WYGY

Infobox_Radio_station
name = WYGY


area = Cincinnati, Ohio
branding = 97.3 The Wolf
airdate = November 9 2006
frequency = 97.3 MHz
format = Country
owner = Bonneville International
website = [http://theworldwidewolf.com theworldwidewolf.com]

WYGY, better known by its name 97.3 The Wolf, is an FM radio station in the Cincinnati, Ohio market. It broadcasts a Traditional Country format featuring classic country songs with newer currents mixed in. The Wolf is also currently Cincinnati's home for NASCAR, airing races and NASCAR related programming.

The Wolf began broadcasting at noon on November 9, 2006, taking over the 97.3 FM frequency from alternative station WAQZ. The WYGY/97.3 license is owned by Entercom Communications; the station was operated by Entercom under an LMA [http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=303587] from October 2006 until May 2007, when Bonneville International took over the LMA for the station [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/300350_radioswap19.html] [http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2007/db0208/DOC-270347A1.pdf] . The entire swap deal closed on March 14, 2008.

The first song to play on The Wolf was "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" by Big & Rich. The station launched with an air staff consisting of Ken and Kitty mornings, Kat O'Connor middays, Jesse Tack afternoons, and "Ken and Kitty Prime time." Ken and Kitty were let go of the station in March and Whitney Allen exited in July.

Former WYGY

:"Further information: 2006 Cincinnati radio station reorganization"

WYGY was formerly owned by Cumulus Media. It was located at 96.5 FM and branded as "The Star". The morning show consisted of Mike Stiles and Dana Race, whose show was branded "Mike & Dana Radio." From September 2 to October 31 2006, Cumulus also simulcasted the station on WPRV 94.9 FM. The call letters and format of WYGY, as well as the frequency of 94.9, were traded to Entercom Communications in exchange for WGRR.

Entercom then moved WYGY to the less powerful frequency of 97.3 FM, and rebranded the station as "The Wolf" to target a younger demographic, so that it would not be directly competing with Entercom's other country station, WUBE "B-105". Shortly after in February of 2007, Bonneville International acquired WYGY along with the stations in the Entercom cluster (WUBE, WKRQ, WSWD).

On July 26th 2007, WYGY transitioned from the "New Country" format to "Open Range Country" playing a much wider variety of country music to further compliment it's sister station WUBE. Mornings are the home of Big D and Bubba in the morning; Middays are currently handled by Pistol Pete (formerly of WUBE) with afternoons being handled by Jesse Tack. Nights and overnights currently run only music programming.

External links

* [http://theworldwidewolf.com Official website]
*