WHBQ-FM
 |
 | |
| Germantown, Tennessee | |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Memphis, Tennessee |
| Frequency | 107.5 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 107.5 WHBQ |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic hits |
| Subchannels | HD2: Top 40 (CHR) (WOWW simulcast) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Flinn Broadcasting Corporation |
| KHGA, KXHT, WGSF, WHBQ, WIVG, WMPS, WMSO, WOWW | |
| History | |
First air date | 1993 (as WAQK) |
Former call signs | WAQK (1993-1994) WJOI (1994-1997) WKSL (1997-2001) WYYL (8/2001-12/2001) WMPS (2001-2004) |
Call sign meaning | "We Have Better Quartets"[1] |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 50330 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 3,900 watts |
| HAAT | 124 meters |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | whbqmemphis.com |
WHBQ-FM (107.5 MHz) is a Germantown, Tennessee, United States-based radio station broadcasting a classic hits format. It serves Memphis along with its northern and eastern suburbs from an antenna located in Cordova, Tennessee. It is commonly referred to as the "Q", and first hit airwaves on March 23, 2004. It is owned by the Flinn Broadcasting Corporation. Despite sharing call letters, WHBQ-FM is not co-owned with WHBQ-TV. It operates from its studios in Southeast Memphis.
History[edit]
The station first signed on in 1993, beginning as WAQK. A year later the call sign was changed to WJOI. In 1997 the station took its first jab at the Top 40 radio market with another call sign change to WKSL, and the moniker "107.5 KISS FM". This station, like the "Q", had a format based on that of KIIS-FM in L.A. Though moderately popular, and the longest-lasting format to date, this format was ended in 2001, and in August of that year it was changed to WYYL, a.k.a. "Wild 107-5". This station had a Rhythmic Contemporary Hit format, similar to that of another former Memphis station, Power 99. This format only lasted for four months before being turned into WMPS, a.k.a. "The Pig". This station had more of an adult contemporary format, like similar Memphis stations FM 100 or WRVR. Finally in 2004, after three years of Memphis not having a true Top 40 outlet, the station was turned into its current format and call sign. In 2010, Q 107.5 expanded its signal by adding a simulcast on 96.1 FM, while 96.1 FM's format of AAA "The Pig" moved up the dial to WPGF-LP 87.7 FM.
On April 11, 2013, WIVG split from its simulcast with WHBQ-FM and began stunting with a loop of "Blister in the Sun" by Violet Femmes, and changed format to alternative rock at 4 p.m., branded as "96X".[2] WHBQ-FM now refers to the format as "Q 107.5, All the Hits".
On September 28, 2020, at 9:54 a.m. after playing "If the World Was Ending" by JP Saxe feat. Julia Michaels, WHBQ began stunting with Christmas music. At 12:04 p.m., the station changed their format from top 40/CHR to classic hits branded as "107.5 WHBQ". The first song that played on WHBQ was "Always Something There To Remind Me" by Naked Eyes.[3]
WHBQ-HD2[edit]
On August 30, 2019, after stunting with a loop of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" by Michael Jackson, WHBQ-FM launched a 1980's hits format on its HD2 subchannel, branded as "Z96.3" (simulcast on translator W242CF (96.3 FM), which was flipped from its alternative format as "I96").[4]
On January 20, 2020, WHBQ-HD2/W242CF flipped back to alternative rock, reverting the "I96" branding.[5] 367 days later, on January 22, 2021, at 3 p.m., WHBQ-HD2/W242CF flipped to top 40/CHR, branded as "B96.3", with the first song being "Holy" by Justin Bieber featuring Chance the Rapper.[6]
On May 13, 2022 at noon, WHBQ-HD2 switched translators from W242CF to W249BN (97.7 FM), which will be replacing a classic hits format branded as "Guess-FM".[7]
References[edit]
- ^ "Call Letter Origins". Radio History on the Web.
- ^ 96X Returns To Memphis Radioinsight - April 11, 2013
- ^ WHBQ-FM Memphis Flips to Classic Hits Radioinight - September 28, 2020
- ^ 96.3 Memphis Goes Back to the 80s Radioinsight - August 30, 2019
- ^ I96 Returns to Memphis Radioinsight - January 20, 2020
- ^ Flinn Launches CHR B96.3 Memphis Radioinsight - January 22, 2021
- ^ "B96 Memphis Moves To 97.7". RadioInsight. Retrieved 2022-05-13.
External links[edit]
- Official website
- WHBQ in the FCC FM station database
- WHBQ on Radio-Locator
- WHBQ in Nielsen Audio's FM station database