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WBUL-FM
Lexington, Kentucky;
Broadcast area	Lexington Metro area; Central Kentucky
Frequency	98.1 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding	98.1 The Bull
Programming
Format	Country
Subchannels	HD2: 98.5 Icons (Classic country)
Affiliations	Premiere Networks
Ownership
Owner	iHeartMedia, Inc.; (iHM Licenses, LLC);
Sister stations	WKQQ, WLAP, WLKT, WMXL, WWTF
History
First air date	July 15, 1969
Former call signs	WLEX-FM (1968–1972); WLEX (1972–1974); WKQQ (1974–1998);
Call sign meaning	"Bull"
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	70192
Class	C1
ERP	100,000 watts
HAAT	171 meters (561 ft)
Translator(s)	HD2: 98.5 W253BK (Winchester)
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Webcast	Listen Live; Listen Live (HD2)
Website	wbul.iheart.com; 981thebullicons.iheart.com (HD2)

WBUL-FM (98.1 MHz) is one of four country music radio stations serving the Lexington, Kentucky radio market. The station broadcasts with an ERP of 100,000 watts, with a nearly 100-mile broadcasting radius. The station is heard as far south as London, as far east as Grayson, as far north as Cincinnati and as far west as Louisville. iHeartMedia, Inc. currently owns the station. WBUL-FM was the third station to begin broadcasting HD Radio in Lexington after WUKY and WKQQ.^[2]

The station serves as the FM flagship of the UK Sports Network, airing Kentucky Wildcats football and men's basketball to make up for shortfalls in coverage by AM flagship and sister station WLAP.

History

WLEX-FM and WKQQ

On April 19, 1966, the Federal Communications Commission issued a construction permit to WLEX-TV, Inc., to build a new FM radio station in Lexington. WLEX-FM began broadcasting July 15, 1969,^[3] as a stereo rock music station reliant on automated taped programming. After five years of operation, the television station opted to sell the FM outlet owing to persistent equipment issues. It was purchased by Village Communications, which simultaneously acquired WBLG (1300 AM), and was relaunched with a new rock format as WKQQ on December 1, 1974.^[4]^[5]^{: 153–154, 295} In 1979, Village sold off WBLG—which had been less successful for the company than WKQQ^[6]—to raise capital for cable television ventures, and the station upgraded in power from 50,000 to 100,000 watts.^[7] At this time, the station began a run of success in the Lexington market. It posted double-digit ratings shares in every year from 1978 to 1995, including number one ratings in 1979 and 1981.^[8] For most of this time, from 1983 to 1996, Dave "Kruser" Klusenhaus hosted mornings.^[9]

As radio ownership rules were deregulated in the 1990s, Village began expanding its holdings in Lexington area by buying Georgetown's WTKT (103.3 FM) and WBBE (1580 AM).^[10] The three Village stations were then sold in 1996 to Jacor Communications of Cincinnati.^[11]

WBUL

In 1998, Jacor effectuated a format swap between two of its stations. WKQQ's call sign and programming moved to the former WWYC at 100.1 MHz. In exchange, WWYC's country format moved to 98.1 as part of a substantial relaunch, which local Jacor management noted could not occur without the frequency change. The station stunted by playing only Garth Brooks songs and became country-formatted WBUL.^[12]

References

^ "Facility Technical Data for WBUL-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
^ http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=100 Archived November 17, 2015, at the Wayback Machine HD Radio Station Guide for Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky
^ "WLEX(FM)" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1973. p. B-81. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 20, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023 – via World Radio History.
^ Reed, David (December 1, 1974). "Local Stations Have Little Pull With Network". Lexington Herald-Leader. p. TV Time 1, 8. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Nash, Francis M. (1995). Towers Over Kentucky: A History of Radio and TV in the Bluegrass State (PDF). ISBN 978-1-879688-93-3. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 27, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023 – via World Radio History.
^ Reed, David (January 8, 1979). "Rumors That Barry Will Go to Channel 18 Are Unfounded". The Lexington Herald. p. C-9. Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Bowden, Darlene (March 15, 1979). "WBLG bought by Ohio firm". The Lexington Leader. p. 3. Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Duncan, James H. Jr. (2004). "Lexington" (PDF). An American Radio Trilogy: The Markets. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 27, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2023 – via World Radio History.
^ "Firings rock morning crew at Double Q: Syndicated show to replace 'Kruser'". Lexington Herald-Leader. January 20, 1996. p. Today 3, 15. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "WKQQ parent buying 2 more stations". Lexington Herald-Leader. March 19, 1994. p. C9. Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Wagar, Kit (November 30, 1996). "Local buys add to Jacor radio empire". Lexington Herald-Leader. p. A11. Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Svokos, Heather (January 10, 1998). "WKQQ moves up dial, makes way for Garth". Lexington Herald-Leader. p. Home & Garden 2. Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.