WFLC
| Company type | Radio station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Predecessor | WIOD-FM, WCKR-FM, WAIA, WGTR |
| Founded | September 20, 1946 in Miami, Florida, United States |
| Founder | Isle of Dreams Broadcasting Corporation |
| Headquarters | Hollywood, Florida , United States |
Area served | Miami area |
| Products | Rhythmic hot adult contemporary radio programming |
| Owner | Cox Media Group |
| Parent | Cox Media Group |
WFLC (97.3 MHz, branded as "Hits 97.3") is a Miami-area radio broadcaster owned by Cox Media Group, delivering a rhythmic hot AC playlist. Its production studios are situated on North 29th Avenue in Hollywood, Florida, while its transmission tower is located near NW 210 Street in Miami Gardens. WFLC broadcasts using HD Radio technology and includes an HD-2 subchannel dedicated to hits from the 1980s.
WIOD-FM, WCKR-FM
The station began operations on September 20, 1946, under the call letters WIOD-FM as the FM sister station to WIOD, owned by Isle of Dreams Broadcasting Corporation. It ranks among Miami’s pioneering FM stations and holds the distinction of being the longest-running FM broadcaster in the area.
In 1956, ownership transferred to Biscayne Television Corporation—a joint venture between Cox Publishing (publisher of The Miami News) and Knight Publishing (publisher of The Miami Herald). They renamed the AM and FM outlets to WCKR and WCKR-FM respectively, coinciding with the launch of WCKT-TV (currently WSVN), which was then an NBC affiliate.
Following the FCC’s revocation of Cox-Knight’s licenses in 1962 due to regulatory issues, Miami Valley Broadcasting Corporation, a Cox subsidiary, regained control in 1963 and reinstated the original call signs WIOD and WIOD-FM. The stations featured a blend of middle-of-the-road music, news, talk shows, and NBC Radio programming.
WAIA
In 1966, the simulcasting arrangement with the AM station ended; WIOD-FM transitioned to a beautiful music format that primarily aired instrumental renditions of popular songs from Broadway, Hollywood, and pop genres. The callsign changed to WAIA in 1971, inspired by Florida State Road A1A. The format evolved from instrumental beautiful music to an all-vocal presentation combining middle-of-the-road and soft adult contemporary selections.
By the early 1980s, WAIA increased its tempo and energy levels, adopting an adult contemporary format under the brand "97 A1A."
WGTR
On July 4, 1986, the station switched formats to album rock, rebranding as WGTR. Cox Radio launched WGTR by acquiring WSHE’s well-known "Herman and McBean" morning show and marketing itself as "97 GTR" (Guitar). This approach significantly undermined WSHE's market share amid Miami’s competitive radio environment shaped by demographic changes and popular culture phenomena such as Miami Vice.
WFLC
Entering the early 1990s, with shifting demographics in Miami-Dade County, Cox decided to move away from rock formats toward adult contemporary music. On May 11, 1990, the station adopted the WFLC call letters and rebranded as "Coast 97.3," embracing a hot adult contemporary format positioned between CHR leader WHYI and softer outlet WLYF. WFLC sustained this format for nearly 24 years and became well-known for its "Totally 80s Weekends," curated by Programming Director Gary Williams.
On January 17, 2014, despite maintaining strong top-five ratings, WFLC transitioned to CHR as Hits 97.3, entering direct competition with WHYI. The first track aired under this new branding was "Timber" by Miami-born artist Pitbull, marking a strategic effort to attract a younger audience.
During the COVID-19 pandemic on March 27, 2020, WFLC temporarily rebranded as 97.3 Quarantine Radio, providing commercial-free dance mixes amid Florida’s stay-at-home mandates. After a short "under construction" phase, WFLC relaunched Hits on June 3 with updated programming and a new morning show while retaining its CHR format. Nevertheless, ratings plateaued at a 2.6 Nielsen share by August 2021—remaining behind WHYI but slightly ahead of WPOW.
On September 23, 2021, following workforce reductions at Cox Media including the departure of Director of Operations Jill Strada, WFLC began stunting with tracks containing "rhythm" before shifting at noon to a rhythmic hot adult contemporary format under the brand "The Rhythm of Miami." Although Mediabase categorized WFLC as Top 40 until mid-2022, it officially moved to the hot AC panel thereafter.