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WHEL (93.7 FM) is a Top 40 (CHR) station licensed to Sanibel, Florida, broadcasting to the Fort Myers–Naples area. The station is owned by Sun Broadcasting.

History

The station was originally a local signal licensed to Naples, and located at 93.5 on the FM band. Beginning its life as WALJ FM in December 1971, the station changed its call letters to WRGI in 1974. It was later known as "G-93.5" airing a Top 40 format, but flipped to adult contemporary music afterward during the late 1970s. In 1987, the station returned back to Top 40 when it became "Lazer 93.5". Retaining its WRGI call letters, its call letters back to the former WLAZ as "Lazer 93.5" in 1989. Its Top 40 format only lasted for nearly three years. Its format changed to classic rock and returned back to its WRGI call letters on November 19, 1990. Its format would later shift to an oldies format. In mid-September 1994, the station dropped the format and WRGI call letters for a simulcast of WNOG airing a talk radio format. On February 17, 1997, WNOG-FM became WPRW with a dance radio format with the station's moniker name "Power 93.5", reminiscent of WPBT "Power 89.5", a simulcast of now-defunct 91.5, "The Spark". This lasted until March 24, 1999, when the station flipped to soft adult contemporary as "Lite 93.5" with the call letters WTLT. Its format would later upgrade to normal adult contemporary.

In late 2002, WTLT's frequency changed from 93.5 to 93.7 FM, which allowed an increase in its coverage area. In 2010, WTLT moved its transmitter closer to Fort Myers, to more effectively cover Lee County, and the northern part of the market.

On June 19, 2013, after Beasley Broadcast Group shifted the part of the active rock format from WJBX to portions of the day on WRXK-FM to make room for the move of ESPN Radio to 99.3 FM, WTLT dropped its "Lite 93.7" adult contemporary format and assumed the "X" moniker and active rock format. On June 26, 2013, WTLT changed its call letters to WXNX.

On September 16, 2020, the station flipped to automated country music as "Trump Country 93.7", with no airstaff, and promos performed by a Donald Trump impersonator. The 93X Facebook page announced that it would be "back on a new channel soon!" On December 18, WXNX rebranded as "Hell Yeah 93.7" under new WHEL call letters. The station's programmer claimed the switch was made due to Joe Biden campaign officials reaching out to the station with threats that Biden's new FCC make-up would revoke the station's license upon his taking office on January 20, 2021, due to alleged equal time violations, though this was likely promotional hyperbole, as both the campaign and FCC never commented on the claims. The programmer also claimed they wanted calls and branding with the word "fuck" in them (a move that in reality, would have been rejected by the FCC immediately), but were rebuffed by Sun Broadcasting's attorneys.

On October 5, 2022, after being off the air due to Hurricane Ian making landfall in the Fort Myers area, WHEL returned to the air with the "Latino" Spanish-language contemporary hit radio format normally heard on WTLQ-FM (97.7), which was still off the air at the time. On October 21, WTLQ-FM returned to the air, allowing WHEL to resume its country format.

On January 18, 2024, WHEL dropped the country format (which moved to WHEL-HD3 and translator W231DC (94.1 FM) and began stunting with all-Taylor Swift. At 9 a.m. on January 22, the station flipped back to contemporary hit radio as "Hot 93.7", with the intention of taking on new rival WXKB, taking swipes at its commercial break lengths, music choices, and "national" focus in contests, and filling the slot left by the format change of WZJZ earlier in the month. It also creates a flanker for sister station WFFY against its own rival WBTT. The first song as "Hot" was "Dance the Night" by Dua Lipa.

HD Radio

On March 7, 2022, WHEL-HD2 changed their format from regional Mexican to active rock, branded as "Rock 103.3".

On May 14, 2024, WHEL-HD2/W277AP dropped its "Rock 103.3" format and W277AP switched to a simulcast of WFSX-HD2's "Fox Sports Fort Myers" sports format.

On July 1, 2024, WHEL dropped the "Hell Yeah 94.1" country format on its HD3 subchannel and the 94.1 translator switched to "Fox Sports Fort Myers", simulcasting WFSX-HD2.

References

1. "Facility Technical Data for WHEL". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. "Radio 1988" – via youtube.com.
3. "WTLT Claims X Brand In Fort Myers". radioinsight.com.
4. Willman, Chris (September 18, 2020). "Florida FM Station Rebrands as 'Trump Country' — Is It Legal?". Variety. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
5. "93X Fort Myers Becomes Trump Country 93.7". radioinsight.com. September 16, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
6. "Hell Yeah! Trump Country 93.7 Fort Myers Concedes Its Branding". radioinsight.com. December 18, 2020.
7. Runnells, Charles (December 21, 2020). "Trump Country signs off in Fort Myers; radio station 93.7 FM changes name to 'Hell Yeah'". Fort Myers News-Press. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
8. ^ "Hell Yeah 93.7 & Latino 97.7 Fort Myers Return Home". radioinsight.com. October 21, 2022.
9. "Hot 93.7 Launch Brings CHR Battle To Fort Myers". RadioInsight. January 22, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
10. "Hell Yeah 93.7 Moves; WHEL Stunting With All-Taylor Swift". radioinsight.com. January 18, 2024.
11. "Rock 103.3 Debuts In Fort Myers". radioinsight.com. March 8, 2022.
12. FOX SPORTS ADDS ADDITIONAL FORT MYERS SIGNAL Radioinsight - May 15, 2024
13. Hell Yeah 94.1 Goes Out With a Whimper Radioinsight - July 15, 2024

External links

• Facility details for Facility ID 66223 (WHEL) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• WHEL in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

26°30′18″N 81°51′14″W / 26.505°N 81.854°W / 26.505; -81.854

• HD Radio stations
• Radio stations in Florida
• Contemporary hit radio stations in the United States
• 1971 establishments in Florida
• Radio stations established in 1971