WLAP (630 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Lexington, Kentucky, serving the Central Kentucky region. It airs a news/talk format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios and offices are on Nicolasville Road in Lexington.
By day, WLAP transmits with 5,000 watts. But to protect other stations on AM 630 at night when radio waves travel further, WLAP reduces power to 1,000 watts. A directional antenna is used at all times. The transmitter is on Russell Cave Road in Lexington. WLAP has a four-tower array.
Programming
Most programs on WLAP are nationally syndicated conservative talk shows. Weekdays begin with This Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal. Also heard are "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show," Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, "Ground Zero with Clyde Lewis" and "Coast to Coast AM with George Noory." On weekends, shows on money, health, home repair and law are heard. Hosts include Bill Handel, Gary Sullivan, Joe Pags and Bill Cunningham. Most hours begin with an update from Fox News Radio.
Three sports shows are heard on weekdays, "The Leach Report" and "Kentucky Sports Radio" in late mornings and "Big Blue Insider" in early evenings. Sports also makes up part of the Sunday schedule. WLAP serves as the flagship station of the UK Sports Network, which carries University of Kentucky Wildcats football and basketball. To make up for shortfalls in WLAP's coverage, some games are simulcast on FM sister station 98.1 WBUL-FM.
History
Early years
WLAP's first broadcast occurred on September 15, 1922. The station was founded by William Virgil Jordan of Louisville, who had become involved in amateur radio. By 1920, he was operating an amateur station with the call sign 9LK. Jordan reportedly started broadcasting phonograph records to patients at Waverly Hills Hospital in 1921.
Initially there were no restrictions on amateur stations making broadcasts intended for the general public. However, effective December 1, 1921, the United States Department of Commerce, which regulated radio communication at this time, adopted regulations to formally establish two broadcasting frequencies. It set aside the wavelength of 360 meters (833 kHz) for "entertainment" broadcasting, and 485 meters (619 kHz) for "market and weather reports". On September 15, 1922, Jordan was granted a broadcasting station license with the sequentially issued call letters of WLAP, for operation on 360 meters. The station was originally located at Jordan's "Big Six Auto Repair Shop" at 306 West Breckenridge Street. WLAP was the fourth Kentucky radio station licensed under the new broadcasting station regulations, preceded in July by WHAS in Louisville and WIAR in Paducah and in August by WKAG, Louisville.
CBS affiliation
In 1926, Rev. Lloyd Benedict arranged for the Virginia Avenue Baptist Church to purchase WLAP, and the station and transmitter were relocated to 2600 Virginia Avenue. In 1929 the station was sold to the American Broadcasting Company of Kentucky. It was headed by Denwidie Lampton Sr., who funded major upgrades as the studios were moved to the Inter Southern Life Building at 1st and Ormsby Avenue. New transmitting facilities were built at Phillips Lane.
WLAP became a network affiliate of the Columbia Broadcasting System (later CBS). It carried the network's dramas, comedies, news, sports, soap operas, game shows and big band broadcasts. The station was noted for its remote broadcasts, including the 1929 Kentucky State Fair, the dedication of War Memorial Auditorium, and the opening of the Municipal Bridge, where President Herbert Hoover spoke.
Ownership changes
Rival station WHAS desired an affiliation with CBS, and arranged for WBBM Chicago owner Ralph Atlass to purchase WLAP from Lampton, who had had many battles with the Bingham family over their desire to own two stations in the Louisville market. Atlass then sold the station to George Norton Jr. with the provision that WLAP would be operated without network affiliation.
WLAP studios were relocated to the Speed Building, where many future stars performed. They including Lonesome Luke and the Farm boys, Cliff and Bill Carsile, The Atcher Family Band, which included Bob and Randall, and the Stewart Brothers.