Page updated May 30, 2022

 

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103.1 WRKA

WRKA History: WRKA originally was WSTM, a Class A FM licensed to St. Matthews, Kentucky. WSTM came on the air November 19, 1966 with 2950 watts at 135 feet height above average terrain near Westport Road and Hubbards Lane. (A Kroger store is there now.) The original format was Beautiful Music.
 

"Wildest mobile unit in the Louisville area is this sports car painted in psychedelic colors used by WSTM-FM, St. Matthews. Program Director John Alexander prepares to take a trip." (Louisville magazine Broadcasting issue, September 10, 1967)

In 1977 the format switched to "Disco 103".

On August 28, 1978 the call letters were changed to WNUU, with the station airing Bonneville's AC/MOR format.

In 1979 a new transmitter site was built next to the VA Hospital. The slightly increased power and higher antenna (3 kilowatts at 300 feet) greatly improved the coverage.

The call letters became WRKA on January 1, 1980. (Robert Knowles was the General Manager. RKA stood for Robert Knowles and Associates.)

From 1980 to 1984 the station had an AC format with the slogan "Between Rock and the Rocking Chair". WRKA was the #1 station in the Louisville market 12+ Monday through Sunday 6AM-12PM in Spring of 1984.

In 1985 WRKA shifted to Hot AC with Glenn Beck in mornings, with a 9.0 share in the Spring 1985 Arbitron 12+ which made it #3 in the market.


WRKA bumper sticker

WRKA began playing all-oldies on weekends in 1987, promoting it as "A Way Back Weekend".

The format changed to oldies full time in 1989.

On February 4, 1992, the station's power was upgraded to 6 KW ERP with a directional antenna.

On July 11, 2008 the 103.1 frequency was upgraded to a class C2 FM, with 23 KW at 555 feet.

On July 18, 2008 the call letters were changed to WQNU, and the format switched to New Country. The WRKA call letters moved to 103.9.

On July 23, 2008 WRKA became "Country Legends 103.9".

Spooky fact: The official 2008 WRKA Kentucky Derby 139 Kentucky Derby poster had a hidden "RIP" on the horse’s nose, foretelling the demise of WRKA. This was intentionally done.

Here's Oldies 103 WRKA's last hour, 2pm-3pm July 18, 2008:

2:02 Top of the Hour Sweeper
2:02 Turn! Turn! Turn! - Byrds
2:06 Got to Give It Up -Marvin Gaye
2:10 Leaving On A Jet Plane - Peter Paul & Mary
2:14 Give Me Just A Little More Time - Chairmen of the Board
2:20 Alone Again (Naturally) - Gilbert O'Sullivan
-Spots-
-Weather-
2:30 Never Can Say Goodbye -Gloria Gaynor
2:33 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon
2:36 One Less Bell To Answer - 5th Dimension
2:40 Hello, Goodbye - Beatles
-Spots-
2:49 WRKA end montage
2:59 NewsRadio 103.1 stunt
3:02 Q103.1 opening
3:03 All Summer Long - Kid Rock


WRKA bumper sticker

Know anything more about this station? Have any WRKA airchecks, photos or promotional material?
Drop us a line.
WRKA Surveys
Top 103 of 1982 - Part 1 Top 103 of 1983 - Part 1
Top 103 of 1982 - Part 2 Top 103 of 1983 - Part 2
Top 103 of 1982 - Part 3 Top 103 of 1983 - Part 3
WRKA Airchecks
Lee Tobin and the WRKA Top 30 Countdown (September 25, 1983)
9:02 - 8471 KB
Glenn Beck and the RKA Team (1986)
26:53 - 18,912 KB
Glenn Beck and the RKA Team (April 15, 1986)
34:47 - 24,465 KB
WRKA Morning Show (November 1987)
22:08 - 15,571 KB
WRKA Morning Show First Anniversary - Part 1 (August 1988)
32:51 - 23,108 KB
WRKA Morning Show First Anniversary - Part 2 (August 1988)
32:59 - 23,199 KB
WRKA (January 6, 1989)
:28 - 334 KB
WRKA (June 22, 1989)
1:18 - 917 KB
Bingo (1989)
:55 - 647 KB
Oldies 103 RKA (1989)
:55 - 645 KB
Leonard Yates (May 6, 1990)
36:00 - 25,321 KB
Leonard Yates (May 13, 1990)
37:19 - 26,242 KB
Stevie Jansen (March 11, 1991)
4:43 - 3319 KB
Larry Miller with Muhammad Ali (December 17, 1991)
1:01 - 360 KB
All audio is in downloadable MP3 format.
WRKA Jingles
WRKA Mid-80s Jingles
1:43 - 1611 KB

We're guessing these WRKA jingles came from TM productions. The contributor wrote,
"The nicknames of the seven jingles are (in order):
Floorboard, Gallop, 3rd Power, Earl & Chicos, Remember, Eddie, and Earl 1."
WRKA 1991 TM Century Jingles
3:53 - 5180 KB

 

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