WGBS-FM 96.3 began broadcasting in 1948 as the FM simulcast partner to WGBS. It was owned by Storer Broadcasting until the company sold it in 1971 to Bartell Broadcasting. Bartell changed the station, then known as WJHR, into WMYQ, an aggressive contemporary hit radio outlet; the station became known as WMJX in October 1975. An April 1975 use of fake newscasts to promote a contest and fraudulent billing issues led to the Federal Communications Commission refusing to renew WMJX's license, and the station ceased operations on February 15, 1981. A multi-year fight between applicants ensued for the right to build a station on the frequency. In 1985, Constance J. Wodlinger moved to buy out all of the competing applicants and win the frequency.
WCJX/WPOW
On June 15, 1985, Wodlinger returned 96.3 MHz to the air as WCJX, using the same "96X" moniker that WMJX had used from 1975 to 1981. Technically, WCJX broadcast from all-new studios and the then-new Guy Gannett master candelabra tower. In programming terms, the new station got attention in the marketplace with "The Super 16", a tight rotation of the 16 top hits that ran commercial-free for its early months on the air. WCJX's programming was so tight that the station even placed song schedules in the Miami Herald. The $2.95 million investment Wodlinger made in buying out her competitors paid off when Beasley Broadcast Group acquired the new station in September 1985 for $10.6 million, entering the Miami market. On August 4, 1986 at 7 a.m., Beasley flipped the station to a dance-type CHR format under their new name "Power 96, Miami's fresh new music mix", with a change in call letters to WPOW. It played mostly Dance, Bubblegum Pop, Freestyle, New Jack Swing, Hip-Hop, and a dose of Rock centric type hits that became mass appeal enough to incorporate into the playlist. The first song on Power 96 was "Rumors" by Timex Social Club. Power 96 embraced the regionally blossoming Miami Bass sound as well, mixing it into the playlist. The moniker and nickname "Power 96" was the idea of new owner and General Manager Gregory Reed.
Frequency change
WPOW moved from 96.3 MHz to its present-day 96.5 MHz frequency in 1986. The founding General Manager Greg Reed was originally a part-owner of Beasley-Reed Broadcasting. Later Reed sold his share of the station to Beasley Broadcast Group but remained as vice president and general manager. The original programming team was a combination of 2 WHYI-FM's alums, Program Director and Power 96's 1st morning jock Bill Tanner and Music Director Colleen "The Vinyl Queen" Cassidy, alongside KSFM's Music Consultant and the one of founders of the CHUrban phenomenon craze himself Jerry Clifton, who continued to help program Power 96 until CBS Radio acquired the station in 2014.
Ownership changes
On October 2, 2014, Beasley Broadcasting announced that it would trade five radio stations in Philadelphia and Miami to CBS Radio in exchange for 14 stations located in Tampa, Charlotte and Philadelphia. The swap was completed on December 1, 2014. WPOW has included a number of Spanish-language songs in its playlist, including Ivy Queen's 2003 hit "Quiero Bailar", which became the first all Spanish-language song to reach #1 on a Rhythmic Top 40 station. After the ownership change, WPOW began shifting to a more Mainstream Top 40/CHR direction with an increasing amount of Pop product, resulting in Mediabase moving the station to its top 40/CHR panel in November 2015. The station continued to report to Nielsen BDS' Rhythmic Chart until it was moved to the mainstream top 40/CHR panel in June 2016. On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced it would merge with Entercom; The merger was approved on November 9, 2017, and was consummated on the 17th.
Programming
WPOW personalities include: the morning team of Lucy Lopez and DJ Zog; "Mijo" middays; "Ivy Unleashed" afternoons; and "DJ JPS" evenings. The HD2 digital subchannel airs a reggae format under the brand "Pirate Radio". The HD3 channel carries Entercom's national Channel Q service.
