WHEL

WHEL (93.7 FM is a radio station licensed to Sanibel, Florida, broadcasting to the Fort Myers/Naples area. Owned by Sun Broadcasting, it broadcasts a country music format under the branding of Hell Yeah 93.7.

WHEL
CitySanibel, Florida
Broadcast areaFort Myers/Naples
Frequency93.7 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingHell Yeah 93.7
SloganHellacious Amount of Country
Programming
FormatCountry
SubchannelsHD2: Alternative rock (WFSX simulcast)
HD3: Sports (WNOG simulcast)
Ownership
OwnerSun Broadcasting, Inc.
WXCW
WARO
WFFY
WAXA/WNOG
WFSX-FM
History
First air date
1971 (as WLAZ at 93.5)
Former call signs
WLAZ (1971–mid 1980's, 1987-1990)
WRGI (mid 1980's-1987, 1990–1993)
WNOG-FM (1993–1996)
WPRW (1996–1999)
WTLT (1999–2013)
WXNX (2013-2020)
Former frequencies
93.5 MHz (1971–2000)
Call sign meaning
W-HELl Yeah (branding)
Technical information
Facility ID66223
ClassC2
ERP43,000 watts
HAAT145 meters
Links
WebcastListen live
Websitehellyeah937.com

History

The station was originally a local signal licensed to Naples, and located at 93.5 on the FM band. The station featured at one time a Dance Radio format with callsign WPRW, and the moniker "Power 93.5", reminiscent of WPBT "Power 89.5", a simulcast of now-defunct 91.5, "The Spark". In the mid 1980's, the station changed its call letters to WRGI as "G-93.5" airing a Top 40 format, but shortly later changed its call-letters back to the former WLAZ as "Lazer 93.5" later on.[1] Its call-letters changed to WTLT in 1999.

In 2000, WTLT's frequency changed from 93.5 to 93.7 FM, which allowed an increase in its coverage area. In 2010, WTLT moved its transmitter closer to Fort Myers, in order to more effectively cover Lee County, and the northern part of the market.

On June 19, 2013, after Beasley Broadcasting shifted the part of the active rock format from WJBX to portions of the day on Hot Talk WRXK to make room for the move of ESPN Radio to 99.3 FM, WTLT dropped its "93.7 Lite" adult contemporary format and assumed the "X" moniker and active rock format. On June 26, 2013, WTLT changed its call letters to WXNX.

On September 16, 2020, the station flipped to automated country music as "Trump Country 93.7", with no airstaff, and promos performed by a Donald Trump impersonator.[2] The 93X Facebook page announced that it would be "back on a new channel soon!"[3]

On December 18, 2020, WXNX rebranded as "Hell Yeah 93.7" under new WHEL call letters, lacking the Trump continuity promos and still without an airstaff.[4]

The station's programmer claimed the switch was made due to Joe Biden campaign officials reaching out to the station with threats that Biden's new FCC make-up would revoke the station's license upon his taking office on January 20, 2021 due to alleged equal time violations, though this was likely promotional hyperbole, as both the campaign and FCC never commented on the claims. The programmer also claimed they wanted calls and branding with the word "fuck" in them (a move that in reality, would have been rejected by the FCC immediately), but were rebuffed by Sun Broadcasting's attorneys.[5]

References
  1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIJrxYKupjM<> | WLAZ Aircheck (1988)
  2. Willman, Chris (2020-09-18). "Florida FM Station Rebrands as 'Trump Country' — Is It Legal?". Variety. Retrieved 2020-09-21.
  3. "93X Fort Myers Becomes Trump Country 93.7". RadioInsight. 2020-09-16. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  4. Hell Yeah! Trump Country 93.7 Fort Myers Concedes Its Branding Radioinsight - December 18, 2020
  5. Runnells, Charles (21 December 2020). "Trump Country signs off in Fort Myers; radio station 93.7 FM changes name to 'Hell Yeah'". Fort Myers News-Press. Retrieved 18 January 2021.


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