page_title: WIOQ
section_title: Album Rock Format
hierarchical_section_title: WIOQ / History / Album Rock Format
caption_attribution_description: English: W-102 Stereo Island Logo
context_page_description: WIOQ is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by iHeartMedia and broadcasts a Top 40 format. The transmitter is located in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia at and its studios and offices are located in Bala Cynwyd.
  WIOQ broadcasts using HD Radio, with its HD1 channel airing the analog Top 40 programming, the HD2 subchannel airing Russian language "DaNu Radio" and the HD3 subchannel airing iHeart's Pride Radio national format with some local programming as well.
context_section_description: In 1971, Triangle Publications sold WFIL-AM-FM-TV to Capital Cities Broadcasting (later Capital Cities Communications). In turn, WFIL-FM 102.1 was spun off to Richer Communications in May 1971. The call letters were changed to WIOQ representing the script version of IOQ in relation to the frequency of 102. The familiar jingle of Popular 102 was also changed to W102. Initially, the familiar PAMS jingles were updated to reflect the new call letters and the station continued as before. By 1972, the station's imaging changed to Stereo Island which trended even softer than the station had been, but added live DJs while the music rotated on an IGM automation unit. 
  Air staff at this time included Jeff Dean, Lee Meredith, Art Andrews, Alan Drew (Frio), Jere Sullivan, and Jay Mathieu, with Dave Klahr continuing as program director. After a year or so in this format, the station brought back the Popular 102 moniker and started playing a slightly more uptempo mix of pop tunes. When Dave Klahr left, Roy Laurence was hired as program director and the station's mix, which by then had become Top 40-based with a more adult presentation than its former AM sister, gradually became more rock-oriented, and by about 1975 WIOQ had a progressive rock format. Around this time the station began using an extract from the album Intergalactic Trot by Stardrive as the music bed for hourly station IDs. It would remain WIOQ's audio signature for over a decade.
  The station also started using the moniker "Q102" during that time. For a time in the mid-'70s, the station affiliated with ABC's "American FM Radio Network" in order to air some programs hosted by then-hip Geraldo Rivera. That contract also forced the station to air the network's ABC news at :15 past the hour, as its competition was playing music. The station had trouble competing with established FM rock leader WMMR and aggressive AOR upstart WYSP. Programming duties were split between Alex DeMers and Bill Fantini, with DJs Jim Harlan, John Harvey, and Bill Paul rounding out the full-time air staff. After a few years, the owner (by then listed as Que Broadcasting, Inc.) declared bankruptcy. WIOQ emerged from the bankruptcy under the ownership of The Outlet Company, a retail and broadcasting firm based in Providence, Rhode Island.
caption: W-102 Stereo Island Logo
exif: {}