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WMGK (102.9 FM broadcasting, "102-9 MGK") is a commercial radio FM broadcasting radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group and broadcasts a classic rock radio format. The broadcast tower used by the station is located in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia. The station's studios are in Bala Cynywd. The station features Philadelphia radio personalities Andre Gardner, Matt Cord, Eric Johnson, and Tony Harris.
On November 24, 1941, the FCC granted the station authority to begin broadcasting and granted its first license on November 18, 1942.
On November 1, 1943, the station was assigned the WCAU-FM call sign. After the FCC created the current FM broadcast band on June 27, 1945, the commission granted WCAU Broadcasting the authority to begin operating the station on 102.7 MHz on December 17, 1945.
The FCC granted a voluntarily reassignment of the station's license to Philadelphia Record Company on October 17, 1946. On June 27, 1947, the FCC reallocated the station to 102.9 MHz, followed by another voluntary reassignment of the station's license on November 28, 1947, to William Penn Broadcasting Company. This reassignment was effective on December 18, 1947, at which time the station's call sign was changed to WPEN-FM. The new owners filed an application for a construction permit to move the station to 102.9 MHz on July 12, 1948. A new license for operation on the new frequency was granted by the FCC on August 17, 1950.
WPEN-FM was one of the first two FM stations to be licensed for SCA (subcarrier) service. The station filed an application for the SCA on October 12, 1955, with the FCC granting the authorization on July 1, 1956. Subcarriers could be used to send special programming to subscribers, such as background music for stores and restaurants.
From its founding until the 1960s, WPEN-FM mostly simulcast 950 WPEN. In 1966, when the FCC no longer allowed most FM stations to simulcast their AM counterparts full-time, WPEN-FM carried a middle-of-the-road format, similar to the AM station, but with fewer interruptions and with mostly pre-recorded DJ comments. Broadcasting Yearbook 1973 page B-172 Some hours were still simulcast.
On December 22, 1976, the FCC granted Greater Philadelphia Radio, Inc. a construction permit to relocate the station's transmitter and antenna to the Roxborough section of Philadelphia. The station's license was renewed by the FCC with the new facilities on July 12, 1978.
Over time, WMGK began to lose listeners to WUSL, known as "US 1". WUSL had switched from easy listening to a soft vocal format similar to WMGK, but with a shorter playlist of more familiar songs. Eventually, WMGK responded with an even tighter playlist, moving from soft rock to a soft adult contemporary format and rebounded past WUSL in the ratings. The station was programmed by the late Dave Klahr and signed on by its first midday host Pete Booker, who later programmed Greater Media sister station WMJC in Detroit, and who recently retired as CEO of the Delmarva Broadcasting Company.
WUSL, the chief rival to WMGK, switched to country music in 1981. In 1989, WEAZ, an easy listening outlet known as "Easy 101", made the transition to soft AC, and in 1993, changed its call sign to WBEB, calling itself "B-101". Easy 101 had a large number of listeners, and most of them stayed with the station when it became B-101, causing WMGK to slip in the ratings. In addition, WRFF was also playing adult contemporary music, giving Philadelphia three stations in the AC format.
On November 17, 2006, at 6 p.m., former New Jersey–based classic rock station WTHK became "The New Smooth Jazz 97.5 WJJZ". With WTHK no longer airing classic rock, WMGK became the Philadelphia region's only classic rock station. The station on 97.5 is now co-owned with WMGK and carries a sports radio format as WPEN-FM, which was once WMGK's call sign.
On April Fools' Day in 2015, WMGK briefly reverted to its previous adult contemporary/soft rock music format during DJ Andre Gardner program. Gardner announced WMGK "Magic 103" and played the old Magic . The prank ended when a listener called in to the station to complain about the loss of classic rock.
On July 19, 2016, Beasley Media Group announced it would acquire Greater Media and its 21 stations (including WMGK) for $240 million. The FCC approved the sale on October 6, and the sale closed on November 1.
WNEW-FM NEW 102.7 (licensed to serve New York City) and WQSR 102.7 Jack FM (licensed to serve Baltimore, Maryland) both operate on 102.7 MHz, a first adjacent channel to WMGK. The distance between WMGK's transmitter and WNEW-FM's transmitter is 82 miles, while the distance between WMGK's transmitter and WQSR's transmitter is 92 miles, as determined by FCC rules. The minimum distance between two Class B stations operating on first adjacent channels according to current FCC rules is 105 miles.
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