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WQKT

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
WQKT
Broadcast areaCanton and Akron
Frequency104.5 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingThe River
Programming
FormatChristian adult contemporary
Ownership
OwnerRiver Radio Ministries
WKVX, WZCP, WZNP, WCVO, WFCO
History
First air date
1947; 77 years ago (1947)
Former call signs
WWST-FM (1947–83)
Technical information
Facility ID74201
ClassB
ERP52,000 watts
HAAT101 meters (331 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
40°47′31″N 81°54′18″W / 40.792°N 81.905°W / 40.792; -81.905
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitewqkt.com

WQKT (104.5 FM) is a commercial radio station in Wooster, Ohio, serving Canton and Akron, with a Christian adult contemporary format. The station carries football and basketball games of The College of Wooster, along with local high school sports broadcasts. WQKT is co-owned with WKVX 960 AM, which airs a Southern Gospel format.

logo as a country station

WQKT is a Class B station. It has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 52,000 watts. That is slightly higher than the maximum for most Class B stations, 50,000 watts. It is grandfathered at the higher power because it went on the air before the maximums were established. The transmitter and studios are on South Hillcrest Drive at Lincoln Way East in Wooster.[1]

History

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Top 40 and Country

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The station signed on the air in 1947; 77 years ago (1947).[2] Its original call sign was WWST-FM. For its first several decades, it simulcast its AM sister station WWST (now WKVX 960 AM). WWST-FM was powered at 5,000 watts, a fraction of its current output. The two stations had a full service format of middle of the road music (MOR), news and sports. In 1962, as Top 40 stations became popular, WWST-AM-FM followed suit.

In the 1980s, WWST-FM flipped to country music, which it continued to air for four decades. The call letters changed to WQKT on October 10, 1983. The station used the syndicated Westwood One "Mainstream Country" music service.

Christian Contemporary

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On November 13, 2023, Dix Broadcasting announced it would sell WQKT and WKVX to River Radio Ministries. The price tag was $3,050,000. River Radio took over operations on May 1, 2024.

Under River Radio Ministries, the station flipped to Christian adult contemporary music. It uses "The River" network from River Radio, primarily simulcasting 104.9 WCVO in Columbus. The station's local morning show, "Morning Edition" moves to WKVX 960. The station continues to air a farming news program, "The Farm Hour with Ron Hamilton." Also continuing are broadcasts of local high school and College of Wooster athletics. All professional sports play-by-play broadcasts were dropped with the sale, except for a few weeks of the Cleveland Cavaliers, whose season ended soon after.[3][4]

References

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