WYLD-FM

WYLD-FM

New Orleans, Louisiana
Broadcast area	New Orleans metropolitan area
Frequency	98.5 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding	98.5 WYLD
Programming
Format	Urban Adult Contemporary
Affiliations	Premiere Networks (The Steve Harvey Morning Show)
Ownership
Owner	iHeartMedia, Inc. (Clear Channel Broadcasting Licenses, Inc.)
Sister stations	KVDU, WNOE-FM, WODT, WQUE-FM, WRNO-FM, WYLD
History
First air date	April 22, 1964 (former station) February 1975 (WYLD)
Former call signs	WWOM-FM (1965–1972) WIXO (1972–1974)
Call sign meaning	Sounds like "wild"
Technical information
Facility ID	11972
Class	C0
ERP	100,000 watts
HAAT	300 meters (984 ft)
Links
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	WYLDfm.iheart.com

WYLD-FM (98.5 MHz) is a commercial radio station in New Orleans, Louisiana, and one of the highest rated radio stations in the market. It airs an Urban Adult Contemporary radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios and offices are located in Downtown New Orleans. It carries the syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show weekdays from co-owned Premiere Networks.

WYLD-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, the maximum for non-grandfathered FM stations. The transmitter is on Behrman Highway in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans.

History

On April 22, 1964, 98.5 MHz signed on as WWOM-FM, sister station to WWOM 600 AM. It was owned by the Wagenwood Broadcasting Company, with studios at 344 Camp Street.

The station was sold to Advance Communications in 1972 and became Top 40 WIXO ("98.5 - a little cooler than normal"). But in the early 1970s, only some people owned FM radios and ratings were low. On September 24, 1974, WIXO went dark at 4 p.m. "Golden Slumbers," "Carry That Weight," and "The End", tracks from The Beatles’ Abbey Road album, were the final tunes to be played on the station. After Program Director and morning disc jockey Michael Greene (formerly of WTIX) read the sign-off announcement, the station called it a day with "Her Majesty," the very last track from Abbey Road.

The station remained silent for five months, with the owners stating they could no longer bear its operating costs. It was sold to Peterson Broadcasting Corporation in February 1975. Under Peterson, the newly renamed WYLD-FM began a successful run as a rhythmic contemporary ("CHUrban") outlet after the format was shifted over from WYLD (AM) 990, which Peterson separately bought at the same time. For years, it was branded as "WYLD FM 98". But by the late 1980s it got into a battle with WQUE-FM, which lasted until 1993 when it became Q93's sister station. With Q93 concentrating on youthful listeners, WYLD-FM began a process to evolve to its current format of urban adult contemporary.

WYLD-AM-FM were acquired by San Antonio-based Clear Channel Communications in 1993. Clear Channel was the forerunner to today's owner, iHeartMedia, Inc.

Until December 2013, WYLD-FM carried the syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show. Crosstown competitor 102.9 KMEZ picked up Joyner, and WYLD-FM switched to carrying Steve Harvey in the morning, which formerly aired on WQUE 93.3.

On August 1, 2012, the HD2 subchannel and its FM translator K242CE 96.3 FM dropped their Smooth Jazz format for Top 40/CHR as "96.3 KISS FM." This marks the second time in this market that Clear Channel has used the Top 40 "KISS-FM" brand, which was previously used at 104.1 KSTE. The "Kiss FM" format lasted until February 17, 2014, when 96.3 K242CE switched to active rock, simulcasting 99.5 WRNO-HD2. The translator now carries the "Throwback" format, airing classic hip hop with no DJs.

External links

• FM 98 WYLD's website
• Website Review
• WYLD in the FCC FM station database
• WYLD in Nielsen Audio's FM station database