WKKR – 97.7 Kicker FM is a commercial broadcasting service licensed to serve Auburn, Alabama, USA. Established in 1968, the station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. at present. With the slogan “Lee County’s Best Country” and brand name “97.7 The Kicker”, WKKR airs Country music format. The station streams online and is available on app stores for android/iOS devices.
Programming:
In addition to its usual music programming, WKKR broadcasts Opelika Highschool football and Auburn University Sports. Besides sports, the station features local news, weather forecast, and traffic updates.
The famous on-air shows and hosts include:
Weekdays:
Van Riggs- 6:00 AM
Mac- 10:00 AM
Hilary- 12:00 PM
The Boxer Show- 3:00 PM
Tige and Daniel-7:00 PM
Weekend:
Angie Ward- 2:00 PM (Saturday)
Bob Kingsley Country Top 40-1:00 PM (Sunday)
Country Top 30 with Bobby Bone-8:00 PM (Sunday)
Marc Chase, the President of Tribune Interactive, began a career in broadcasting as a disc jockey at several Auburn area stations, including WFRI. Nationally-syndicated radio program’s “Tige And Daniel Show” hosts started their career in broadcasting at WKKR and WMXA.
History of 97.7 Kicker FM:
Under licensee Faulkner Radio, Inc., WFRI, started broadcasting a middle of the road music programming on July 8, 1968. The station increased its signal strength from 860 Watts to 3,000 Watts of ERP in 1970. In 1973, the station changed to oldies and adult standards music format. By 1979, WFRI switched to a Top 40 pop music format, and again in the first quarter of the 1980s changed the format to classic rock branded as “Rock 97”.
In November 1984, Fuller Broadcasting Company, Inc. purchased WFRI and AM station WAOA. WFRI’s switched to a country music format from the “97 Rock” classic rock. The FCC assigned the current call sign WKKR, matching the branding on March 1, 1985.
As part of a five-station deal, Fuller Broadcasting Company, Inc. sold the station to Root Communications License Company, L.P. in August 1998. As part of a 26 station deal, Root Communications License Company, L.P. sold the station to Quantum Communications subsidiary Quantum of Auburn License Company, LLC, in March 2003. On May 15, 2014, Quantum Communications decided to sell its 29 stations, including WKKR, to Clear Channel Communications for WALK AM-FM in Patchogue, New York as part of the sale of the WALK stations to Connoisseur Media.
Awards:
n 1988, WKKR together with AM sister station WZMG (now WTLM) became the first stations in Alabama to receive the National Association of Broadcasters Crystal Radio Award. WKKR is constantly selected as “Best Of” in the local “O.A. News” and The Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, Tennessee awarded it the 2008 “National Promotion of Year” Award.
Technical Details:
WKKR has four sister stations, WMXA, WPCH, WTLM, WZMG. It is a full-service Class A FM station at 97.7 with facility ID 22875. Operating at 3100 Watts, the station’s digital status is analog with non-directional antenna mode.
Click here to listen to live 97.7 The Zone.
Contact Details:
Website: https://kickerfm.iheart.com/
Address: 97.7 Kicker FM, 915 Veterans Parkway, Opelika, AL 36801
Studio Line: 334-749-1977
Business Line: 334-745-4656
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kickerfm
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KickerFM[/expand]