Hits 96 - WDOD-FM

Broadcasting at 96.5 FM, this licensed contemporary hit radio station has roots stretching back to the early 1960s, when it began as a simulcast of its AM counterpart airing country music. Over the following decades it underwent several format shifts: by the late 1970s it had adopted a Top 40 identity before briefly experimenting with big band programming and then reverting to country through much of the 1980s and into the 1990s. In 1997 it transitioned to a Triple-A format called "The Mountain," which distinguished itself from typical alternative stations by presenting familiar hit songs alongside album tracks by artists such as Jewel, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Talking Heads, Dave Matthews Band, Bruce Springsteen, and U2. The format's curators emphasized attitude and breadth of playlist, differentiating it from other regional outlets. After further format evaluations that weighed classic rock against modern adult contemporary alternatives, the station ultimately evolved into its current contemporary hit configuration. Its studios are situated on Broad Street, with its transmitter positioned on Walden Ridge. The station is owned by WDOD of Chattanooga, Inc. and continues to serve the greater Tennessee Valley region. Programming includes the syndicated Kidd Kraddick Morning Show alongside local content, contests, and community-oriented features under the Hits 96 brand.