WCKT
 | |
| Broadcast area | Fort Myers, Florida |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 107.1 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Cat Country 107.1 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Country |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WBCG, WBTT, WCCF, WCVU, WIKX, WOLZ, WWCD, WZJZ | |
| History | |
First air date | January 1, 1976 (as WSWF-FM) |
Former call signs | WSWF-FM (1976–1983) WOOJ-FM (1983–1989) WCKT (1989–2003) WRLR (2003) WDRR (2003–2004) WZJZ (2004–2007) |
Call sign meaning | sounds like "cat" |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 55755 |
| Class | C2 |
| ERP | 23,500 watts |
| HAAT | 220 meters |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | catcountry1071.iheart.com |
WCKT (107.1 FM) is a commercial radio station located in Lehigh Acres, Florida, broadcasting to the Fort Myers, Florida area. WCKT airs a country music format branded as "Cat Country". WCKT originally signed on in 1976, airing a beautiful music format. In 1979, the format was flipped to Disco, and the call letters were changed to WSWF. In 1985, the format was changed to Album Oriented Rock, and the call letters were changed to WOOJ (Orange Rock 107). In 1988, facing competition from the new and much more powerful WRXK, WOOJ tweaked its format to Classic Rock. The format was flipped to Country as WCKT, in 1989.
In only one ratings period, the new Cat Country beat longtime Southwest Florida country outlet WHEW to become the area's #1 country station. WCKT programmed a music intensive format up against WHEW's more full service approach. That lasted for several years until WHEW become WWGR (Gator Country) about the time the Ft. Myers and Naples markets were combined to become one metro. Since then, WWGR has been the #1 country outlet in the Ft. Myers - Naples market.
During WCKT's history, current owner iHeartMedia, Inc. (formerly Clear Channel Communications) briefly had the station on the 100.1 frequency (what is now WZJZ) out of Port Charlotte. Even though the 100.1 frequency is a C1 stronger signal, the northern leaning coverage area didn't put a strong enough signal to cover the Naples area, and additionally had substantial overlap with co-owned WIKX, which is also from the Port Charlotte area and thus may have stolen audience from them.
Cat Country alumni
"Super" Dave Logan has been with the station from the beginning
Rick McGee (the station's first PD and longtime morning show host)
Record executive Gator Michaels
Barry "The Bear" Smith
Doc Daily
"Shotgun" Bob Walker (now the PD at WCTK "Cat Country" in Providence)
Jeff "J.R." Reed (Afternoon host)
Mark "The Shark" Wilson (former PD and PM Drive)
Todd Nixon (former PD and PM Drive)
Mike Tyler (PD and PM Drive 2014 - TFN) Robin Wolf ( mid-days) 1989–1994)(1995–1997)
Kerry Babb (PD, PM drive 1999–2003) on air personality 1992-1994
External links
- Official Website
- Facility details for Facility ID 55755 (WCKT) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WCKT in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
26°19′01″N 81°47′13″W / 26.317°N 81.787°W
  | This article about a radio station in Florida is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WCKT". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.