WKAQ (580 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Currently owned by WAPA Media Group, the station airs a Spanish language talk radio format. Its programming is repeated on WUKQ, which broadcasts on 1420 kHz in Ponce, and WYEL which broadcasts on 600 kHz in Mayagüez. The station was the first radio station to broadcast in Puerto Rico.[3] According to Ernesto Vigoreaux, in the early days of music in Puerto Rico, the musicians would record music at the WKAQ radio station.[4] WKAQ is the Puerto Rico primary entry point station for the Emergency Alert System.[citation needed]
| Broadcast area | Puerto Rico |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 580 kHz |
| Branding | WKAQ 580 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Talk radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | |
| History | |
First air date | December 3, 1922 |
Former frequencies | 830 kHz (1922–1934) 1240 kHz (1934–1942) 620 kHz (1942–1951) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 19099 |
| Class | B |
| Power | 10,000 watts |
Transmitter coordinates | 18°25′56″N 66°08′59″W / 18.43222°N 66.14972°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | www.wkaq580.com |
| Repeater | |
| WUKQ | |
| Frequency | 1420 kHz |
| History | |
First air date | June 3, 1958 |
Former call signs | WEUC (1958–2000) |
| Technical information[2] | |
| Facility ID | 9352 |
| Class | B |
| Power | 5,000 watts |
Transmitter coordinates | 17°59′23″N 66°37′21″W / 17.98972°N 66.62250°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
WKAQ was owned for many years by Angel Ramos, owner of the El Mundo newspaper, and eventual namesake for WKAQ-TV, branded as Telemundo. The El Mundo operated until 1986 when labor strikes and acts of terrorism ended its operation.
On May 9, 2022, Hemisphere Media Group, the owners of WAPA-TV, announced they would purchase WKAQ, WKAQ-FM, WUKQ, WUKQ-FM and WYEL from Univision Radio. The deal marks Hemisphere's entry into the radio business. During WAPA's 2023 upfront presentation, the network's management alluded that talent from the channel would also be joining the radio stations in the future and vice versa.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
On September 1, 2023, Hemisphere Media Group announced that the deal to buy WKAQ-AM and WKAQ-FM had been finalized and that they would be spinning off their media properties into a subsidiary called WAPA Media. The conglomerate would include WAPA-TV, WAPA Deportes (WAPA-TV Sub-channel), WAPA América, and the two radio stations.[12][13][14][15][16]
Notable current on-air staff
edit- Jay Fonseca - Jay en el 580
- Rubén Sánchez - Temprano en la Mañana
- Carlos Díaz Olivo – political analyst WKAQ Analiza
- Luis Pabón Roca - political analyst WKAQ Analiza
- Veronique Abreu Tañon - WKAQ Intimus
- Enrique “Kike” Cruz - WKAQ en la Tarde
References
edit- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WKAQ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WUKQ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Museo de la Radio - Puerto Rico Amateur Radio League's web site.
- ^ "Centro: Sound: Interview Two with Ernesto Vigoreaux on December 26 1988 [RGC.EVig.1988.12.26.2]". centropr.hunter.cuny.edu.
- ^ "WKAQ 580 y KQ 105 pasarán a manos de Wapa TV". elnuevodia.com.
- ^ "Searchlight Seals Hemisphere Privatization, With Controversy". RBR.Com.
- ^ "Dueños de WAPA TV adquirirán WKAQ 580 y KQ 105". NotiCel.
- ^ "WKAQ-580 y KQ-105: dueños de WAPA TV adquieren emisoras locales". TVBoricuaUSA.
- ^ "Hemisphere Media Group adquiere WKAQ y KQ105 en Puerto Rico". Wapa.tv.
- ^ "Propietaria de WAPA-TV adquiere las emisoras de radio WKAQ580 y KQ105 FM". Primera Hora.
- ^ ""Adiós Puerto Rico", TelevisaUnivision realiza su segunda venta radial en el año". RadioNotas.
- ^ "Nace WAPA Media: el nuevo conglomerado que une radio y televisión". TV Boricua USA. TV Boricua USA. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ^ Rivera Cedeño, Jomar Josue. "Wapa Televisión adquiere las estaciones WKAQ 580 AM y KQ 105 FM". El Nuevo Dia. El Nuevo Dia. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ^ "Wapa Media: conglomerado más importante de las comunicaciones en Puerto Rico". WAPA.TV. WAPA.TV. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ^ "WKAQ y KQ105 se unen finalmente a Wapa Televisión". Primera Hora. Primera Hora. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ^ ""Hoy nace Wapa Media": lo que se sabe del nuevo conglomerado de medios". El Nuevo Dia. El Nuevo Dia. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
External links
edit- Facility details for Facility ID 19099 (WKAQ) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WKAQ in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- Facility details for Facility ID 9352 (WUKQ) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WUKQ in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
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