WWL Radio in New Orleans hit an impressive milestone Sunday, as it celebrated its 102 anniversary.
The station originally signed on the air on Friday, March 31, 1922 from Marquette Hall on the campus of what was then known as Loyola College in the Big Easy. The station debuted on that day with 10 watts of power, and its primary function was to serve as a fundraising project for the newly founded college. The college owned the station — along with WLMV and WWL-TV — until 1989, which they should them to begin the university’s endowment fund.
WWL was the second station licensed to the state of Louisiana, securing its standing just 10 days after WGV. However, the now Audacy-owned station started its broadcast operations and hit the airwaves before WGV.
The station began commercial operations in 1929, and eventually upgraded from 10,000 watts to 50,000 watts in 1938.
Currently billed as “New Orleans News, Talk, Sports,” the station airs of mix of programs like The Ramsey Show, local news and talk shows with hosts like Dave Cohen, Tommy Tucker, Newell Normand, and Scott “Scoot” Paisant, as well as a local afternoon sports program hosted by Bobby Hebert, Mike Detillier, and Steve Geller. It features programming from CBS Sports Radio during the evening and a portion of the overnight hours.
WWL isn’t the only major brand that began broadcasting on Friday, March 31st, 1922. KFI AM-640 in Los Angeles also began broadcast operations on that day.
