WPHI-FM

Infobox Radio Station
name = WPHI-FM


city = Media, Pennsylvania
area = Greater Philadelphia (Delaware Valley)
branding = "100.3 The Beat"
slogan = "Interactive Hip Hop and R&B"
airdate = February 25, 2005
frequency = 100.3 (MHz)
format = Urban Contemporary
erp = 17,000 watts
haat = 263 meters
class = B
facility_id = 25079
sister_stations = WPPZ, WRNB
owner = Radio One
webcast = [http://Wm-eon.vitalstreamcdn.com/live_eonwmss_vitalstream_com_radioone-wphi-fm-fast Listen Live]
website = [http://www.1003thebeatphilly.com/ www.1003thebeatphilly.com]
callsign_meaning = W PHIladelphia

WPHI-FM, also known as 100.3 The Beat, is a Urban Contemporary station owned by Radio One. The station is licensed to Media, Pennsylvania and serves the Philadelphia market.

WPHI FM Intellectual Unit History

The station unit now occupying 100.3 began broadcasting in the early '70's as an ethnic/religious station on 103.9 FM. The call letters WIBF stood for William, Irwin, and Benjamin Fox, who also owned channel 29 in the 60's (This Fox family had no association with Fox Broadcasting, the current owners of what is now WTXF Channel 29). In 1992, the station became WDRE, playing a Modern Rock format. In 1996 103.9 WDRE was sold to Radio One.

Then on February 7, 1997, under this new ownership, the Modern Rock format ended and was replaced by a Hip Hop based Urban Contemporary format. The call letters became WPHI. In 2001 the station modified the format to include dance music. The station at that point was reclassified as Rhythmic CHR. By 2004 the station backed off the dance music and became all hip hop and R&B. In Feb. 2005, the intellectual WPHI FM unit moved over to 100.3 ending the Y-100 Modern Rock format there. 103.9 then became a Gospel Music station known as Praise 103.9 WPPZ.

100.3 FM History

100.3 FM first went on the air in the 1940's as KYW-FM, and was changed to WXUR-FM in the 1960s, and simulcasting its sister station, WXUR/690. The station was owned by Carl McIntire, a Presbyterian preacher. They ran a religious format. In 1973, the FCC revoked the station's license for violating the Fairness Doctrine, refusing to air competing viewpoints. The frequency then went dark.

The frequency was then sold to local owners in 1981. The owners were known as Greater Media Radio (referring to the city of license) but not associated in any way with company Greater Media that owns WMGK and other stations. On November 8, 1982, 100.3 signed on again as WKSZ, "Kiss 100," with an Adult Contemporary format. By 1987, Kiss 100 was the #1 Arbitron ranked station among women ages 25 to 54. In the early 90's, however, the battle for AC listeners heated up, and Kiss lost ground in the ratings, falling to 17th place in 1992 behind three other AC stations. They tried to mix AC and oldies with what they called the "50/50 mix," but it didn't work, and in 1993 returned to just a contemporary mix of love songs.

On March 15, 1993, still struggling, WKSZ became "Z-100," playing a Top 40 format, filling the void left by Eagle 106, who had switched to a smooth jazz format on March 12. New York's WHTZ, also on the same frequency, and also called Z-100 since 1983, demanded that WKSZ drop the name to avoid listener confusion. After a brief legal battle, the call letters and name were changed to WPLY, "Y-100." The station initially did have a slight alternative rock lean but still played a decent amount of non rock product. In early 1995, WPLY evolved into an Alternative Rock format, which lasted nearly 10 years. From 1996 to about 1999 Y 100 leaned toward a Hot AC format but still playing only modern rock artists. The station moved to a harder rock lean by 2000. Also in 2000, the station was sold to Radio One which focuses mostly on Urban type formats.

Radio One tried to make a deal to swap formats with Greater Media's 95.7 FM which at that time ran a ryhthmic '70s based oldies format called Jammin Gold but the deal fell through. Radio One did continue to run Y-100 WPLY as a modern rock station for nearly 5 years. While ratings had gone down the station still was moderately successful.

On February 24, 2005, WPLY Y100 Philadelphia, an Alternative Rock station located on 100.3, also owned by Radio One, was permanently killed off (part of Radio One's situation to withdraw non-African American content), in which WPHI was relocated to the 100.3 frequency, and a new station, WPPZ "Praise 103.9", was created on 103.9. The last song on Y100 was "Alive" by Pearl Jam.

In areas of New Jersey where the Philadelphia ,and New York markets overlap, The station interferes with New York's Z100 which is also on the 100.3 frequency.This makes the station unlistenable in areas where other Philadelphia stations can be heard clearly.

Prior Relationship with 100.3 The Beat in Los Angeles

There was another station in Los Angeles with the same brand, but different logo, also named 100.3 The Beat, however as of January 2007 Radio One has renamed that station V100 and installed the KRBV calls in place of the KKBT ones. It is owned by the same owner Radio One.

A third 100.3 The Beat also exists in St. Louis, also with a different logo and tagline. However, it is owned by Clear Channel Communications, not Radio One.

Only after KKBT changed to KRBV, WPHI remains one of only two Radio One-owned stations left branded "The Beat"; that other station is KBFB 97.9 FM in Dallas.

External links

* [http://www.1003thebeatphilly.com/ WPHI Website]
*FMQ|WPHI
*FML|WPHI
*FMARB|WPHI