News

WHKP switching to Fox News Radio

By Bill Moss, Published: June 14, 2013

WHKP AM 1450 is switching to FOX News Radio from its longtime ABC affiliation on Monday, July 1.

"WHKP has been in negotiations with FOX since early this spring to bring to our coverage area not only full-length hourly FOX newscasts, but also the best crisis coverage and breaking news available on radio," WHKP's News Director Larry Freeman said.
Station manager Art Cooley added, "The affiliation will make available to local radio listeners the quantity, quality, 'fair and balanced,' and thoroughly professional coverage that news consumers have preferred in growing numbers on the FOX Cable News Channel."
Freeman said the FOX affiliation will also bring the popular "Kilmeade and Friends" three-hour talk show to WHKP from midnight to 3 a.m. weeknights. Brian Kilmeade is the co-host of FOX News Channel's "Fox and Friends" early morning news report, which airs on the Fox News Channel from 6 to 9 a.m. Also joining the new WHKP line-up will be FOX News Radio contributor Todd Starnes, whose short commentaries will air in the 8 a.m. hour, the 11 a.m. hour, and in the 3 p.m. hour weekdays.
"The FOX affiliation will supplement WHKP's existing news and information coverage," Freeman said, pointing out that WHKP will continue as the community's "Rush station" for the Rush Limbaugh Show and Morning Updates, the popular Mike Huckabee commentaries three times each weekday and the 3-hour Mike Huckabee Show weeknights from 6 to 9 p.m. He said Matt Mittan and Agnes Cheek will also continue on WHKP with their local and regional news-talk show weekday afternoons from 5 to 6 p.m.
The station has also added an updated full-length local newscast weekday afternoons at 3:10 and hourly local news headlines and updates throughout the night.
WHKP has served the local community continuously since singing on the air on the stage of the Carolina Theater on Main Street and then beginning local AM radio service to the community in the old Bowen Hotel on Church Street in October of 1946.