WPRT-FM - Station History

Station History

The station began its life as WDKN-FM in Dickson, Tennessee, to which it was originally licensed and where it simulcast that small-town station's community-oriented format. When the station began to involve the Nashville market, its transmitter was moved to Bellsburg, Tennessee, on the Dickson County-Cheatham County line and hence closer to Nashville. Later, the call letters were changed to WQZQ. For several years prior to 1996, the station broadcast a satellite-based classic rock format under the moniker Q102. From 1996 to 2005, the station broadcast a Top 40 format called 102.5 The Party.

In 2005, when the station was relaunched as Venus 102.5 FM, it had to make a special request to obtain the WVNS-FM call letters. Per FCC regulations, they were required permission from WVNS-TV in Bluefield/Beckley, West Virginia, which they received. The "Venus" moniker lasted less than a year before changing to "V102.5". On weekdays, V102.5 ran a live, local hot adult contemporary format. However, on weekends, the station ran Jones Radio Network's Hot AC satellite format.

On Tuesday, August 26, 2008, WVNS began stunting with teaser formats devoting to just one recording artist, starting with "102.5 Frank FM. All Frank, All the Time" playing nothing but songs featuring Frank Sinatra. Then on August 27, it went from an all-Sinatra format to an all-Led Zeppelin format, featuring music from the legendary British Rock group. This was followed on an all-Garth Brooks format on August 28, then finally on August 29, the format was changed to television theme songs, which lasted until 12 Noon (CDT). The last song played was the appropriately-titled "Welcome Back" by John Sebastian.