WEKT

The station signed on the air as WSRG on July 21, 1977, initially broadcasting a country music format under ownership of Jim White.{{cite news|title=Elkton Radio Station Set To Broadcast|work=Kentucky New Era|location=Hopkinsville, Kentucky|date=July 20, 1977|page=10|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IPgrAAAAIBAJ&dq=WSRG+1070&pg=PA16&article_id=5468,1840548|via=Google Books|access-date=February 21, 2024}}{{cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=39460&Callsign=WEKT |title=WEKT Call Sign History |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division }} It became known as WOAM on February 1, 1988, when country music singer and longtime Grand Ole Opry member Ernie Ashworth purchased the station.{{r|callsigns}} In September of that year, Ashworth placed the station on the auction block in order for him to purchase WSLV of Ardmore, Alabama.{{cite news|title=Todd radio station for sale|work=Kentucky New Era|location=Hopkinsville, Kentucky|date=September 6, 1988|page=8A|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5NkrAAAAIBAJ&dq=WSRG+1070&pg=PA19&article_id=5225,389515|access-date=February 21, 2024|via=Google Books}} After the station was purchased by Marshall and Ruby Sidebottom, with the business name M&R Broadcasting, shortly after they sold WIRV of Irvine, WOAM officially became WEKT on January 3, 1989;{{r|callsigns}}{{Cite book|last=Nash|first=Francis M.|date=1995|title=Towers Over Kentucky: A History of Radio and TV in the Bluegrass State|url=|publisher=HOST Communications|isbn=9781879688933}} the sale was finalized the following month.{{cite news|title=Elkton radio station sold|work=Kentucky New Era|location=Hopkinsville, Kentucky|date=February 10, 1989|page=5A|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k-IrAAAAIBAJ&dq=WEKT+1070&pg=PA8&article_id=6208,3565821|via=Google Books|access-date=February 21, 2024}}

The station switched to a Southern Gospel format at some time in 1990; some local music acts of that genre were featured at various times on the station throughout the 1990s decade.{{Cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JegrAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA29&dq=WEKT+radio&article_id=2187,8108842&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjOrb-SyLCNAxXWnokEHQ4vMB84ChDoAXoECAsQAw#v=onepage&q=WEKT%20radio&f=false|title=Gospel CD a blessing for this local trio|last=Berry|first=Tom|date=June 27, 1998|page=D1|via=Google News Archive|url-status=live|work=Kentucky New Era}}

On March 24, 2016, WEKT was granted an FCC construction permit to increase daytime power to 1,000 watts.[https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101684570&formid=301&fac_num=39460 Application for Construction Permit for Commercial Broadcast Station - Federal Communications Commission]

On June 16, 2023, it was announced that M&R Broadcasting was intending to sell WEKT to Ham Broadcasting Company, Incorporated (also known as the Edge Media Group), the owners of WHVO in nearby Hopkinsville and three other radio stations in the region.{{cite news|first=Joshua|last=Claussen|url=https://www.wkdzradio.com/2023/06/16/edge-media-group-acquiring-todd-countys-wekt-pending-fcc-approval/news-edge/|title=Edge Media Group Acquiring Todd County's WEKT, Pending FCC Approval|work=WKDZ-FM|date=June 16, 2023|access-date=June 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230616192356/https://www.wkdzradio.com/2023/06/16/edge-media-group-acquiring-todd-countys-wekt-pending-fcc-approval/news-edge/|archive-date=June 16, 2023|url-status=live}}{{cite web |access-date=April 12, 2024 |date=June 16, 2023 |title=STATION SALES WEEK OF 6/16 |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/253244/station-sales-week-of-6-16/ |website=Radio Insight}} The sale was finalized later that month. On July 1, 2023, the station began broadcasting their current Classic hits format, but retained their Sunday schedule of church worship programming from their previous format until some time during the following year. Starting with the 2023–24 academic year, the station also began offering programming produced by students of Todd County Schools as part of the district's multimedia cirriculum.{{cite web|title=About us|url=https://www.wektradio.com/about-us/|website=WEKT Radio|access-date=December 10, 2023}}

On April 12, 2024, WEKT launched a low-power translator to simulcast its AM programming at 92.1 megahertz.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wektradio.com/2024/04/12/wekt-adds-92-1-fm-to-bolster-community-presence-1/?fbclid=IwAR1jsGwEoXVCugaWwrjfXCKZ3beNoOA-OTXY5LkzF_FqHO1vGVd4eI2eVCc|last=Claussen|first=Joshua|date=April 12, 2024|title=WEKT Adds 92.1 FM To Bolster Community Presence|publisher=WEKT|location=Elkton, Kentucky|access-date=April 12, 2024}} WEKT was previously one of a few remaining AM radio stations in western Kentucky without an FM companion until that day. The translator, as W218CR, was purchased by Ham Broadcasting from Hope Media Group in 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/255532/station-sales-week-of-7-21-a-miracle-of-a-sale-in-shreveport/|title=STATION SALES WEEK OF 7/21: A MIRACLE OF A SALE IN SHREVEPORT|date=July 21, 2023|access-date=April 12, 2024|website=RadioInsight|language=English}} The translator's callsign was changed to W221EU before it began Elkton operations as the FM companion of WEKT.

In addition to classic hit music, the station also broadcasts church services on Sundays. It is also the home of football and basketball games of the Todd County Central High School athletic teams. Since 2001, the station also serves as a part-time affiliate of the Hilltopper Sports Network, broadcasting games of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team.{{cite news|author=Big Red Page|title=Big Red Radio Network balloons coverage across Kentucky|work=Park City Daily News|date=September 6, 2001|page=8C|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6gIdAAAAIBAJ&dq=WEKT+1070&pg=PA11&article_id=5216,675251|via=Google Books|access-date=February 21, 2024}}

From 2000{{cite news|last=Robinson|first=George|title=Blue Fever: People from different walks of life now root for the Titans|work=Kentucky New Era|location=Hopkinsville, Kentucky|date=September 9, 2000|pages=B1, B6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=afUrAAAAIBAJ&dq=WEKT+1070&pg=PA21&article_id=1302,6795040|via=Google Books|access-date=February 21, 2024}} until around the mid-2010s, WEKT previously served as the Todd County radio home of the NFL's Tennessee Titans football games through the Titans Radio Network. Salem News Network provided national news updates when the station aired its southern gospel format.

Since 2023, WEKT boasts its own news department as part of the expansion of the NewsEdge branding used by Edge Media's other radio stations.{{r|wekt23}} Hour-long newscasts are aired on weekdays at 12 noon and 5 p.m. The station also airs 15-minute newscasts on Saturdays and Sundays at 8 a.m., 12 noon and 5 p.m.{{cite web|title=Program schedule|website=WEKT|access-date=May 20, 2025|url=https://www.wkdzradio.com/program-schedule/}} Hourly national news updates are provided by Fox News Radio.

{{reflist}}

{{AM station data|39460|WEKT}}

• [http://wektradio.com/ WEKT-AM 1070 Website]
• [https://www.facebook.com/wektradio?mibextid=VqkefZtyiaKY4pB6 WEKT] on Facebook

{{clear}}

{{Classic Hits Radio Stations in Kentucky}}

Category:Radio stations established in 1977

EKT

Category:Classic hits radio stations in the United States

Category:Todd County, Kentucky

Category:1977 establishments in Kentucky

Category:Elkton, Kentucky