WDVW
Encyclopedia
WRKN, also known as "Rock 92-3", is a modern rock
/active rock
station owned by Cumulus Media
. The station, whose frequency is 92.3 MHz with an effective radiated power
of 100 kW, is licensed to Laplace, Louisiana
and serves the greater New Orleans
metropolitan area. Its transmitter is located in Vacherie, Louisiana
. Rock 92-3 can be heard all over southeast Louisiana, and across several counties in Mississippi. Specifically, this station can be heard as far east as Gulfport, MS, as far west as Crowley, LA, as far north as McComb, MS, and at least 60 miles (96.6 km) offshore onto the Gulf of Mexico.
, Classic rock
, Active Rock
, All-'80s, Adult Contemporary and Adult Top 40.
On November 18, 2004 WCKW 'unveiled' the "Diva" format and changed its call letters to WDVW, playing mostly rhythmic pop
, classic Disco
and Dance music
from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. From 2005 to 2007, WDVW was also a reporter to the Billboard Magazine Dance/Mix Show Airplay panel.
When it first debuted with the format, its slogan was "Music For The Diva In You", a reference to the female audience it targeted and the high quotient of female artists on its playlist. But despite the name and slogan it also attracted males as well. In September 2005 they would later change the slogan to "New Orleans' Feel Good Station!" The reason for that was to bring music and normality back to the area after Hurricane Katrina
struck. They were also the first radio station in the market to resume regular music programming after the disaster ended.
WDVW was one of two "Divas" in Louisiana
. Its sister station in Baton Rouge
, WCDV-FM
(Diva 103.3), was the other, although WDVW can also be heard in that area as well. But on September 18, 2006, WCDV returned to an Adult Contemporary direction, a move that might have make sense due to the overlapping of two "Divas" in Baton Rouge, which hurt WCDV ratings wise.
On December 20, 2007, WDVW switched directions to Adult Top 40 for its second go-round, this time as "Mix 92.3." The station has dropped most of the Dance fare in favor of current Hot AC product, with recurrents from the '80s and '90s and a Modern-leaning direction. The station never produced impressive ratings, and given New Orleans' reception toward Hot AC/Adult Top 40 in the past, most notably WLTS
, this format has never performed well in this market.
" by Lady Antebellum
, the station began stunting with Mardi Gras-themed music. At 4:00 pm, the station became "Rock 92-3," using the slogan "New Orleans' Rock Station." The first song on "Rock 92-3" was "Check My Brain
" by Alice in Chains
. The move to a rock format was driven by the recent format change of KOBW, which had aired a similar format.
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
/active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
station owned by Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
. The station, whose frequency is 92.3 MHz with an effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
of 100 kW, is licensed to Laplace, Louisiana
Laplace, Louisiana
LaPlace is a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, United States, along the east bank of the Mississippi River in the New Orleans metropolitan area. The population is 32,134 at the 2010 census....
and serves the greater New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
metropolitan area. Its transmitter is located in Vacherie, Louisiana
Vacherie, Louisiana
Vacherie is a small unincorporated community in St. James Parish, Louisiana, United States. Near the community is the WCKW/KSTE-Tower, a guyed mast noted as one of the tallest constructions on Earth.-Census-designated places:...
. Rock 92-3 can be heard all over southeast Louisiana, and across several counties in Mississippi. Specifically, this station can be heard as far east as Gulfport, MS, as far west as Crowley, LA, as far north as McComb, MS, and at least 60 miles (96.6 km) offshore onto the Gulf of Mexico.
As WCKW
The station signed on the air in 1966 as WCKW. During its first 29 years of its existence, its previous formats included CountryCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, Classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
, Active Rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, All-'80s, Adult Contemporary and Adult Top 40.
As WDVW
- "Diva 92.3"
On November 18, 2004 WCKW 'unveiled' the "Diva" format and changed its call letters to WDVW, playing mostly rhythmic pop
Rhythmic Adult Contemporary
Rhythmic adult contemporary is a format used on stations in the United States and Canada. It usually gears toward an older audience, ages 25 to 54. Stations using this format play disco from the 1970s and early 1980s, dance/pop music, adult-friendly hip hop/old school tracks, R&B, dance/freestyle...
, classic Disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
and Dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. From 2005 to 2007, WDVW was also a reporter to the Billboard Magazine Dance/Mix Show Airplay panel.
When it first debuted with the format, its slogan was "Music For The Diva In You", a reference to the female audience it targeted and the high quotient of female artists on its playlist. But despite the name and slogan it also attracted males as well. In September 2005 they would later change the slogan to "New Orleans' Feel Good Station!" The reason for that was to bring music and normality back to the area after Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
struck. They were also the first radio station in the market to resume regular music programming after the disaster ended.
WDVW was one of two "Divas" in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Its sister station in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, WCDV-FM
WCDV-FM
WCDV is a 90's Hits music formatted radio station serving the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, area. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and its city of license is Hammond, Louisiana....
(Diva 103.3), was the other, although WDVW can also be heard in that area as well. But on September 18, 2006, WCDV returned to an Adult Contemporary direction, a move that might have make sense due to the overlapping of two "Divas" in Baton Rouge, which hurt WCDV ratings wise.
- "Mix 92.3"
On December 20, 2007, WDVW switched directions to Adult Top 40 for its second go-round, this time as "Mix 92.3." The station has dropped most of the Dance fare in favor of current Hot AC product, with recurrents from the '80s and '90s and a Modern-leaning direction. The station never produced impressive ratings, and given New Orleans' reception toward Hot AC/Adult Top 40 in the past, most notably WLTS
WWL-FM
WWL-FM is a simulcast of news/talk WWL in the New Orleans, Louisiana radio market, licensed to the New Orleans suburb of Kenner. The Entercom station broadcasts at 105.3 MHz with an ERP of 96 kW.-History:...
, this format has never performed well in this market.
As WRKN
On July 23, 2010, at approximately 2:50 PM, after playing "Need You NowNeed You Now
"Need You Now" is a country pop song performed by American country music group Lady Antebellum. The song was co-written by Lady Antebellum and Josh Kear, and produced by the trio along with Paul Worley. It serves as the lead-off single and title track to their second studio album, Need You Now,...
" by Lady Antebellum
Lady Antebellum
Lady Antebellum is an American country pop music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2006. The trio is composed of Charles Kelley , Dave Haywood and Hillary Scott .The group made its debut in 2007 as guest vocalists on Jim Brickman's single "Never Alone", before signing to Capitol...
, the station began stunting with Mardi Gras-themed music. At 4:00 pm, the station became "Rock 92-3," using the slogan "New Orleans' Rock Station." The first song on "Rock 92-3" was "Check My Brain
Check My Brain
"Check My Brain" is a song by Alice in Chains, featured on their fourth studio album Black Gives Way to Blue . It was released as the second single from the album on August 17, 2009. The single topped the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and Billboard Rock Songs charts in September 2009...
" by Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
. The move to a rock format was driven by the recent format change of KOBW, which had aired a similar format.