WTPA (FM)

WTPA
City Palmyra, Pennsylvania
Broadcast area Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Branding 92.1 WTPA
Slogan The Rock of Central PA
Frequency 92.1 MHz (also on HD Radio)
First air date 1959 (as WJWR)
Format Active Rock
ERP 1,500 watts
HAAT 183.2 meters
Class A
Facility ID 12050
Transmitter coordinates 40°23′28.0″N 76°43′31.0″W / 40.391111°N 76.725278°W / 40.391111; -76.725278 (NAD27)
Former callsigns WCTX (1959-1995)
WNCE-FM (1995-2001)
WWKL (2001-2011)
Owner Patrick H. Sickafus AKA Pat Garrett
Sister stations WWSM
Webcast Listen Live
Website wtparock.com

WTPA (92.1 FM) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Palmyra, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Patrick H. Sickafus AKA Pat Garrett and broadcasts a rock music format.

History

Prior to its flip to Rhythmic in 2002, the station was an Oldies outlet. The move was part of a shakeup in the market when sister station WNNK shifted to Adult Top 40 and to counter Rhythmic-leaning Top 40 Mainstream rival upstart WHKF-FM, a move that has paid off for them in terms of ratings. By 2006 WWKL began shifting towards a mainstream CHR direction to compete with WLAN-FM, even though as of 2009 they still reported to R&R/Nielsen BDS Rhythmic Airplay panel.[1] This kind of direction has also sparked debate from radio message boards about stations that decided to add certain Pop and Dance tracks but stay within the Rhythmic realm.[2] Mediabase still reports the station as contemporary hit radio, and despite them not being contemporary hit radio, they have always been a rhythmic contemporary due to WHKF airing a contemporary hit radio format.

In 2011, the United States Department of Justice approved the purchase of Citadel Broadcasting by Cumulus, provided that Cumulus divest itself of three stations,[3] two of which were WWKL (Hot 92) and WCAT-FM (Red 102.3) as well as the "intellectual property" of WTPA.[4] Cumulus chose to swap the WTPA and WWKL licenses, effectively moving WTPA and its Rock format to 92.1 and WWKL and its contemporary hit radio format to 93.5. The swap took place on September 16, 2011. Following the swap, the station changed its slogan to "92.1 WTPA" and the format changed to rock music.[5]

Cumulus Media placed WTPA into a trust named Potential Broadcasting LLC. On October 12, 2012 it was announced that WTPA had been sold to Patrick H. Sickafus, owner of WWSM in Annville, PA.[6] The transaction was consummated on January 31, 2013 at a purchase price of $530,000.[7]

References

  1. ↑ From bdsonline.com Archived March 8, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ From Radio-info.com Archived July 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ "Cumulus gets antitrust OK to buy Citadel". Reuters. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  4. ↑ "DOJ Approves Cumulus/Citadel Merger Pending Additional Spinoffs". radioinsight.com. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  5. ↑ "Radio dial rotates 93.5 WTPA, HOT 92.1 and other area stations are undergoing changes". York Daily Record. Archived from the original on June 1, 2015. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  6. ↑ "WTPA Harrisburg Sold". radioinsight.com. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  7. ↑ "Classic Rocker WTPA Sold! Format change next?". mediaconfidential.blogspot.com. October 15, 2012. Retrieved 2016-05-23.

Coordinates: 40°10′38″N 76°52′37″W / 40.1773°N 76.8769°W / 40.1773; -76.8769


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