| WKEA-FM | |
| City: | Scottsboro, Alabama |
| Branding: | 98.3 Wild Country |
| Frequency: | 98.3 MHz |
| Translator: | 105.7 W289BV (Scottsboro) |
| Airdate: | November 3, 1965 (as WCNA) |
| Format: | Country |
| Erp: | 11,000 watts |
| Haat: | 150 meters (492 feet) |
| Class: | C3 |
| Facility Id: | 33781 |
| Coordinates: | 34.5333°N -85.9222°W |
| Former Callsigns: | WCNA (1965–1981) |
| Affiliations: | Jones Radio Network, Fox News Radio |
| Owner: | Southern Torch Media, Inc. |
| Licensee: | Southern Torch, Inc. |
| Sister Stations: | WMXN-FM |
| Webcast: | Listen Live |
| Website: | 983wildcountry.com |
| Licensing Authority: | FCC |
WKEA-FM (98.3 FM, "98.3 Wild Country") is a radio station licensed to serve the community of Scottsboro, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by Southern Torch Media, Inc.
WKEA-FM broadcasts a country music format including programming from Jones Radio Network and Fox News Radio.[1]
Radio station WCNA-FM was founded in 1965 by Dr. Ralph Sheppard, a local dentist and owner of the Jackson County Advertiser, a weekly newspaper.[2] The first FM radio station in Jackson County, Alabama, WCNA-FM began broadcasting a country music format on November 3, 1965. In 1971, Sheppard transferred the license to a company named Mellow Sound Broadcasting.[3] The city of Scottsboro later honored Sheppard by declaring April 30, 2008, as "Dr. Ralph Sheppard Day" in honor of his many contributions to the community.[2]
In July 1981, Mellow Sound Broadcasting, Inc., made a deal to sell this station to KEA Radio, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on September 28, 1981.[4] The new owners had the FCC assign new call letters WKEA-FM on October 1, 1981.[5]
In late August 2013, the station debuted a translator (W289BV) on 105.7 MHz, relaying WKEA. In a curious move, despite being a simulcast, the translator has its own branding, as "Lake 105.7".[6]
On August 19, 2019, WKEA rebranded as "98.3 Wild Country".[7] The station became part of a landmark local radio deal in February 2019 when The Southern Torch newspaper and website companies made a deal to buy the KEA Radio properties, WKEA, and sister station WMXN-FM 101.7 to start Southern Torch Media, Inc. The purchase was consummated on April 1, 2019, at a price of $600,000.
The station was originally planned as an easy listening music station and the call letters WCNA-FM stood for, "We Cover North Alabama with Fine Music. One of the stations early DJ's, Doug Hodges, convinced the owner to change to a country format.