WKLH
| City of license | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Branding | 96.5 WKLH or just KLH |
| Slogan | "Milwaukee's Home of Classic Rock" |
| Frequency | 96.5 MHz (also on HD Radio) |
| First air date | June 26, 1956 |
| Format | Classic rock |
| ERP | 20,000 watts |
| HAAT | 247 meters |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 36370 |
| Callsign meaning | W KLassic Hits |
| Former callsigns | WFMR (until 1983) WMGF (1983-1986) |
| Owner | Saga Communications |
| Sister stations | WHQG, WJMR-FM, WJYI, WZBK-FM |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | wklh.com |
WKLH (96.5 FM) is a classic rock-formatted radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The station is owned by Saga Communications.
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[edit] History
The station received its Federal Communications Commission (FCC) license on November 30, 1955. They signed on the air as WFMR on June 26, 1956 with a classical music format from the Bayshore Shopping Center, in Glendale, Wisconsin, with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 24.5 kilowatts and an antenna height of 35 feet above average terrain (HAAT). They began broadcasting in stereo in 1962. In June 1969, it boosted its power to 40 kW, becoming the most powerful FM station in Milwaukee at that time. They got another power upgrade in July 1974, this time to 50 kW.
[edit] WMGF
In January 1983, the station's owners switched the format to adult contemporary, picking up the call sign WMGF and named the station Magic 96.5. Three months later, on April 27, 1983, the owner of (WXJY) picked up the WFMR call sign, its classical music format, and several of its air talents.
[edit] WKLH
WMGF carried on for three years until flipping formats to "classic rock as WKLH in 1986. WKLH was an immediate success, almost tripling its ratings and landing in the top five stations in the market in its first ratings book.[1] The format continues to this day, and is credited by many as one of the first "classic rock" stations in the country.[citation needed] WKLH has long been a ratings success in the Milwaukee area, and has also won many awards, including Radio & Records "Classic Rock Station of the Year" in 2001.[citation needed]
Ironically, WKLH's sister stations are the two other frequencies associated with WFMR - 98.3 and 106.9.
The WKLH call letters previously belonged to AM 1580 and FM 92.1 (K-92) in Saint Johns, Michigan, from October 1983 to September 1985.
[edit] Dave and Carole
The Dave and Carole morning show (Monday-Friday, 5 a.m. - 10 a.m.) has dominated Milwaukee radio ratings since WKLH debuted in 1986.[citation needed] Based on a yearly 4 rating book average, this show has finished either #1 or #2 in Adults 25-54 for 22 consecutive years.[citation needed]
The show is hosted by Dave Luczak, with Carole Caine, doing the news and adding the "female" perspective. The other regular is Kevin (KB) Brandt. KB is a former stand-up comedian and a musician who also performs in several local bands. His bands regularly appear at music festivals like Summerfest. Since early 2002, the show has been produced by Marcus Allen.
Over the past more than two decades, this show has featured a rotating cast.
Regulars have included many current or former athletes and coaches. These include former Milwaukee Brewer Paul Molitor (86-92), former Brewer manager Phil Garner (92-98), then-Green Bay Packer coach Mike Holmgren (92-98), QB Brett Favre (97-00), defensive lineman Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (02-06), and former Brewer pitching coach Mike Maddux (05-08). Other sports guests include LeRoy Butler, a member of the Packer Hall of Fame and Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal, twice Wisconsin sports writer of the year.
Other current or former regular cast members include:;
Mike Gousha from WISN 12 in Milwaukee, improv master Dylan Bolin "Out Of The Box", Segway King Angelo "Mort" Snotlocker, Rudy "Itchy" Itchkowski, Gino (The Judge) Salomone, "MR. Angry", Dutch "Wandering Wisconsin", Joyce Garbaciak from WISN-12, Katrina Cravy from FOX 6, Greg "The Gristleman" Koch, John McGivern, Willy Porter, Genesis touring guitarist Daryl Stuermer and more.
Dave and Carole have also hosted thousands of comedians in their studios. Since 1988 they have featured the weekly headliner at the Comedy Cafe in Milwaukee. Other comedy "regulars" include: Fred Klett, Jim Gaffigan, Kyle Cease, Kathleen Madigan and Stephen Lynch and Wisconsin native Frank Caliendo.
Dave and Carole also produce and host many live shows in the Milwaukee area. These include their yearly "Comedy 4 Kids" at the Riverside Theater, "Dave and Carole-ing" for Christmas, their annual Christmas show also at the Riverside Theater, and the "Music of the Morning 'KLH" featuring the talented musicians of the morning show. All of these shows are fund raisers for their various charity endeavors and all shows typically sell out within hours.
[edit] Miracle Marathon
Once every year starting in 1998, WKLH's morning show, Dave & Carole, host the "Miracle Marathon" to raise money for Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. Over the course of three days in 2008, they raised over $1.4 million. Dave and Carole's 11 year total is over $11 million.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- WKLH official website
- Query the FCC's FM station database for WKLH
- Radio-Locator information on WKLH
- Query Arbitron's FM station database for WKLH
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