On August 15th of 1986, rock formatted WAPP at 103.5 ceased to existance with Emmis the current owners of WQHT purchasing the station from Doubleday, and a new dance format in New York was born.
Because of the demise of the old WKTU 92.3 which evolved from a Disco format to Urban, New York needed a dance music station because New York was a dance town, according to phone conversation with then GM Stewart Lane.
The early days of WQHT which billed itself as Hot 103.5 was a station that catered to Whites and HIspaniccs with no rap and featured artists like Noel, Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam and their like. Hot 103 was also known as a station that played Freestyle music.
In the fall of 1988, WQHT swopped frequencies with WYNY which was at 97.1, around the same time when WNBC went off the air. WQHT became Hot 97.
WQHT didn't become a fulltime Hip-Hop station until the winter of 1995 which was when Emmis took over ownership of both WQHT & WRKS (98.7 Kiss-FM). WRKS became an AC R&B station not to compete against Hot 97.
WQHT saw its ratings surge to the top, especially during the summer Arbitron ratings.
Over the past few years with PPMs and WWPR-FM (Power 105.1) going against Hot 97, the station has seen its numbers plummet somewhat.But Hot 97 is doing well in the top five among its target audience 18-34 demos.
Some notable personalities on WQHT included,
Al Bandiero, Ed Lover & Dr. Dre, Star & Buck Wild, DJ Envy, Fred Buggs and Broadway Bill Lee.
Hot 97 was a station that got involved in controversy, including shootings outside the sation's studios.
Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy
Because of the demise of the old WKTU 92.3 which evolved from a Disco format to Urban, New York needed a dance music station because New York was a dance town, according to phone conversation with then GM Stewart Lane.
The early days of WQHT which billed itself as Hot 103.5 was a station that catered to Whites and HIspaniccs with no rap and featured artists like Noel, Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam and their like. Hot 103 was also known as a station that played Freestyle music.
In the fall of 1988, WQHT swopped frequencies with WYNY which was at 97.1, around the same time when WNBC went off the air. WQHT became Hot 97.
WQHT didn't become a fulltime Hip-Hop station until the winter of 1995 which was when Emmis took over ownership of both WQHT & WRKS (98.7 Kiss-FM). WRKS became an AC R&B station not to compete against Hot 97.
WQHT saw its ratings surge to the top, especially during the summer Arbitron ratings.
Over the past few years with PPMs and WWPR-FM (Power 105.1) going against Hot 97, the station has seen its numbers plummet somewhat.But Hot 97 is doing well in the top five among its target audience 18-34 demos.
Some notable personalities on WQHT included,
Al Bandiero, Ed Lover & Dr. Dre, Star & Buck Wild, DJ Envy, Fred Buggs and Broadway Bill Lee.
Hot 97 was a station that got involved in controversy, including shootings outside the sation's studios.
Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy