WTIC-FM

WTIC-FM is a radio station primarily serving the Hartford, Connecticut market, though its signal can be picked up throughout most of Connecticut and into Springfield, Massachusetts. It currently broadcasts a Hot Adult Contemporary format. It is located on the dial at 96.5 MHz. It is currently operated by CBS Radio.

WTIC-FM was one of the two pre-World War II FM stations in Connecticut, signing on the air originally as W1XSO on 2/5/1940 and using a frequency of 43.5 MHz. In 12/1941 it became a commercial operation using the call letters W53H. In 1943 the call letters were changed for the last time to WTIC-FM. In 4/1948 the station moved to 96.5 MHz where it has remained. It switched from classical music to CHR/Top 40 on 5/12/1977, and amended its CHR format on 6/15/1994 to remove controversial rap music from its playlist; the station's sound has become decidedly softer in recent years compared to its past. Since 1977 the station has referred to itself on the air variously as "96 Ticks," "96 TIC-FM," and "The New 96-5 TIC."

The original WTIC-FM Top 40 format in the late 1970s consisted of only current hit songs (no oldies) in a high-energy, jingle-heavy presentation designed by consultant Mike Joseph, and it was an instant success. Joseph would later term this formatic approach "Hot Hits" and put it into use at other stations around the United States, most notably WBBM-FM in Chicago. Clips of the station during...
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