A beloved TV call sign has landed on a real FM signal. WKRP Owner Jeff Ziesmann acquired the call letters in April from a low-power Raleigh station
What We Know: The station plays rock and pop songs from the ’60s through the ’80s — the same era the TV show celebrated. Meanwhile, the brand is recognized nationwide, particularly among older generations who grew up watching the 1978–82 CBS sitcom. No greater Cincinnati broadcaster had ever used the WKRP call letters before Monday’s launch.
What they said: Jeff Ziesmann, WKRP Station Operator: “The presentation will be a tribute to the TV show — not a parody of a 40-year-old TV show that aired for only four years.”
What Remains Unclear: Will WKRP nostalgia translate to ratings, or just buzz? The station reaches from Cincinnati to Dayton — solid coverage, but competitive terrain. Furthermore, leaning on a 45-year-old TV show carries real risk if it skews the audience too old. Ziesmann insists this is “an attitude, not a parody” — but executing that line is harder than drawing it.
What It Means: Independent operators rarely get a marketing gift this size handed to them. Therefore, how Ziesmann and partner Randy Michaels use it will be telling. If WKRP proves that a recognizable brand can move the needle for local radio, others will follow. Ultimately, this is a case study worth watching closely — because the idea is smarter than it might first appear.
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David Hill serves as a Music Radio Editor, Columnist and Features writer for Barrett Media. A radio lifer with more than 30 years behind the mic, in the control room, and in the program director’s chair, David’s career spans influential stops at brands such as WIYY 98 Rock, WBAL-AM, and 99X. He has worked across multiple formats and ownership groups, including iHeartMedia and Cumulus Media, developing talent, breaking music, and navigating every major industry shift from diary to PPM and terrestrial dominance to streaming disruption. When he’s not writing or analyzing the industry, Dave runs The Tune Farm, a marketing firm built to help artists and brands grow audience the same way great radio always has—by creating connection, not just impressions. He can be reached at David@BarrettMedia.com.
