List of radio stations in Oklahoma

The list of radio stations in Oklahoma encompasses all full-service AM and FM broadcast stations, low-power FM (LPFM) stations, and FM translators/repeaters licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to serve communities across the state.^[1] As of November 2025, Oklahoma is home to 302 such stations, providing diverse programming that includes country, news/talk, classic rock, contemporary Christian, and public radio formats, catering to the state's rural and urban listeners alike.^[1] Radio broadcasting in Oklahoma traces its origins to the early 1920s, with experimental transmissions beginning shortly after World War I at Post Field in Lawton by returning soldiers.^[2] The state's first commercial station, 5XT (later renamed WKY), signed on in 1921 from Oklahoma City, offering market reports, weather updates, music, and news; it was acquired by media pioneer E.K. Gaylord in 1928 and became a cornerstone of local broadcasting.^[2] Other early stations followed, including KFJF (now KOMA) in 1924 and KVOO in Tulsa in 1926, which gained fame for featuring live performances by Western swing legend Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys starting in the 1930s.^[2] The majority of Oklahoma's radio stations are concentrated in its two largest markets: Oklahoma City (Nielsen rank #49, serving approximately 1.389 million people aged 12+) and Tulsa (Nielsen rank #63, serving approximately 899,000 people aged 12+), where clusters of stations owned by groups like iHeartMedia and Tyler Media dominate airwaves with top-40 hits, sports talk, and local news.^[3] Smaller markets, such as Lawton, Enid, and McAlester, feature community-oriented outlets, including non-commercial educational stations affiliated with universities like the University of Oklahoma (KGOU) and Oklahoma State University (KWGS).^[2] FM stations, which began appearing in 1947 with pioneers like KWGS-FM, now outnumber AM outlets and carry much of the state's music and entertainment programming, while AM focuses more on talk and sports.^[2] This list serves as a comprehensive directory for researchers, broadcasters, and enthusiasts, organized by call sign, frequency, city of license, and format.

Introduction

History of Radio in Oklahoma

The history of radio in Oklahoma began with early experiments in the 1910s, as amateur operators and inventors tested wireless communication amid the state's rapid growth following statehood in 1907. By 1921, Oklahoma City saw its first experimental broadcasts from station 5XT, operated by the Oklahoma Radio Shop, which transmitted from a garage and marked the inception of organized radio activity in the region. This station was relicensed as WKY in 1922, becoming one of the oldest continuously operating radio stations in the United States and Oklahoma's pioneering commercial broadcaster, initially airing music, news, and local events to a growing audience of radio enthusiasts.^[4][5] The 1920s and 1930s witnessed significant growth in radio infrastructure, fueled by increasing radio set ownership—from about 20 percent of households in 1925 to over 40 percent by 1930—as stations proliferated to serve urban centers like Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The federal Radio Act of 1927 introduced structured licensing under the Federal Radio Commission, standardizing frequencies and reducing interference, which enabled stations like WKY to expand power and programming, including live local talent broadcasts that drew crowds to studio windows. By the late 1920s, an estimated 200,000 radio sets were in use across Oklahoma, supporting additional outlets such as KVOO in Tulsa (licensed in 1926 after starting as KFRU in 1925), which became a key affiliate for national networks. This era solidified radio's role in disseminating news, agriculture reports, and entertainment during the Great Depression, with stations adapting to economic hardships by emphasizing community-focused content.^[6][7][8] During World War II, Oklahoma's radio stations contributed to the war effort by providing critical news updates, air raid alerts, and morale-boosting programming, often as affiliates of national networks like NBC and CBS. KVOO in Tulsa, for instance, relayed war bond drives, civilian defense information, and live coverage of events such as D-Day preparations, while stations statewide suspended commercial entertainment to prioritize government messages and supported local industries like Tinker Air Force Base through targeted broadcasts. Post-war expansion in the 1950s and 1960s brought further innovation, with the introduction of the first FM stations in 1947—KWGS-FM (educational), WKY-FM, and KSPI-FM—offering clearer signals and stereo capabilities by the early 1960s, coinciding with network affiliations that brought shows like "The Grand Ole Opry" to Oklahoma listeners. Radio ownership surged to over 80 percent of households by 1940 and continued climbing, transforming stations into hubs for rock 'n' roll and Top 40 formats that captured the youth culture of the era.^[2][9] The 1970s marked key milestones, including the debut of news-intensive formats; for example, KOMA in Oklahoma City pioneered mobile news coverage in 1958 and evolved into a dominant news-talk hybrid by the decade's end, influencing all-news experiments across the state. Native American-owned stations also emerged in the 1980s, building on earlier programming like the University of Oklahoma's "Indians for Indians Hour" (1941–1970s) to provide culturally specific content amid federal policy shifts supporting tribal media. Deregulation accelerated in the 1970s and culminated with the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which removed ownership caps and spurred consolidation—reducing independent owners from over 5,100 nationally pre-1996 to about 3,800 by 2001, with similar effects in Oklahoma where corporations like Cumulus Media acquired clusters in markets such as Oklahoma City and Tulsa, leading to streamlined operations but diminished local programming diversity.^[7][10][11] In the 2000s, digital transitions reshaped broadcasting, with HD Radio implementations beginning around 2006 at stations like those in the Oklahoma City market, enabling multicast channels and improved audio quality to compete with emerging media. By the 2020s, streaming became integral, as traditional stations integrated online platforms to reach audiences amid declining AM/FM listenership, with public outlets like KGOU and KOSU expanding digital news and podcasts to serve over 1 million potential listeners statewide. These adaptations reflect radio's evolution from experimental signals to a hybrid analog-digital ecosystem, sustaining its cultural footprint in Oklahoma.^[12][13][14]

Current Broadcasting Landscape

As of late 2025, Oklahoma is home to 302 licensed radio stations, including full-service AM and FM broadcast stations, low-power FM (LPFM) stations, and FM translators/repeaters, according to data from radio station directories.^[1] This diverse array supports a mix of commercial and non-commercial broadcasting across urban centers like Oklahoma City and Tulsa, as well as rural communities. The state's radio landscape is dominated by country music formats, reflecting Oklahoma's cultural affinity for the genre, followed by religious programming and news/talk. Urban contemporary and sports formats are prominent in major markets, catering to diverse listener preferences in metropolitan areas. Ownership is concentrated among large groups such as iHeartMedia, which controls approximately 14 stations primarily in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and Cumulus Media, alongside numerous local independents and tribal entities.^[15] This structure stems from post-deregulation consolidations, enabling economies of scale while preserving some community-focused operations. Many stations statewide have integrated HD Radio, offering enhanced audio quality and multiple sub-channels for niche content.^[16] Many stations have expanded into podcasting and online streaming, with digital listenership in urban areas now exceeding traditional over-the-air tuning among younger demographics. Coverage extends to Native American communities through tribal-owned stations, such as those operated by the Chickasaw Nation, though rural areas face ongoing challenges with signal access due to terrain and population sparsity.^[17] Economically, radio advertising revenue in Oklahoma has rebounded post-2020, driven by a shift to digital platforms, where ad spending is growing amid a broader U.S. trend of about 4% annually for digital and traditional spot revenue stabilization around $10 billion nationally in 2025.^[18] This growth underscores radio's adaptability, blending legacy broadcasting with online monetization strategies.

Active Stations

AM Stations

Oklahoma's AM radio landscape consists of approximately 60 licensed full-power stations operating across the medium-wave band from 540 to 1700 kHz, serving diverse formats such as sports, news/talk, country, religious, and regional Mexican programming. These stations vary in coverage based on their class and power output: class A stations with 50 kW output, like KOKC in Oklahoma City, provide extensive statewide reach during both day and night, often employing non-directional antennas for broad propagation. In contrast, lower-power class D or local stations (typically 1-10 kW daytime, reduced or off at night) focus on community-specific service with limited range. Clear-channel allocations, such as WKY on 930 kHz (5 kW daytime, 0.51 kW nighttime with directional patterns to protect distant co-channel stations), enable long-distance listening under optimal conditions, while most others use directional arrays to mitigate interference in this crowded band.^[19][20] The following table lists all currently licensed AM stations in Oklahoma, sorted alphabetically by call sign, including frequency, city of license, licensed power (where specified; many operate with variable day/night authorizations per FCC rules), and primary format. Data reflects active licenses as of late 2025.^[21] High-power operations, such as those on clear-channel frequencies, often incorporate directional antenna patterns to comply with FCC interference protections, enabling reliable signal propagation across Oklahoma and beyond during nighttime hours when skywave effects enhance range. Local stations, conversely, typically broadcast omnidirectionally with reduced power to target specific markets without overlapping signals.^[20]

FM and HD Radio Stations

Oklahoma's FM radio band spans 88 to 108 MHz and supports approximately 300 full-power commercial and non-commercial stations, delivering a wide array of programming including music, news, talk, and religious content across urban and rural areas.^[1] These stations typically broadcast in stereo, with many incorporating HD Radio for enhanced audio quality and multicasting capabilities; nationwide, about 21% of commercial FM stations use HD Radio, a penetration rate that aligns with Oklahoma's broadcasting environment where subchannels often feature niche genres like alternative rock or urban contemporary.^[22] The Federal Communications Commission assigns FM stations to classes based on power and coverage potential, from Class A (maximum 6 kW ERP for local service) to Class C (up to 100 kW ERP for broad regional reach), enabling high-power outlets in markets like Oklahoma City to dominate while lower-class stations serve smaller communities.^[23] Translator networks, which rebroadcast primary signals on additional frequencies, play a crucial role in extending coverage to underserved rural parts of the state, often at 250 watts or less to fill signal gaps without interfering with main allocations.^[24] A distinctive feature of Oklahoma's FM landscape is its robust public radio infrastructure, anchored by NPR affiliates such as KOSU (operated by Oklahoma State University) and KGOU (operated by the University of Oklahoma), which together form a statewide network offering in-depth news, cultural programming, and educational content through primary FM outlets and over 20 translators for comprehensive coverage.^[25][26] The table below lists representative active FM stations in Oklahoma, sorted by frequency, highlighting key technical and programming details; this selection illustrates the diversity but is not exhaustive.

Low-Power and Community Stations

Low-power FM (LPFM) stations represent a vital segment of Oklahoma's radio landscape, designed to serve hyper-local communities with noncommercial programming that full-power stations often overlook. Authorized by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2000 through the creation of a new service class, LPFM allows eligible entities—such as nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, governmental bodies, and Native American tribes—to operate at effective radiated powers (ERP) of up to 100 watts for Class LP1 stations or 10 watts for Class LP100 stations, typically covering a radius of about 3.5 miles.^[24] These stations emerged from FCC rules aimed at enhancing localism and diversity in broadcasting, particularly after the Local Community Radio Act of 2010 lifted earlier restrictions on new LPFM licenses. In Oklahoma, with its mix of urban centers and extensive rural and tribal lands, LPFM fills gaps in coverage, delivering content like community news, local music, religious services, and educational programming to underserved audiences.^[24] Eligibility for LPFM licenses requires applicants to demonstrate a commitment to noncommercial educational purposes, with second-adjacency interference protections ensuring no disruption to existing full-power FM services.^[24] As of 2025, Oklahoma hosts approximately 28 licensed LPFM stations, many operated by churches, schools, and community groups, emphasizing formats such as gospel, student-led variety, and ethnic programming.^[31] These outlets particularly benefit rural areas and Native American reservations, where they broadcast in indigenous languages or focus on cultural preservation, though specific tribal LPFM examples remain limited compared to full-power tribal stations.^[24] By prioritizing local ownership and content, LPFM fosters community engagement in places like small towns and college campuses, contrasting with the broader reach of nearby full-power FM stations in markets like Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The following table highlights representative active LPFM stations in Oklahoma, showcasing their diversity in location, power, and programming: These examples illustrate LPFM's emphasis on niche, community-driven content, with many stations affiliated with educational or faith-based organizations to meet FCC noncommercial requirements.^[24] In tribal contexts, while dedicated LPFM outlets are sparse, the service supports broader Native American broadcasting efforts by enabling low-cost entry for cultural programming in reservations.^[24]

Stations by Market

Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area

The Oklahoma City metropolitan area, encompassing a population of approximately 1.39 million persons aged 12+, ranks as the 49th largest radio market in the United States according to Nielsen Audio's Fall 2025 survey rankings.^[3] This market supports over 90 active radio stations, including full-power AM and FM signals as well as translators, delivering content to commuters, households, and events across the region. Radio listenership remains robust, with national data indicating that audio platforms reach over 90% of Americans weekly, a trend reflected in local ratings where top stations capture significant audience shares during peak hours.^[32] The stations in this market are diverse, grouped primarily by format to serve varied listener preferences, from mainstream pop to niche programming. Country music dominates with several dedicated outlets, including iHeartMedia's KXXY 96.1 FM (country) and KTST 101.9 FM (new country), which together draw strong ratings in the 5-7% AQH share range per Nielsen's September 2025 survey.^[33] Other notable country stations include KWFF 99.7 FM (country) and KJKE 93.3 FM (country), contributing to the format's popularity in a region with deep roots in rural and suburban lifestyles.^[34] iHeartMedia exerts significant influence as the largest cluster owner, operating 9 stations that span multiple formats and capture a substantial portion of the market's ad revenue.^[35] Key holdings include news/talk KTOK 1000 AM, classic hits KOMA 92.5 FM, and sports-focused WWLS 98.1 FM, enabling syndicated programming like ESPN Radio alongside local shows. Independent operators like Tyler Media complement this with stations such as news/talk KOKC 1520 AM, which airs conservative talk and local news.^[36] Bilingual Spanish-language programming is a growing segment, with more than five stations targeting the area's Hispanic community of over 200,000. Examples include Tyler Media's KTUZ 106.7 FM (regional Mexican) and iHeartMedia's 98.5 El Patrón (regional Mexican via translator), offering music, talk, and cultural content that reflects demographic shifts.^[37][38] Sports radio thrives due to local teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and University of Oklahoma Sooners, with dedicated coverage on several outlets. iHeartMedia's KRXO 107.7 FM, branded as The Franchise, provides 24/7 sports talk, play-by-play broadcasts, and analysis, achieving a 1.1% AQH share in recent Nielsen data.^[39][33] Additional sports signals, such as Cumulus Media's KWPN 640 AM, ensure comprehensive game-day access for fans. For complete frequency and technical specifications, see the statewide listings in the Active Stations section.

Tulsa Metropolitan Area

The Tulsa metropolitan area, home to approximately 900,000 residents, ranks as Oklahoma's second-largest radio market and the 63rd largest nationally according to Nielsen Audio's Fall 2025 survey.^[3] This market supports over 60 commercial stations, delivering a mix of formats shaped by the region's urban diversity, Native American heritage, and energy sector prominence. Stations here emphasize local relevance, from mainstream country and rock to specialized public broadcasting, serving commuters across Tulsa County and surrounding areas like Broken Arrow and Jenks. Ownership in the Tulsa market is concentrated among regional players, with Zoellner Media Group emerging as a key operator following its 2025 acquisition of Cox Media Group's five-station cluster for $20 million.^[40] This deal transferred control of prominent outlets including KWEN 95.5 FM, which broadcasts a country music format targeting adult listeners with hits from artists like Blake Shelton and local events coverage. Other groups, such as iHeartMedia, maintain significant holdings, contributing to the market's eight sports and news-focused stations that provide play-by-play for University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane games and regional coverage of Oklahoma State University athletics. Unique to Tulsa's airwaves are niche formats reflecting cultural influences, including public radio's blues and jazz programming on stations like those affiliated with Public Radio Tulsa, which occasionally feature indigenous artists and themes. The market also stands out for strong Native American programming, with outlets like KWGS 89.5 FM incorporating segments on tribal news and music from Oklahoma's 39 recognized tribes, fostering community ties in a state with the largest Native population per capita. Talk radio segments frequently address the oil industry, a cornerstone of Tulsa's economy since the early 20th century, with shows on stations like KRMG 102.3 FM discussing energy policy, drilling innovations, and market fluctuations.

Smaller Markets and Rural Areas

Oklahoma's smaller markets and rural areas host the majority of the state's radio stations, with around 150 licensed outlets serving over 75 communities such as Lawton, Enid, Chickasha, and Guymon. These stations provide essential local programming tailored to agricultural, community, and cultural needs in regions outside the dominant Oklahoma City and Tulsa metros.^[1] A key focus in rural broadcasting is agribusiness, where stations deliver farm news, market updates, and weather reports vital to Oklahoma's economy, where agriculture contributes about 2.5% to GDP directly and supports broader rural activity.^[41] For example, KWCO 105.5 FM in Chickasha airs regular agricultural segments from the Radio Oklahoma Network, including reports on commodity prices and local farming conditions. Similar content appears on outlets like KOFM 107.9 FM in Enid, emphasizing country music alongside ranching and crop discussions.^[42][43][44] Tribal radio stations play a crucial role in serving Oklahoma's 39 federally recognized tribes across more than 30 reservations, offering programming in Native languages, cultural stories, and community events. Representative examples include KCNP 89.5 FM in Ada, part of the Chickasaw Community Radio Network, which broadcasts news and music relevant to Chickasaw listeners in south-central Oklahoma, and Cheyenne and Arapaho Radio, KCCF 92.3 FM in Concho, providing content for Plains tribes in the western region.^[45][46][47] These stations help bridge information gaps in remote areas, often partnering with public radio affiliates for broader reach.^[48] Rural broadcasters face unique challenges, including reliance on FM translators to extend signals over vast distances and fill coverage voids. Translators are particularly common in sparse areas, rebroadcasting primary stations to reach isolated farms and towns. In the Oklahoma Panhandle, signal interference from adjacent states like Texas and Kansas complicates clear reception, especially for AM signals during nighttime skywave propagation.^[48] Coverage gaps persist in western Oklahoma counties, where fewer than five stations per county often serve expansive agricultural lands, limiting access to emergency alerts and local news for residents in places like Beaver and Cimarron counties. Efforts by networks like the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network help mitigate this by syndicating content to affiliate stations in these underserved zones.^[42]

Defunct Stations

Discontinued AM Stations

The discontinuation of AM radio stations in Oklahoma spans from the experimental era of the 1920s, when many short-lived operations were deleted amid federal regulatory changes to reduce interference, to more recent closures driven by economic pressures and the shift toward FM and digital broadcasting.^[49] Early stations often operated with limited power and were unable to adapt to the 1927 Federal Radio Commission reallocations, which consolidated frequencies and eliminated hundreds of small broadcasters nationwide, including numerous in Oklahoma.^[50] By the late 20th and early 21st centuries, AM stations faced challenges from declining ad revenue, high operational costs like electricity for transmitters, and listener migration to clearer FM signals and online streaming, leading to voluntary license surrenders or mergers where AM facilities were shuttered.^[51] Notable among these is the wave of deletions in smaller markets, where stations struggled against larger regional competitors. The following table lists representative examples of discontinued AM stations in Oklahoma, sorted by call sign. Frequencies are included where available from historical records; many early stations broadcast on shared or experimental wavelengths (e.g., 360 meters or 833 kHz) before standardized AM band assignments. Reasons for closure are based on documented regulatory, economic, or transitional factors. These examples illustrate broader trends: over a dozen stations from the 1920s were eliminated in the first major regulatory overhaul, reducing Oklahoma's AM outlets from dozens to a handful of survivors like WKY.^[50] In contrast, post-2000 deletions, such as KVLH and KIHN, reflect the AM band's vulnerability to economic consolidation, with owners citing costs exceeding revenues in an era of FM dominance and digital alternatives.^[51] While exact numbers vary, historical records indicate at least 20-30 AM licenses in Oklahoma were deleted by the 1930s alone, paving the way for a more stable but diminished medium-wave landscape.^[49]

Discontinued FM Stations

Several early FM radio stations in Oklahoma were established in the late 1940s as part of the post-World War II expansion of frequency modulation broadcasting, but many faced challenges including limited receiver adoption and competition from emerging television services, leading to discontinuations.^[53] Experimental efforts, such as W5XAU in Oklahoma City, began in the 1930s with low-power tests on 31.6 MHz before transitioning to the standard FM band, but such initiatives often struggled to sustain operations amid technical and economic hurdles post-war.^[53] One prominent example is WKY-FM (98.9 MHz, Oklahoma City), which signed on July 1, 1947, with a classical music format simulcast from its AM counterpart, operating at 3,000 watts initially and later upgraded to 10,000 watts from a 959-foot tower. The station ceased operations in 1952 due to low listener interest and the rapid growth of television, with its equipment donated to local public schools; only one protest letter was received upon announcement.^[54][53] Another case is KOCY-FM (Oklahoma City), which launched in the 1940s with a network programming concept but discontinued shortly after World War II owing to insufficient advertiser support and audience draw in the nascent FM market.^[53] These closures highlight FM-specific issues in Oklahoma's early broadcasting landscape, such as effective radiated power limitations and the shift toward visual media, contrasting with more resilient AM operations. In rural areas, similar patterns emerged, with vacant FM allotments like Channel 265C2 in Millerton deleted by the FCC in 2022 after no auction bids or interest, reflecting ongoing challenges for underutilized frequencies.^[55]