WVSL, WXEL, WAIL, WLTS, WKZN On September 8, 1970, the station signed on the air as WVSL-FM in
Slidell, Louisiana. It was owned by Bill Garrett Broadcasting, which also owned
WBGS (1560 AM). In the late 1970s, the call sign for 105.3 was WXEL. In 1981, the station switched formats to
rhythmic contemporary as WAIL. The station was acquired in 1984 by Phase Two Broadcasting, which changed the
call sign to WLTS, and flipped to a
soft adult contemporary format. "Lite 105" spent 16 years in this format, although over time, the
playlist shifted to a more uptempo, mainstream direction. In 1999, the station was acquired by
Entercom, its current owner. The
city of license was changed from Slidell to Kenner, where
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is located. During this time, the station evolved to a
hot adult contemporary format as WKZN "105.3 The Zone".
Switch to WWL-FM On August 29, 2005, the station's transmitter was severely damaged during
Hurricane Katrina, knocking it off the air. It returned to broadcasting with low power as a temporary simulcast of co-owned WWL 870. Other FM stations in New Orleans suspended their music formats during the storm's aftermath to rebroadcast news from local TV stations. In early October 2005, Entercom decided to switch two of its New Orleans FM station dial positions, with WTKL and
WKBU exchanging frequencies. FM 105.3 became WTKL with a
classic hits format and the "Kool" name, formerly "Kool 95.7". However, only three weeks later, it was decided by Entercom to scrap the classic hits format and return 105.3 to the WWL simulcast. Entercom cited positive listener response to WWL being heard on FM and complaints about its removal from the FM dial. Some listeners said they wanted WWL programming to remain on FM due to issues receiving the AM station in the
New Orleans Central Business District. The "Kool 105.3" format continued as an Internet-only webcast for a short time after it was discontinued on FM. With 105.3 simulcasting WWL, Entercom asked the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to switch the call letters to WWL-FM. Sister station
WLMG was the original home of the WWL-FM call sign, from 1970 to 1980, airing
beautiful music at first, and then
Top 40 hits. ==Programming==