WVLK (AM)

WVLK is a radio station serving the Lexington, Kentucky area with a news/talk format. This station broadcasts on AM frequency 590 kHz and is under ownership of Cumulus Media. The station's studios are located inside Kincaid Towers in downtown Lexington, and its transmitter is located in the northwest part of Lexington.

WVLK
CityLexington, Kentucky
Broadcast areaLexington Metro Area
Central Kentucky
Frequency590 kHz
BrandingNews/Talk 97.3 FM WVLK
Programming
FormatNews/Talk
AffiliationsABC News Radio
CBS Radio News
UK Sports Network
Ownership
OwnerCumulus Media
(Cumulus Licensing LLC)
Sister stationsWVLK-FM, WLTO, WXZZ, WLXX
History
First air dateNovember 26, 1947 (1947-11-26)
Call sign meaningVersailles, Lexington, Kentucky[1]
Technical information
Facility ID27418
ClassB
Power5,000 watts day
1,000 watts night
Transmitter coordinates38°06′42″N 84°34′36″W
Translator(s)97.3 W247CT (Lexington)
Links
WebcastListen live
Websitewvlkam.com

Programming

Weekday programming features local shows during the morning and early afternoon and several syndicated talk radio programs during the late afternoon and evening including Sean Hannity, Geraldo Rivera and Mark Levin. Weekend programming includes local shows on a variety of topics from gardening to home maintenance to sports, as well as syndicated programs like Kim Komando and Clark Howard.

History

WVLK began broadcasting on November 26, 1947 as a Mutual affiliate on 590 kHz with 1 KW power (full-time). It was owned by Bluegrass Broadcasting Company, whose president was former U.S. Senator A.B. Chandler. Offices and studios were in the Lafayette Hotel in Lexington.[2]

The station provides at least secondary coverage to most of central Kentucky, as well as parts of the Louisville radio market, and as far south as the Lake Cumberland area. Until sometime in the 1990s, WVLK was the flagship radio station of the University of Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball and football games from the UK Sports Radio Network.[1]

In 2015, WVLK signed on a new FM translator station, W266AN in Lawrenceburg, at 101.1 MHz on the FM dial.[3] On June 20, W266AN was forced off the air due to interference with WSGS in the Central Kentucky area. Effective June 13, 2017, the translator was licensed to Lexington at 97.3 FM, as W247CT. Also on Jan 1, 2020, WVLK is now on WCYN FM 102.3 FM.

Early voices

Among the early voices at WVLK, US Representative Harold Rogers was a disc jockey at the station in 1959, while he was a student at the University of Kentucky.

During the period from 1959 through 1963, the DJ 'crew' at WVLK included Arty Kay, Bob McDonald, Jim Chadwick, Sam Combs, Charles Lancaster, Jim Richmond and Darrel Evans. At that time, WVLK was a Top 40 Rock station, and was the highest-rated station in the market, with more listeners than all of the other stations combined (Pulse, Hooper, Nielson ratings). The sportscaster (both HS and UK sports) was Claude Sullivan.<Jim Chadwick>

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References
  1. Wills, Scott. "WVLK History".
  2. "(photo caption)" (PDF). Broadcasting. January 12, 1948. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  3. "W247CT-FM 97.3 MHz - Lexington, KY". radio-locator.com.


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