A real radio station bearing the call letters WKRP is now broadcasting in Cincinnati, more than four decades after the iconic sitcom "WKRP in Cincinnati" aired on CBS. As of Monday, the station's owners adopted the famous call letters, much to the delight of listeners.
Listeners React with Excitement
Co-owner Jeff Ziesmann reported that the response has been overwhelmingly positive. "Our phones have been mobbed this morning, as I'm sure you can imagine," he said, describing listeners as "stoked." The station, which previously operated under "The Oasis" brand, simulcasts its programming across three stations in Cincinnati, northern Kentucky, and Dayton, Ohio. All are now identified as WKRP.
Format and Programming
The station will continue its adult-hits format, featuring music from the 1960s through the 1980s, with a particular emphasis on the 1970s. This format aligns with the era when the original sitcom was set and popular.
How the Call Letters Were Obtained
The owners secured the WKRP call letters by making a donation to a North Carolina nonprofit that had held the low-power radio station license since 2014. Ziesmann clarified that the donation was not a direct purchase but rather a payment for the right to apply to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the call letters, with the North Carolina group's cooperation. Under FCC regulations, a full-power station like his can use the same call letters as a low-power station because they are considered separate classes.
Legacy of the Sitcom
The show "WKRP in Cincinnati" aired from 1978 to 1982, starring Loni Anderson, Howard Hesseman, Tim Reid, and Richard Sanders as the bumbling newsman Les Nessman. In a humorous email, Sanders channeled his character: "I have spoken with Les Nessman regarding the resurrection of WKRP in Cincinnati. After the failure of his dream to replace Walter Cronkite on the CBS evening news, he is hopeful that he can resume his duties as the News, Sports, Weather, Traffic, and Farm Report Director at WKRP." Echoing a running joke from the series, Sanders added, "I think we can all hope that WKRP will return to the airwaves with more music and Les Nessman."
