WSKY-FM

For the AM radio station in Asheville, North Carolina, United States, see WSKY (AM).
WSKY-FM
City Micanopy, Florida
Broadcast area Gainesville-Ocala, Florida
Branding Newstalk 97.3 The Sky
Frequency 97.3 MHz
First air date 1985 (as WGLV)
Format News Talk Information
ERP 50,000 watts
HAAT 150 meters
Class C2
Facility ID 23352
Transmitter coordinates 29°32′9.00″N 82°19′18.00″W / 29.5358333°N 82.3216667°W / 29.5358333; -82.3216667
Callsign meaning The Big SKY[1]
Former callsigns WGLV (1985-1987)
WGGG-FM (1987-1989)
WLCL (1989-1993)
WRRX (1993-1998)
Affiliations ABC Radio , Jones Radio Network, Premiere Radio Networks
Owner Entercom Communications
(Entercom License, LLC)
Sister stations WKTK
Webcast Listen Live
Website thesky973.com

WSKY-FM (97.3 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Micanopy, Florida, USA, the station serves the Gainesville-Ocala, Florida area. The station is currently owned by Entercom Communications.[2][3]

When the station signed on in 1998, the original on-air slogan was "Sky King," but this was later shortened to "The Sky." WSKY carries a variety of local and national programming, including political talk radio, call-in advice shows, and paid programming. Its political talk radio programming is politically conservative.

History

What is now WSKY began operations in 1985 on 97.7 FM as WGLV, an adult contemporary station known as "Gainesville's Love 98." WGLV was co-owned with WGGG-AM 1230, a longtime legendary Top 40 station in the market, and tried to take advantage of the connection by hiring legendary WGGG personality "Boomer" Hough as its first morning show host. However, Hough's show lasted only a few months. WGLV tried to further bank on the legendary WGGG calls in 1987 by adopting a 1970s-based oldies format as WGGG-FM and declaring "The Legend is Back!"; this, too, proved short-lived. After WGGG-AM/FM were sold in 1989, WGGG-FM became WLCL, a soft AC station branded as "Clear FM".

From 1993 until the debut of WSKY in 1998 (except for a brief period during which it programmed oldies as WGGO "Go 97.7"), the station was known as WRRX "97-X". At that time, the station featured a mainly rock format which was partially programmed via satellite from an outside provider, and locally in certain dayparts, featuring an eclectic variety of music best identified as Adult Album Alternative. 97-X had a small yet loyal following in the local Gainesville music scene.

WSKY debuted at its new 50,000-watt 97.3 FM frequency on June 7, 1998, following a sale to current owners Entercom.

Awards

WSKY was given an award for its news reporting during the 2004 hurricane season, which hit WSKY's broadcast area especially hard.

List of programs

Local programs

Nationally syndicated programs

Past programs

References

  1. ↑ "Call Letter Origins". Radio History on the Web.
  2. ↑ "WSKY-FM Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. ↑ "WSKY-FM Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
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