WVRI-FM 104.1
Cocoa Beach

 

Original Call Letters: WRKT

Originally Licensed: May 8, 1962 

Original City of License: Cocoa Beach

Original Frequency: 104.1

Origin of Call Letters: 

Original Power: 100,000 watts

Original Location:

Original Format: Talk (simulcast of WWNZ-AM 740)   


Owner(s):
1962-C. Sweet Smith
1968-Bucks County Radio News
1981-Guy Gannett Broadcasting Services, Inc. 
1992-Paxson Communications Corp ($18.6 Million with WWNZ-AM 740, WINZ-AM 940, WZTA-FM 94.9 Miami)
1993-Press Broadcasting ($5 million-Gannett Broadcasting)
1992-Paxson Broadcasting ($25 million)
1997-Clear Channel Communications, Inc.
2007-Aloha Station Trust, LLC, as Trustee


History Of Call Letters and Formats:


WRKT-1962-Bonneville Automated  "KPE-FM"
WKPE-1970-Progressive Rock     "Cape Radio" 
WRKT-1977-Top 40     "Rocket 104"
WRKT-1980-Adult Contemporary   "Rocket 104"
WSSP-1981-Country     "Brevard's Stereo Country 104"
WSSP-1985-Easy listening  "WSSPer 104" 
WZTU-1992-Adult contemporary  "U-104.1"
WHVE-1992-Top 40  "The Wave"
WVRI-1992-Adult Contemporary   "The Best Variety of the '70s, '80s and '90s"
WVRI-1992-Talk-simulcast of WWNZ-AM 740    
WWNZ-1993-Talk  "Real Radio"
WTKS-1993-Talk   "Real Radio 104.1"
WTKS-1997-Talk, Modern Rock on weekends "Real Radio 104.1"


WVRI History
 From Marc Tyll;
In 1992, under the ownership of  Guy Gannett, a new general manager was hired and given the duties to do bring up the ratings. WSSP was switched to Hot Adult Contemporary formatted WZTU "U 104.1", however, the "U" did very little in terms in bringing in more listeners nor more advertising dollars. In an effort to concentrate on its television holdings, Guy Gannett Broadcasting Services sold WZTU-FM along with WWNZ-AM 740 Orlando and WINZ-AM and WZTA-FM in Miami for $18.6 Million to newly  formed broadcast group Paxson Communications Corporation, headed by radio pioneer, former Home Shopping Network founder, Lowell "Bud" Paxson.  Under Paxson, WZTU became Top 40 formatted "104.1 The Wave" (pronounced "One Hundred Four - Point - One, The Wave"). Former WAPE-FM Jacksonville program director Bill Pasha was brought in to revamp the struggling "U 104.1", unfortunately, the "WAVE" was also short-lived, lasting only three months due to a lack of ratings and flat sales revenues. Paxson decided to simulcast the talk format of WWNZ-AM 740.


Lowell "Bud" Paxson-1992-1993-President-Paxson Broadcasting In Memory
Bill Pasha-1992-1992-Program Director-Paxson Broadcasting

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