From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

WWPR-FM
City of license	New York City
Broadcast area	New York City area
Branding	Power 105.1
Slogan	R&B Hip-Hop and Back in the Day Joints
Frequency	105.1 FM (MHz) (Also on HD Radio) 105.1-2 FM Reggaeton/Hispanic Rhythmic Power Español (HD Radio)
First air date	1953
Format	Commercial; Urban
ERP	6,000 watts
HAAT	415 meters
Class	B
Facility ID	6373
Callsign meaning	World Wide Power Radio (former branding)
Owner	Clear Channel
Sister stations	WAXQ, WHTZ, WKTU, WLTW
Webcast	Listen Live!
Website	www.power1051fm.com

WWPR-FM, also known as "Power 105.1", is a Mainstream Urban radio station that features hip-hop and R&B licensed to New York City that serves the Greater New York area.

The WWPR call letters were also previously used for one year (starting in December 1987) by WPLJ.

Contents 1 History 2 Shooting 3 Star Controversy 4 Power in HD2 5 Current Line-Up 5.1 Monday - Thursday 5.2 Friday 5.3 Saturday 5.4 Sundays 6 Management 7 References 8 External links

The first station to sign on to this frequency was WWRL-FM in 1953. It became WRFM in 1957 with a diversified and classical music format. Bonneville International would own the station by 1967.

In 1968 WRFM adopted a beautiful music format. The format was mostly instrumental with about one vocal every 15 minutes. Their music featured the works of such artists as Mantovani, Henry Mancini, John Fox, Percy Faith, Hollyridge Strings, Leroy Anderson, Frank Mills and Richard Clayderman. Mixed in were vocals by such artists as Frank Sinatra, Neil Diamond, Kenny Rogers, Nat King Cole and Barbra Streisand. Ratings for the station were high, and a couple times they hit number one overall. A rival station, WPAT, tended to do slightly better in the ratings, but both stations held their own.

The station's ratings would continue to be strong through the years, but by 1985, the station's management noticed that their demographics skewed old. So in April 1986, the station switched to a gold-based adult contemporary format with the call letters WNSR (for "soft rock"). With this new format, the station would mainly play pop songs from the 1960s and the 1970s, with some recent adult contemporary songs included as well. Initially, the station's ratings were low, but once competitor WYNY (today WQHT, the main rival of today's 105.1 frequency) went to a country format, their ratings went up.

By 1990, the station became known as Mix 105, and shifted to more of a hot adult contemporary format, focusing on 1970s and 1980s music. In 1992, when the station changed its call letters to WMXV, the 1960s hits were gone and the station played more recent music. By 1995, the station was only playing hits of the 1980s and 1990s and even mixing in some lighter alternative rock songs, as many other hot adult contemporary stations were doing at this time.

In November 1996 the hot adult contemporary format at WMXV abruptly ended, as after a day of playing music from Broadway musicals, the station switched formats to an adult-friendly modern rock format as WDBZ ("The Buzz"). Less than a year later, with ratings on the decline, the call letters would change back to WNSR, as the station would gradually return to playing hot adult contemporary music. For the next few months, the station would simply be known on-air as "FM 105.1".

In January 1998 the station, under new ownership, relaunched as "Big 105", with the call letters WBIX. Despite this relaunch, the station played basically the same music as they did in the months before, and could not compete with highly-rated WLTW "Lite FM".

In December 1998 the station had a more drastic format change, as they converted to the then-popular "Jammin' Oldies" format, with the call letters subsequently changing to WTJM in 1999. The station, which would play popular urban music of the mid 1960s through the 1980's, did better in the ratings than the previous format, and Jammin' Oldies' results initially challenged those of longtime oldies station WCBS-FM. By 2001, the station would shift to an urban adult contemporary format, and would get new owners in the way of Clear Channel Communications. Frankie Blue was brought in to program the shift to the urban adult contemporary format. He immediately brought in Jeff Foxx (formerly of 98.7 KISS FM's Wake-up Club and WBLS) and teamed him with comedian George Wallace to form the "Jammin' New York Wake-up Club". The morning show was a hit and the rest of the station benefitted; however, it did not warrant keeping the format.

In March 2002, the station would abruptly change, as it shifted to its current urban contemporary format as WWPR-FM ("Power 105.1"). (Some wits declared the new format to be "Jammin' Homies".) A speculated reason for the format change is that while they could not beat competitor WQHT ("Hot 97"), they could take enough ratings away from them to keep them from being number one, which would leave Power 105.1's sister station Lite FM with a comfortable lead in that race (prior to the change Hot 97 and Lite FM had alternated at the top spot).

Hot 97 had been the only station featuring current hip hop and R&B since Emmis Communications purchased WRKS-FM (98.7 Kiss FM) in 1994 to end dual rap formats. In an effort to build an audience, Power 105.1 brought in former Hot 97 hosts Ed Lover and Doctor Dre as their morning show hosts. The station then entered into the top five of the Arbitron ratings, a position it maintains to this day.

Power 105.1 is the first rap station in the market to feature slow jam music from 10pm to 2am weekdays. It is also the first station to emphasize more Spanish reggaeton music on a regular basis.

Power 105.1 terminated Doctor Dre in December 2003 to form a new morning show with Ed Lover and Monie Love, which would last for about a year. By the end of 2004, the station decided to heat up their rivalry with Hot 97 by bringing in ex-Hot 97 morning show hosts Star & Buc Wild as their morning show hosts, as well-known disc jockeys were deemed critical to their success.

DJ Carl Blaze who was a popular DJ at Power 105.1 for over three years was fatally shot outside an apartment building near Manhattan's Inwood section on December 7, 2006 and his $20,000 diamond chain was stolen off of him. He was taken to Harlem Hospital Center, where he died Saturday, December 23. The investigation into the shooting was ongoing.1

Troi Torain, who previously worked at Power 105's rival hip-hop station Hot 97 until he switched to Power 105, is known as "Star" from the Star & Buc Wild morning show. He had a running on-air feud with Hot 97's DJ Envy, whose real name is Raashaun Casey.

In a May 3, 2006 broadcast, Torain mentioned DJ Envy's wife and child. Torain said he would pay $500 to any listener who told him where the girl attended school. Torain, who is bi-racial, also used racial and sexual epithets about D.J. Envy's wife, Gia Casey, who is part Asian.

New York City Council members called for an investigation by law enforcement and the Federal Communications Commission. After the protests, Clear Channel Communications, the corporate owner of Power 105, suspended Torain. After reviewing transcripts of the broadcast, New York City law enforcement officials called Torain to police headquarters in Lower Manhattan to surrender his target pistol license and 9-millimeter handgun. Detectives from the Hate Crimes Unit charged him with endangering the welfare of a child.

Leaving the precinct house, Torain leaned back and grinned for television cameras, saying "You're looking at the new Lenny Bruce." Torains lawyer's defended his broadcasts on first amendment grounds.^[1]

Star and Bucwild was replaced with Live With Big Tigger and Egypt on May 4, 2006

In early 2006, Clear Channel launched a new HD2 station on the 105.1 frequency which plays Reggaeton & Hispanic Rhythmic music. The format is similar to that heard on WCAA.

Time	Show	Notes
2 AM	Nadine
6 AM	Ed Lover Show
10 AM	Deja Vu	Old School Mix @ Noon with Cool DJ Red Alert
2 PM	Steph Lova
6 PM	DJ Clue
10 PM	Power After Hours with Cherry Martinez

Time	Show	Notes
2 AM	Nadine
6 AM	Ed Lover Show
10 AM	Deja Vu	Old School Mix @ Noon with Cool DJ Red Alert
2 PM	Steph Lova
6 PM	DJ Clue
10 PM	DJ Spinbad
12 PM	DJ Kutt

Time	Show
2 AM	Various Personalities
6 AM	Various Personalities
10 AM	Malikha Mallette
2 PM	Chuck Dogg
6 PM	Kim Kane
10 PM	The List with Nay and Jay DJ Sussone (10-12), DJ Yonny(12-2)

Time	Show
2 AM	Various Personalities
6 AM	Various Personalities
10 AM	Malikha Mallette
2 PM	Chuck Dogg
6 PM	Kim Kane
10 PM	Power After Hours with Cherry Martinez

Various personalities

• Malikha Mallette
• Curt Flirt
• Egypt (media personality)
• Jay Wright
• Chuck Dogg
• Kim Kane
• Big Tigger
• Big R
• Jayson Fox
• Will2Be

Former Shows

• Star And Buc Wild In The Morning
• Ed Lover And Doctor Dre In The Morning
• Colby Cobe Show
• Tony Touch's Reggeatony Show
• The Jayson Fox Show

• Senior Vice President – Rob Williams
• Program Director - Helen Little
• Music Director - Nadine Santos
• Promotions Director - Chiari Jackson
• Director of Marketing - Darren Pfeffer
• General Sales Manager - Shatella Riley
• Local Sales Manager - Kristin Roderick
• Chief Engineer - Jeff Smith CEA,CBNT

• Power 105.1's Website
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WWPR
• Radio Locator information on WWPR
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for WWPR

v • d • e Radio stations in the New York market (Arbitron #1)
By FM frequency	87.7¹ · 88.9 · 89.1 · 89.9 · 90.3 · 90.3 · 90.7 · 91.5 · 92.3 · 93.1 · 93.9 · 94.7 · 95.5 · 96.3 · 97.1 · 97.9 · 98.7 · 99.5 · 100.3 · 101.1 · 101.9 · 102.7 · 103.5 · 104.3 · 105.1 · 105.9 · 106.7 · 107.5 New Jersey: 88.3 · 89.1 · 89.5 · 90.3 · 91.1   Upstate New York: 103.9 · 107.1 ¹ Audio for TV channel 6 (WNYZ-LP/Ind)
By AM frequency	570 · 660 · 710 · 770 · 820 · 880 · 1010 · 1050 · 1130 · 1190 · 1280 · 1330 · 1380 · 1480 · 1500  · 1560 · 1600
By callsign	WABC  · WADO  · WAXQ  · WBAI  · WBBR  · WBGO  · WBLS  · WCAA  · WCBS  · WCBS-FM  · WEPN  · WFAN  · WFAS-FM  · WFDU  · WFME  · WFMU  · WFUV  · WGHT  · WHCR-FM  · WHTZ  · WINS  · WKCR  · WKDM  · WKRB  · WKTU  · WLIB  · WLTW  · WMCA  · WMSC  · WNYC  · WNYC-FM  · WNYE-FM  · WNYU  · WOR  · WPAT-FM  · WPLJ  · WQCD  · WQEW  · WQHT  · WQXR-FM  · WRKS  · WSIA  · WSKQ-FM  · WSOU  · WWFS  · WWPR-FM  · WWRL  · WWRV  · WXPK  · WXRK  · WZRC
Defunct	WNBC · WNEW · WPIX · WYNY · WEAF · WNBC · WHN · WNEW · WQXR
New York Radio Markets: Albany-Schenectady-Troy • Binghamton • Buffalo-Niagara Falls • Elmira-Corning • Hamptons-Riverhead • Ithaca • Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island) • New York City • Newburgh-Middletown (Mid Hudson Valley) • Olean • Plattsburgh • Poughkeepsie • Rochester • Syracuse • Utica-Rome • Watertown Other New York Radio Regions: Jamestown-Dunkirk • Saratoga See also: List of radio stations in New York NYC Metro Markets : Long Island  · Newburgh-Middletown  · Poughkeepsie  · Middlesex-Somerset-Union  · Monmouth-Ocean  · Morristown  · Bridgeport  · Danbury  · New Haven  · Stamford-Norwalk

v • d • e Clear Channel Communications, Inc.
Corporate officers	Lowry Mays • Mark Mays • Randall Mays • Tom Hicks
Board of directors	Alan Feld • Perry Lewis • Lowry Mays • B.J. McCombs • Phyllis Riggins • Theodore Strauss • J. C. Watts • John H. Williams
Local radio, TV, and satellite radio assets	Further information: List of broadcast stations owned by Clear Channel
Radio networks	Australian Radio Network (50%) • Fox Sports Radio • National Lampoon Comedy Radio (dist./sales)• Premiere Radio Networks • The Radio Network (50%)
Miscellaneous assets	Clear Channel Outdoor • Clear Channel UK • Format Lab