WRKA (103.9 FM, "Kentucky Straight 103.9") is a commercial radio station in Louisville, Kentucky, owned by SummitMedia, It airs a classic country format. WRKA previously carried two nationally syndicated programs on weekdays: The Rickey Smiley Morning Show in AM drive time and the D.L. Hughley Show in afternoons.
The studios are in the SummitMedia building in Downtown Louisville. The transmitter is atop the National City Tower. WKRA is a Class A station powered at 1,350 watts.
History Christian radio The station signed on the air in November 1974 as WFIA-FM, the sister station to WFIA (900 AM). The stations aired a Christian radio format and were owned by AM 900, Inc.Broadcasting Yearbook 1976 page C-80 The call sign was later changed to WXLN and played contemporary Christian music.
Top 40 hits In the summer of 1990, the Christian format ended. The station flipped to Top 40-CHR as WZKS "Kiss 104"."KISS radio," The Courier-Journal, July 11, 1990. Debuting on July 5, 1990, WZKS intended to challenge established Top 40 station WDJX. This ended when WDJX's owners entered into a local marketing agreement (LMA) to operate the station on January 27, 1992. The two stations simulcast the same top 40 format for nearly a month and a half.Tom Dorsey, "DJX to take control of KISS; format change is uncertain," The Courier-Journal, January 22, 1992. After the simulcast broke at 6 a.m. on March 20, WZKS began stunting by playing songs recorded by Garth Brooks, then switched to country music on March 23.Tom Dorsey, "The news is, ABC's newsmagazines are doing well indeed," The Courier-Journal, March 19, 1992.
During this period, WZKS became the first FM station in the market intended to challenge longtime country leader WAMZ. Initially, the station was known as "Hot Country 103.9". Unlike WAMZ, WZKS had no local DJs, instead relying on Westwood One's "Hot Country" format. On March 30, 1993, the station was revamped as "103.9 The Hawk". It added local air personalities and changed its call sign to WHKW.Tom Dorsey, "WKPC makes its annual bid for listeners' dollars tonight," The Courier-Journal, April 14, 1993.
Oldies The format, call letters, and "The Hawk" branding were transferred to WKJK (107.7 FM) on May 24, 1994.Tom Dorsey, "TV shows flock to DJ for story on balloon rescue," The Courier-Journal, May 24, 1994. After that programming move, WHKW adopted an oldies format branded as "Cool 103.9", with replacement WQLL call letters on June 6.Tom Dorsey, "WAVE to add 5:30 newscast to challenge WHAS," The Courier-Journal, June 30, 1994. The playlist was later changed to all 1970s music, but the "Cool" branding was retained.
In May 1996, WQLL's format and "Cool" branding would move to 107.7 FM.Tom Dorsey, "Radio deals may lead to a lock on formats," The Courier-Journal, May 15, 1996.Tom Dorsey, "Flurry of radio-station sales confirmed," The Courier-Journal, May 16, 1996.Tom Dorsey, "Few sets stayed dim for TV Turnoff Week; kids respond to poll," The Courier-Journal, May 20, 1996. After simulcasting for a few days, 103.9 FM changed its format to smooth jazz on June 3, 1996, and changed its call letters to WSJW.Tom Dorsey, "'Murder One' gets reprieve as ABC announces fall lineup," The Courier-Journal, May 21, 1996. On August 7, 1998, the station changed again to adult contemporary as WMHX "Mix 103.9", reviving a format dropped by the former WLRS a year earlier.Tom Dorsey, "Hot music replaces the smooth at WSJW," The Courier-Journal, August 12, 1998.
After the station was purchased by Cox Radio in 1999, WHMX switched to an all-1980s hits format branded as "103.9 The Point" in November 2000.Tom Dorsey, "Sweeps are over, so reruns fill screen," The Courier-Journal, November 30, 2000. The call letters were switched to WPTK on November 24, then a month later, on December 20, to WPTI. WPTI dropped the 1980s hits format for another attempt at country, branded "New Country 103.9", on October 21, 2004.Tom Dorsey, "Presidential debates shut out third-party candidates," The Courier-Journal, October 23, 2004."Changing the Station," The Courier-Journal, October 27, 2004. WPTI's call letters were changed to WRKA on July 18, 2008, and the format was changed to classic country as "Country Legends 103.9" that July 23. The previous country format was moved to the former WRKA, renamed WQNU.Tom Dorsey, "WRKA's oldies out, country music is in," The Courier-Journal, July 21, 2008.
Country music Cox Radio sold WRKA, along with 22 other stations, to SummitMedia for $66.25 million on July 20, 2012. The sale was consummated on May 3, 2013. SummitMedia had new plans for the station.
On May 23, 2014, WRKA began stunting by only playing music by Garth Brooks as "103.9 Garth-FM". The station later claimed it was not able to use Brooks' name due to what was described as "legal issues". It rebranded as "XXXXX-FM" (with the "XXXXX" being pronounced on-air as a long beep) and promising a new format to debut the following Monday, June 2, at 7 a.m.. At that time, WRKA relaunched with a 1990s-heavy country format, once again branded as "103.9 The Hawk". The first song on "The Hawk" was Gone Country by Alan Jackson.
Rhythmic and urban AC
On December 31, 2018, WRKA dropped the classic country format and began stunting as "103.9 The Party" using the slogan, "Where it's New Year's Eve every day."A New Year's Party Starts on 103.9 Louisville Radioinsight - December 31, 2018 On January 14, 2019, at 9 a.m., WRKA flipped to rhythmic adult contemporary, branded as "103.9 The Groove".103.9 The Groove Debuts in Louisville Radioinsight - January 14, 2019
In January 2020, WRKA shifted to urban adult contemporary, still under the "Groove" branding.103.9 The Groove Evolving to Urban AC; Adds Rickey Smiley Radioinsight - January 3, 2020 It added The Rickey Smiley Morning Show for wake-ups.
Classic country On July 14, 2025, WRKA changed their format from urban adult contemporary to classic country, branded as "Kentucky Straight 103.9".103.9 The Groove Goes Kentucky Straight with Classic Country Radioinsight - July 14, 2025
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