WVEE - History

History

The station that became "V-103" began back in the late 1940s as WAGA-FM, on 102.9 with a country music radio format, but migrated to the 103.3 frequency by 1948 .. It was originally co-owned by Storer Broadcasting with WAGA-AM 590 (now WDWD) and television station WAGA-TV channel 5, a CBS (now Fox) affiliate.

WAGA-FM became WPLO-FM when it moved to 103.3 and simulcasted WPLO AM. By now owned by Plough-Shearing, the station simulcast WPLO-AM's successful country programming. In the late 1960s Plough responded to a new FCC 'anti-simulcast' rule by permitting Georgia State University to have unpaid students program then-new "underground" rock music. The arrangement allowed Plough to have an inexpensive FM presence in the years before FM came to dominate the radio spectrum, and created enough interest amongst the student body that the Georgia Board of Regents obtained a license and construction permit for its own station at the university, FM 88.5 WRAS.

Plough management believed the music programmed by the Georgia State students could become a profitable commercial format if presented professionally. By 1969, WPLO-FM was billing itself as "Atlanta's alternative high," and described its 103.3 frequency as "103-and-a-third." Program directors in this alternative rock era included Ed Shane, Steve Hosford and Chris Morgan.

In 1974, ratings pressures and a changing listening demographic made Plough-Shearing change the station format. Keeping the same call letters, WPLO-FM flipped to country music, although programmed separately from the AM station's ongoing country format.

In October 1976, WPLO-FM changed call letters and formats to urban contemporary and began using the "V-103" moniker with the WVEE-FM call letters. It briefly aired a Disco radio format in the late 1970s. The station then became one of the Atlanta radio market leaders under the leadership of program director, Scotty Andrews. As the first urban station on the FM dial in the region, the "V-103" brand eventually went on to become synonymous with the format through recognition, establishing its perennial force among the radio listening community.

In the early 1980s, DKM Broadcasting Corporation purchased WVEE-FM and sister station WAOK. On January 1, 1988, WVEE was sold, along with other DKM-owned properties in Denver, Baltimore, Springfield, Lincoln, Akron, Dayton and Dallas, for $200,000,000 to The Summit Communications Group, Inc. In March 1995, Summit sold its interests in WVEE FM and WAOK AM to Granum Communications, Inc. (Herbert W. McCord, Peter Ferrara, and Michael Weinstein). In March 1996, Granum Communications sold both to Infinity Broadcasting.

In 2000, V-103, after many years of operating as an urban contemporary station that only played R&B and classic soul, added hip hop full-time to compete with WHTA (Hot 97.5, now Hot 107.9) in addition to direct competitor WALR-FM (Kiss 104.7, now Kiss 104.1) and to appeal more to the precious 18-34 demographic alongside the original 25-54 demo. By coincidence, with the gain of more competition, WVEE was one of three adult urban stations between 1998 and 2000 when WAMJ (Majic 107.5) took to the air, although WVEE never called itself an urban AC station in that terminology.

In 2003, "V-103" changed its longtime station slogan from "The People's Station" to "Atlanta's BIG Station" to signify its dominance of Atlanta urban radio and being #2 (now #1) overall behind radio market leader WSB AM. In 2008, it reverted back to the previous slogan "The People's Station" to signify its commitment to the community. WVEE is the only FM radio station in Atlanta to have the same frequency and brand name for at least 35 years.

Since Fall 2006, "V-103" has premiered a HD Radio frequency for playing Urban Adult Contemporary (specifically Neo-soul) music.