WWHK

Infobox Radio station
name = WWHK


city = Concord, New Hampshire
area = Concord, New Hampshire
branding =
slogan =
frequency = 102.3 MHz
translator =
repeater =
airdate = March 1972
share =
share as of =
share source =
format = silent
power =
erp = 3,000 watts
haat = 87 meters
class = A
facility_id = 8683
coordinates =
callsign_meaning = The HawK (previous format)
former_callsigns = WKXL-FM (1972-2000)
WOTX-FM (2000-2005)
affiliations =
owner = Capitol Broadcasting Corporation, Inc.
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast =
website =

WWHK is an American licensed radio station in Concord, New Hampshire. The station is owned by Capitol Broadcasting Corporation and is currently silent.

History

WWHK began operations in March 1972 as WKXL-FM, the FM sister station to WKXL (1450), under the ownership of Frank Estes, who also owned WKXR in Exeter, New Hampshire.cite web|url=http://www.nhab.org/alumni/estes.html|title=NHAB Alumni: Frank Estes|date=2001-10-28|publisher=New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters|accessdate=2008-08-26] In 1980, Estes sold the WKXL stations to a group of station employees. At one point, WKXL-FM offered its own programming (including a contemporary hit radio format), but in 1991cite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-990402.html|title=The Eagle Has Crash-Landed|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=1999-04-02|work=North East RadioWatch|accessdate=2008-08-26] it was converted to a simulcast of the AM side's programming.cite web|url=http://gallery.bostonradio.org/2005-06/nh/100-02950-med.html|title=WTPL promo vehicle|last=Wollman|first=Garrett|work=New Hampshire, June, 2005|publisher=Archives @ BostonRadio.org|accessdate=2008-08-26]

In 1999, the employee group sold the WKXL stations to Vox Media, who, after buying WRCI (107.7) several months later, shifted the simulcast to that stationcite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-991226.html|title=Citadel Bulks Up in Worcester|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=1999-12-26|work=North East RadioWatch|accessdate=2008-08-26] ; as a result, on January 3, 2000, the station returned to separate programming as a country station, WOTX-FM ("Outlaw Country").cite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-000128.html|title=Welcome Back WMEX, and We Take On LPFM|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=2000-01-28|work=North East RadioWatch|accessdate=2008-08-26]

In 2004, Vox sold most of its stations in the area to Nassau Broadcasting Partnerscite web|url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2004/040322/nerw.html|title=Vox Sells 10 More to Nassau|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=2004-03-22|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|accessdate=2008-08-26] ; however, Nassau could not buy WOTX outright due to FCC ownership restrictions.cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2008/080407/nerw.html|title=CBS Cutbacks Hit Local TV Staffs|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=2008-04-07|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|accessdate=2008-08-26] Nassau did take control of the station under a local marketing agreement, and on February 7, 2005 swapped formats with WNHI (93.3) and became a classic rock station as WWHK ("102.3 The Hawk"), in tandem with a nearby Nassau classic rock station, WWHQ (101.5) in Meredith, New Hampshire.cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2005/050207/nerw.html|title=Qantum Buys the Cape; Cherry Creek Buys the East End; WSMN Goes Dark|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=2005-02-07|work=North East RadioWatch|accessdate=2008-08-26]

WWHK had planned to drop the classic rock format in favor of sports talk provided by Boston's WEEI in January 2008 [cite press release |title=Nassau Broadcasting Brings A Championship To New Hampshire |publisher=Nassau Broadcasting Partners |date=2007-10-26 |url=http://www.nassauholdings.com/NassauPressCenter/pressreleases/pr_07_102607.htm ] , but the deal between Nassau and Entercom ended up collapsing. [cite news |title=Entercom-Nassau Deal Falls Through |url=http://www.radioink.com/HeadlineEntry.asp?hid=140600&pt=todaysnews |work=Radio Ink |date=2008-01-04 ] In March 2008, the station shifted from classic rock to a more mainstream rock format.

However, in September 2006, the FCC ruled that local marketing agreements and joint sales agreements counted towards the operator's ownership count in a market.cite news|url=http://www.radioink.com/HeadlineEntry.asp?hid=143148&pt=todaysnews|title=FCC Denies Waiver Bid, Rules Nassau Must End JSA|date=2008-08-12|work=Radio Ink|accessdate=2008-08-26] Initially, Nassau continued to operate WWHK in violation of this ruling as it attempted to obtain a waiver to buy WWHK outright, but the FCC ruled in April 2008 that Nassau had worked with Arbitron to create a Concord radio market, and barred its purchase of WWHK. Four months later, the FCC ordered Nassau to terminate the joint sales agreement with Capitol Broadcasting (the Vox Media licensee that continued to hold the WWHK license while Nassau ran the station). Nassau complied, and on August 22, 2008, Capitol Broadcasting reassumed control of the station with a commercial-free rock format.cite web|url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2008/080825/nerw.html|title=Atlantic Coast, Nassau Shake Up Maine|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=2008-08-25|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|accessdate=2008-08-26] The station switched to classical music in September 2008cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2008/080908/nerw.html|title="Now" Time at Philly's WJJZ|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=2008-09-08|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|accessdate=2008-09-30] ; soon afterwards, the station went silent.cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2008/080929/nerw.html|title=Scranton's Ron Allen Dies|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=2008-09-29|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|accessdate=2008-09-30]

References

External links