WKKR

WKKR (97.7 FM, "97.7 The Kicker") is a radio station licensed in Auburn, Alabama, USA. The station, established in 1968, is currently owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., through licensee AMFM Radio Licenses, L.L.C. In 1988, WKKR became the first Alabama radio station to earn the National Association of Broadcasters Crystal Radio Award for outstanding commitment to community service.

Programming

WKKR broadcasts a country music format to the Auburn, Alabama metropolitan area. In addition to its usual music programming, WKKR broadcasts Opelika High School football and Auburn University's Auburn Tigers football games.

History

New radio station WFRI began broadcasting on July 8, 1968, with 860 watts of power on 97.7 MHz licensed to Faulkner Radio, Inc. Owner James H. Faulkner, Sr., also owned several other Alabama radio stations as well as the newspapers Baldwin Times and Foley Onlooker in Baldwin County, Alabama. Broadcasting a middle of the road music radio format, the station upgraded its signal strength to 3,000 watts of effective radiated power in 1970. In 1973, the station switched to a "solid gold" oldies and adult standards music format. By 1979, WFRI had changed musical directions again and was programming a Top 40 pop music format. This change would also prove short-lived as WFRI aired a classic rock format branded as "Rock 97" for most of the early 1980s.