WPKE-FM

For the AM radio station in Pikeville, Kentucky, United States, see WPKE (AM).

WPKE-FM (103.1 MHz) is a classic rock–formatted radio station licensed to Coal Run, Kentucky, United States, and serving Pikeville. The station is currently owned by Mountain Top Media as part of a conglomerate with seven other stations; Cindy May Johnson is Managing Member. The Mountain Top group's studios are located along Peach Orchard Drive above Pikeville, with its transmitter located across the Levisa Fork. The station features programming from Compass Media Networks, Premiere Radio Networks, and Kentucky Sports Radio.^[3]

WPKE-FM

Coal Run, Kentucky
Broadcast area	Pikeville, Kentucky
Frequency	103.1 MHz
Branding	Rock 103.1
Programming
Format	Classic rock
Affiliations	Compass Media Networks Kentucky Sports Radio Premiere Networks
Ownership
Owner	Lynn Parrish (Mountain Top Media LLC)
Sister stations	WPKE, WDHR, WZLK, WXCC, WLSI, WEKB, WPRT, WBTH
History
First air date	September 1, 1974 (1974-09-01) (as WECL)
Former call signs	WECL (1974–1990) WRAU (1990–1993)
Call sign meaning	Pikeville[1]
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	32973
Class	A
ERP	1,200 watts
HAAT	226 meters (741 ft)
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	wpke.com

History

Former logo

The station went on the air in 1974 as WECL, owned by Allen Epling. The station would later be sold to Gary Justice and become WRAU on June 1, 1990. In 1993, local radio owner Walter May acquired WRAU. He changed the call letters to WPKE-FM on December 27, adopting an adult contemporary music format.^[4][5]

Previous logo

In 2008, the station aired basketball games from the Continental Basketball Association's East Kentucky Miners.^[6] The station operated as Mix 103.1 in 2009.^[7] In 2019, WPKE-FM and its sister stations were sold to Lynn Parrish's Mountain Top Media for $2.85 million.^[8]

Programming

WPKE-FM airs a variety of syndicated programming. On weekday mornings, it broadcasts The John Boy & Billy Big Show from Premiere Networks, followed by Kentucky Sports Radio from WLAP (630 AM) in Lexington, Kentucky.^[9][10]

References

1. "Call Letter Origins". Radio History on the Web.
2. "Facility Technical Data for WPKE-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
3. "WPKE-FM Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
4. "WPKE Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
5. Nash, Francis M. (1995). Towers over Kentucky: A History of Radio and TV in the Bluegrass State (PDF). Lexington, KY: Host Communications. pp. 223–4. ISBN 1-879688-93-X.
6. "Minor League Miners Ink Radio Deal With WPKE-F". All-Access.com. 24 October 2008. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
7. "WPKE-FM - The Mix 103.1 Pikeville, KY". radiotime.com. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
8. Venta, Lance (29 March 2019). "Station Sales Week of 3/29". Radio Insight. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
9. "The Big Show with John Boy & Billy". Mountain Top Media. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
10. "Kentucky Sports Radio". Mountain Top Media. Retrieved 12 May 2023.

External links

• Facility details for Facility ID 32973 (WPKE-FM) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• WPKE-FM in Nielsen Audio's FM station database