WRKY (AM)

WRKY (1490 kHz, "Rocky 98.5") is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Forever Media and simulcasts the classic rock programming of sister station 98.5 WYCR.[1] WRKY is one of Pennsylvania's oldest radio stations.

WRKY
Simulcast of WYCR, York–Hanover, Pennsylvania
Broadcast areaSouth Central Pennsylvania
Frequency1490 kHz
BrandingRocky 98.5
Programming
FormatClassic rock
Ownership
Owner
  • Forever Media
  • (FM Radio Licenses, LLC)
History
First air date
June 1922 (1922-06)
Former call signs
WGAL (1922–1977)
WDDL (1977–1979)
WLPA (1979–2021)
Former frequencies
1210 kHz (1927)
1190 kHz (1927–1928)
1310 kHz (1928–1934)
1500 kHz (1934–1941)
Call sign meaning
"Rocky"
Technical information
Facility ID25870
ClassC
Power600 watts unlimited
Transmitter coordinates
40°3′38.35″N 76°18′5.0″W
Translator(s)See § Translator
Links
WebcastListen Live
WebsiteRocky 98.5 Online

WRKY is powered at 600 watts, using a non-directional antenna. The transmitter is off Fruitville Pike in Lancaster.[2] Programming is also heard on FM translator W223CH at 92.5 MHz.

History

The station first signed on the air in June 1922. It is one of Pennsylvania's earliest stations. The original call sign was WGAL. The station was once housed in the historic Jasper Yeates House.[3]

WGAL was owned by the Steinman family, which also owned two local newspapers, the Intelligencer Journal and the Lancaster New Era. In 1947 an FM sister station went on the air, WGAL-FM, now WROZ. In 1949, the family added Pennsylvania's first television station outside Philadelphia. The TV station is now owned by The Hearst Corporation and still has the WGAL call sign.[4] For most of its history, WGAL/WLPA was a full service radio station, airing middle of the road music, news, talk and sports. It was a long-time affiliate of the NBC Radio Network.

In the early 1990s, WLPA simulcast the audio of CNN Headline News and WGAL's local newscasts, before switching to One-on-One Sports, then Sporting News Radio (both forerunners of SportsMap). It also broadcast Philadelphia Phillies games.

In July 2005, WLPA changed to a sports radio format, first affiliating with Fox Sports Radio. On August 1, 2013, WLPA became an affiliate of ESPN Radio. The station had attempted to affiliate with ESPN Radio for some years beforehand, but was unable to do so due to its geographic proximity to another ESPN affiliate, WGLD in Manchester Township. However, that station joined CBS Sports Radio in early 2013, making the ESPN affiliation available to WLPA.[5]

On April 1, 2015, WLPA changed format from ESPN sports to adult standards, supplied by Westwood One's America's Best Music service, returning the station to the music it once played decades ago.[6]

"ESPN92.5-92.7" logo

On April 4, 2016, WLPA reverted back to a sports radio format, with a simulcast of the ESPN Radio programming of sister station WONN-FM, now WPPY. WLPA adopted that station's ESPN Radio 92.7 branding at that time.[7]

On July 23, 2021, it was announced that Forever Media would purchase WLPA and its translator along with WONN-FM for a total of $400,000. This signals Hall Communications' withdrawal from the market, as the sale of 101.3 WROZ to religious broadcaster Educational Media Foundation was announced earlier that month.[8]

The sale consummated on October 15, 2021. WLPA and its translator subsequently switched to a simulcast of the classic rock programming of sister station WYCR.[1] The station’s call sign was changed to WRKY effective November 1, 2021.

Translator

WRKY programming is broadcast on the following translator:

Broadcast translator for WRKY
Call signFrequencyCity of licenseFIDERP (W)HAATClassTransmitter coordinatesFCC info
W223CH 92.5 FMLancaster, Pennsylvania15542725057 m (187 ft)D40°02′18.3″N 76°18′21.8″WLMS

References
  1. Fybush, Scott (October 18, 2021). "NorthEast Radio Watch 10/18/2021: New Owners in New England". fybush.com. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  2. Radio-Locator.com/WRKY
  3. "National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania" (Searchable database). CRGIS: Cultural Resources Geographic Information System. Note: This includes John J. Snyder, Jr. (June 1982). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Jasper Yeates House" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  4. "WGAL TV Photo Album; 60 Years of History". eyesofageneration.com. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
  5. Stark, Eric (June 23, 2013). "WLPA drops FOX in favor of ESPN". Sunday News. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
  6. Stuhldreher, Tim (2015-03-18). "Radio station WLPA-AM 1490 to change format". lancasteronline.com. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
  7. "WLPA Returns to ESPN Radio 92.7 Simulcast". Radioinsight.com. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
  8. "Forever Media Acquires Rest Of Hall's Central Pennsylvania Stations". RadioInsight. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
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