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107.5 WBLS-FM is a Black-owned Urban R&B radio station in New York. It was signed on the air in the summer of 1974. The late Frankie Crocker was chosen as Program Director and redefined R&B radio with the term "Urban Contemporary" targeting listeners 18-34 years of age. It was a combined format that included everything from R&B, Jazz, Pop, Reggae, Gospel, dance music and later included rap. History
WBLS was the number one station in New York from 1974 to 1978. WKTU-FM was a pop-turned-disco station whose music rosters included Black artists. But WBLS' ratings fell only drastically to number three. In the spring of 1980 WBLS was number one again but included Rap music along with its' playlists. But things started to heat up again: In August of 1981 RKO General Inc. who owned WXLO (99X)decided to go for WBLS' urban audience by launching WRKS-FM (98.7 Kiss FM). WXLO rose from 22nd place to third place on the Arbitron ratings in just one rating period. WBLS, WKTU and WRKS battled for the urban audience in the early 1980's. WKTU was sold in 1985 and WRKS was later known as a hip hop station due to its' rap-influenced format. WBLS was better known as an R&B station and the format is still in effect today. The
station is owned by Inner City Broadcasting .
Radio_stations_in_New_York
