WDKW (95.7 FM) is a

broadcast Broadcasting is the data distribution, distribution of sound, audio audiovisual content to dispersed audiences via a electronic medium (communication), mass communications medium, typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), ...

radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...

licensed to

Maryville, Tennessee Maryville is a city in and the county seat of Blount County, Tennessee. Its population was 31,907 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History The Great Indian Warpath (which was used to build the route U.S. Route 411, US-411) was long ...

, serving

Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the Tennessee River and had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 United States census. It is the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division ...

. WDKW is owned and operated by

Midwest Communications Midwest Communications, Inc. is a Wausau, Wisconsin–based radio broadcasting company. It owns 82 radio stations located primarily within the Midwest United States, in Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Il ...

, Inc. Owner is Duke Wright and current General Manager Michael Brody.

History

This station received its original

construction permit Planning permission or building permit refers to the approval needed for construction or expansion (including significant renovation), and sometimes for demolition, in some jurisdictions. House building permits, for example, are subject to bu ...

from the

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, wi-fi, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains j ...

on August 11,

1988 1988 was a crucial year in the early history of the Internet—it was the year of the first well-known computer virus, the Morris worm, 1988 Internet worm. The first permanent intercontinental Internet link was made between the United State ...

. The new station was assigned the

call sign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally as ...

WYNQ by the FCC on August 18, 1988. The station, still under construction, applied for a new call sign as was granted WGAP-FM on January 11, 1990. WGAP-FM received its license to cover from the FCC on December 21, 1990. In November 1996, Gateway Broadcasting Corporation reached an agreement to sell this station to WGAP Broadcasting Corporation. The deal was approved by the FCC on December 2, 1996, and the transaction was consummated on January 1, 1997. In January 1999, WGAP Broadcasting Corporation reached an agreement to sell this station to Sounth Central Communications Corporation. The deal was approved by the FCC on January 29, 1999, and the transaction was consummated on February 25, 1999. The new owners had the FCC change the call sign to WTXM on April 16, 1999, and again to WTXM-FM on August 23, 2000. To accompany a format change to adult hits and a "Jack FM" branding, the station's call sign was changed to WQJK on October 28, 2005. WRJK simulcast WQJK until 2012. On August 13, 2012, WQJK flipped to Top 40 as "95.7 Power FM" At midnight EDT on October 14, 2013, WQJK became WVRX and picked up the

active rock Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock stations play a balance of new hard rock songs with valued classic rock favorites, normally with an emphasis on the harder edge o ...

format formerly on WNFZ, branding itself as "95-7 The X". WVRX simulcasted on WNFZ until November 1. On November 1, ownership of WNFZ was returned to John W. Pirkle and that station switched to

News News is information about current events. This may be provided through many different Media (communication), media: word of mouth, printing, Mail, postal systems, broadcasting, Telecommunications, electronic communication, or through the te ...

/ Talk. It was announced on May 28, 2014, that

will purchase 9 of the 10 stations owned by

South Central Communications South Central Communications, d.b.a. South Central Incorporated, is a privately owned company based in Evansville, Indiana. It is owned and operated by the Engelbrecht family, which includes John D. Engelbrecht (President and CEO), JP Engelbrecht ...

. (This includes WVRX along with sister stations

WIMZ-FM WIMZ-FM (103.5 MHz) is a commercial radio station in Knoxville, Tennessee, serving East Tennessee. It is owned by Midwest Communications and broadcasts a classic rock radio format. The studios and offices are on Sharps Ridge Memorial Park Drive ...

& WJXB-FM) With this purchase, Midwest Communications will expand its portfolio of stations to

Evansville Evansville is a city in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 118,414 at the 2020 census, it is Indiana's third-most populous city after Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, the most populous city in S ...

Knoxville Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the Tennessee River and had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 United States census. It is the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division ...

and

Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

. The sale was finalized on September 2, 2014, at a price of $72 million. On May 7, 2015 at 3 p.m., after firing the entire air staff, WVRX flipped to classic country as "95.7 Duke FM".WVRX Knoxville Prepping Duke Format Change
from Radio Insight, May 7, 2015 On May 19, 2015, WVRX changed callsigns to WDKW.

Notes

References

* {{Midwest Communications

DKW DKW (''Dampfkraftwagen'', – the same initials later also used for ''Des Knaben Wunsch'', ; ''Das Kleine Wunder'', and ''Deutsche Kinderwagen'', ) was a German car- and motorcycle-marque. DKW was one of the four companies that formed Auto U ...

Radio stations established in 1990 Blount County, Tennessee Midwest Communications radio stations