WKLS-FM
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| City of license | Atlanta, Georgia |
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| Broadcast area | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Branding | Project 9-6-1 |
| Slogan | You're either part of the problem, or part of the project |
| First air date | 1960 |
| Frequency | 96.1 (MHz) 96.1 HD-2 for Adult Album Alternative (AAA) |
| Format | Active rock |
| ERP | 99,000 watts |
| Class | C0 |
| Callsign meaning | W Kennedy Lathom Swan |
| Affiliations | Atlanta Braves Radio Network |
| Owner | Clear Channel Communications |
| Website | www.project961.com |
WKLS FM (Project 9-6-1) is an Atlanta FM radio station that plays active rock. Adult album alternative music can be heard on 96.1 HD-2 (HD Radio needed).
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[edit] History
WKLS call letters are the initials of the founding owners. Don Kennedy, James Lathom and Arthur Swan. They formed WKLS in 1960 with a $25,000 investment. It was sold 10 years later for $750,000. In its first 10 years, WKLS played an easy listening format. WKLS changed to an rock music format in 1974 and was renamed 96 Rock, the name it retained until November 2006.
For a time in 1977 DJ "Skinny" Bobby Harper, who was the inspiration for Dr. Johnny Fever of WKRP, graced WKLS.
Since 1974, WKLS has always been a rock station, though the focus has changed somewhat over time. In the 1970's, the station played AOR. These songs are what is known as classic rock today, but of course at the time much of the music was new.
In the early 1980's, 96 Rock cultivated a somewhat macho image. They often mocked competing radio stations which played top 40 hits as "wimp rock". They began to play more and more heavy metal, which was increasing in popularity. However, a backlash began to develop among the station's more mature listeners. In 1985, the station switched their focus to a mix of older and new rock.
96 Rock continued to play a mixture of classic rock and new rock for the next 19 years. They finally became exclusively a classic rock station in 2004. The 2004 change occurred when competing Atlanta station Z-93 (WZGC) became Dave FM, switching from classic rock to a broader rock-pop-alternative format. This did not cause a dramatic change in 96 Rock's playlist, however. Even before officially declaring themselves a classic rock station, most of their songs were classic rock; only a few new songs were played a hour.
WKLS's longevity as 96 Rock has allowed them to claim to be the oldest continuous format FM station in the Atlanta market. The station has honored its history and tradition on several occasions. In 1984, the station recognized its 10th anniversary by airing a Labor Day countdown of the Top 296 songs from 1974-1984. The station's 30th anniversary was recognized in 2004 with several promotions. One such promotion encouraged listeners to write to the station and reminisce about events in their lives, in which 96 Rock played a memorable role. Some of this correspondence was read on the air and posted on the station's website.
On November 17, 2006, at 9am, 96 Rock changed to Project 9-6-1, a more active rock format. At the same time, 105.3 The Buzz ceased independant operations and began simulcasting the new station for several days until it was flipped to become a regional Mexican music network.
[edit] Logos
 Former 96 Rock logo (1974-2006) |
Current Project 9-6-1 logo (2006-present) |
[edit] Morning show
In April 2004, long-time morning show hosts the Regular Guys (Larry Wachs and Eric Von Haessler) were fired for airing graphic sexual language with porn star Devin Lane as the content bled through a Honda commercial. That content, which aired the previous month, was intended to be played backwards, to mock the FCC indecency crackdown, when they came back from the break. Regular Guys sidekick Southside Steve Rickman and former mid-day host Tim Rhodes took the morning time slot temporarily. A permanent replacement came in the form of the Bob & Tom Show as Rhodes and Rickman moved to the afternoon slot. However The Regular Guys were rehired and returned to the airwaves on March 21, 2005 and came back to 96 Rock in May of 2005 from a brief stint at local AM talk station WGST.
On October 23, 2006, Clear Channel Radio terminated the Regular Guys and their show following an incident in which Wachs recorded bathroom conversation between the two morning show hosts on WWVA-FM (Viva 105.7), wile all three men were in the bathroom. The recording was played on-air a couple of days later. The Viva hosts (known as "Yogi and Panda") complained to management and subsequently sued Clear Channel and The Regular Guys. Larry said, "A case of a humorous prank has turned into a culture clash, a suppression of 1st Amendment rights, and a ridiculous smear campaign against me as well as termination of my income without due process." [citation needed]
[edit] Former disc jockeys
- Morning Drive: The Regular Guys, Fin
- Mid-days: Fin, Tim Rhodes
- Afternoon Drive: Christopher Rude "The Rude Ride Home", Jennifer Reed, Southside and Rhodes, Dick and Justice
- Nights: Big Rig
- Overnights: English Nick, Jason Gore
- Weekends/Fill In DJs: Geoff Cole, JT, Cousin Deke, Mr. Bill, Alfred, Jason Gore
[edit] Other
In 2005, in addition to broadcasting music, 96 Rock began broadcasting Atlanta Braves baseball games, along with sister station WGST-AM. The broadcast contract runs through the 2009 baseball season.
This station is broadcasting in IBOC digital radio, using the HD Radio system from iBiquity.
On January 30, 2006, the station got a separate HD2 format, Adult Album Alternative
[edit] External link
| Atlanta metro area FM radio stations (Arbitron #9) WJSP 88.1 | WRAS 88.5 | WBCX 89.1 | WRFG 89.3 | WABE 90.1 | WUWG 90.7 | WREK 91.1 | WWEV 91.5 | WCLK 91.9 | WZGC 92.9 | WVFJ 93.3 | WSTR 94.1 | WLTM 94.9 | WBTS 95.5 | WKLS 96.1 | WVWA 96.7 | WSRV 97.1 | WPZE 97.5 | WGPB 97.7 | WSB 98.5 | WNNX 99.7 | WNSY 100.1 | WWWQ 100.5 | WKHX 101.5 | WAZX 101.9 | WLKQ 102.3 | WAMJ 102.5 | WCKS 102.7 | WMJE 102.9 | WVEE 103.3 | WPUP 103.7 | WALR 104.1 | WFSH 104.7 | WBZY 105.3 | WWVA 105.7 | WNGC 106.1 | WHLE 106.3 | WYAY 106.7 | WTSH 107.1 | WJZZ 107.5 | WHTA 107.9 | WPCG 107.9 |
