The Breeze."
Current programming
WRQK-FM personality and former Maxwell Show sidekick Dan Stansbury hosts the morning drive time program.[3] Stacy is heard middays, A.D. handles afternoons and Chad Tyson is the evening host. WRQK-FM also airs The House of Hair with Dee Snider on Sunday nights via United Stations Radio Networks.[4]
History
WCNO, WNYN-FM and WHLQ
On March 1, 1961, the station signed on the air as WCNO.[5] The new station was owned by the Greer Group, also owner of WAND in Canton. The two stations became WNYN and WNYN-FM in 1967. Both stations were purchased in 1965 by Don Keyes, who had made his mark as a national programmer for legendary station owner Gordon McLendon.
In 1971, he sold the FM station to Susquehanna Radio Corporation, which also owned 640 WHLO. At that point, WNYN-FM changed its call sign to WHLQ.
WOOS and WRQK
Susquehanna sold the station in 1978 to the owners of WINW. The new owner applied to change the FM call letters to WHOF for the "Pro Football Hall of Fame" city of Canton. But the station was rebuffed by the owners of WTOF, another local FM station, saying the two stations would have call signs that were too similar and confuse listeners. (Coincidentally, WRQK-FM now has a sister station using the WHOF call letters.) 106.9 started an automated Top 40 format and became WOOS-FM on June 1, 1979.
WOOS-FM changed its call sign to WRQK on August 3, 1985, taking on an album oriented rock music format. For a while, the station called itself Goodrock 107, an apparent play on the name of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in nearby Akron. It formally changed from WRQK to WRQK-FM on February 14, 1989, when AM station WINW changed its call sign to WRQK. The AM station changed back to WINW six months later, but the FM call sign has remained WRQK-FM.
Changes in Ownership
In 1995, the station was sold by Jim Embrescia's Canton/Akron Radio, Inc. to Sabre Communications. Then In 1997, SabreComm sold to Connoisseur. Connoisseur sold its entire radio group to Cumulus. Then, on August 8, 2006, it was announced that WRQK-FM would be sold to Clear Channel Communications, pairing WRQK-FM with former partner WHLO, as well as WARF, WKDD, and WHOF. Clear Channel took over operations of WRQK-FM on January 15, 2007, pending FCC approval of its purchase of the station from Cumulus. In a few years, Clear Channel became today's iHeartMedia, Inc.
In March 2007, WRQK-FM changed its branding from "Rock 107" to "Rock 106.9"; and also changed slogans from "Canton's Rock Station" to "It Just Rocks!" The station stopped identifying with Canton to make Akron listeners feel included.
References
External links
- Official website
- Facility details for Facility ID WRQK ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's FM station database