WKVU

WKVU (107.3 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Contemporary Christian format. Licensed to Utica, New York, USA, the station serves the Utica-Rome area. The station is currently owned by the Educational Media Foundation, and is an affiliate of the K-Love network.

History

WKVU signed on in 2001 on 100.7 FM, when Bethany Broadcasting sold its religious station broadcasting on that frequency, WVVC, to the Educational Media Foundation. Upon acquiring WVVC, EMF changed its call letters to WKVU and began simulcasting its K-Love satellite format of Contemporary Christian music on the station.

Its current frequency was previously owned by Galaxy Communications, who ran a classic rock format on the frequency under the callsign WRCK and slogan Rock 107. Prior to this WRCK was a longtime powerhouse Top 40 station. During this time, WRCK was known as Power Hits Rock 107 until March 17,1994 when they changed their name to Hot 107. However, their Top 40 format lasted until June 1994 when The Radio Corporation (now Galaxy Comunications) purchased the station from H & D Entertainment Incorporated saddening and upsetting listeners who listened to Top 40 music in the Utica-Rome area about the takeover and format change to classic rock. In October 2007 Galaxy purchased a portion of Clear Channel Communications' Utica cluster, including WRCK's rival, WOUR. WOUR's signal was deemed to be stronger and more favorable than WRCK's and so WRCK was spun off to EMF. Some of WRCK's former staff moved to WOUR. EMF then announced that it would keep the WRCK call letters and simulcast their Christian rock satellite format Air 1 on the station. WRCK's last song as Rock 107 was Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" before the Air 1 satellite feed was picked up.