WIVI

Classic rock radio station in Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands

18°20′30″N 64°43′59″W / 18.34167°N 64.73306°W / 18.34167; -64.73306

WIVI (102.1 FM, "Pirate Radio") is a radio station licensed to serve Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands. The station is licensed to Ackley Caribbean Enterprises, Inc. which is wholly owned by Gordon P. Ackley as part of the Ackley Media Group. It airs a classic rock format.^[1]

Lonely Planet's 2001 guide to the Virgin Islands described this station as, "probably the most popular rock & roll station" in the USVI.^[2]

The station had branded itself as "Pirate Radio" before a flip to the "Hitz 96" moniker on October 1, 2009 and again reverting to the "Pirate Radio" moniker in 2015.

The station swapped call signs and formats with sister station WIVI on July 1, 2017.

Awards

WWKS was chosen as ABC Radio Network's international affiliate of the year for 1999. ABC Radio representatives the station's "commitment to professional broadcasting" and cited "flawless coordination" of two live remote broadcasts of The Tom Joyner Morning Show that originated from the Virgin Islands.^[3]

Ownership

GARK LLC, originally a partnership between Gordon Ackley and Randolph Knight, was acquired solely by Gordon Ackley in April 2006 when Ackley bought out Knight's 50% interest for an undisclosed sum.^[4] GARK LLC is the licensee of WIVI as well as sister stations WVJZ and WVWI. Local press coverage pegged the sale price "in the neighborhood of $4.3 million" for the three-station combo.^[5]

References

^ "Fall 2007 Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
^ Peffer, Randall (2001). Virgin Islands. Oakland, California: Lonely Planet. pp. 41. ISBN 0-86442-735-2.
^ Zalaznick, Matt (1999-06-28). "101.3 Wins 'Affiliate of the Year' Award". St. Thomas Source. Retrieved December 25, 2007.
^ BIA Financial Networks (2006-05-01). "Deals". Broadcasting & Cable.
^ Pennington, Shaun A. (2006-04-28). "Knight to Sell Radio One, KISS and JAMZ". St. Thomas Source. Retrieved December 25, 2007.