WEPN-FM

WEPN-FM
Broadcast areaNew York metropolitan area
Frequency98.7 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingLa Exitosa 98.7
Programming
LanguageSpanish
FormatLatin popadult contemporary music
Ownership
Owner
WLIB
History
First air date
1941 (1941)
Former call signs
  • W71NY (1941–1943)
  • WOR-FM (1943)
  • WBAM (1943–1948)
  • WOR-FM (1948–1972)
  • WXLO (1972–1981)
  • WRKS-FM (1981–2012)
Call sign meaning
ESPN Radio (previous affiliation)
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID63781
ClassB
ERP6,000 watts
HAAT415 meters (1,362 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
40°44′53″N 73°59′10″W / 40.748°N 73.986°W / 40.748; -73.986
Repeater(s)1190 WLIB (New York)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live (via Live365)
Websitewww.laexitosa987.com

WEPN-FM (98.7 FM, "La Exitosa 98.7") is a radio station in New York City, owned by Emmis Corporation. The station carries a Spanish-language format with a gold-based mix of Latin pop and English-language adult contemporary music. The station's transmitter is located at the Empire State Building.

WEPN-FM originally began operations as an experimental FM station in 1939, spun off from 710 WOR. It then became one of the first licensed commercial FM stations in 1941. Until 1965, when the FCC prohibited this practice in larger markets, the station served as an FM simulcast of WOR. At that time, the station—by then owned by RKO General—flipped to one of New York's first free-form radio formats, focusing on progressive rock. In 1974, it adopted a top 40 format. Amid declining listenership, the station briefly adopted an adult contemporary format modeled after Chicago sister WFYR in 1980.

Beginning in December 1980, after further declines in ratings under the AC format, the station began to transition to a format focusing primarily on dance music (such as disco) and R&B; the format officially launched in August 1981, with the station becoming WRKS-FM, and adopting the branding Kiss FM. The new rhythmic contemporary format was immediately successful. In 1983, WRKS became the first station in New York City to regularly play hip hop, furthering its success. Amid the golden age of hip hop, WRKS-FM was New York's highest-rated radio station for a period.

After RKO General's exit from the broadcasting industry in the late 1980s, the station was sold to Atlanta-based Summit Communications Group in 1989. WRKS was, in turn, acquired by Emmis Communications—the owner of its rival WQHT—in 1994, forming the first duopoly in New York City radio. In defense of the urban contemporary format of WQHT, Emmis flipped WRKS to an urban adult contemporary format focusing primarily on R&B, while maintaining the Kiss branding.

In 2012, the Kiss brand came to an end when Emmis leased the station to The Walt Disney Company under a 12-year local marketing agreement (LMA). The station flipped to sports radio as WEPN-FM, the flagship of the ESPN Radio network. The LMA was transferred to Good Karma Brands (GKB) in 2021, which continued the ESPN Radio format. In August 2024, the LMA with GKB expired; as a result, WEPN-FM's programming was migrated to the former WCBS under a new LMA between GKB and Audacy, while WEPN-FM flipped to an interim hot adult contemporary format. On January 10, 2025, WEPN flipped to a Spanish-language format with a focus on Latin and English pop hits.