WYTS

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WYTS is a Columbus, Ohio, AM radio station on 1230 kHz. It is owned by iHeartMedia and currently broadcasts all-news programming from the Black Information Network. The station also streams online via iHeartRadio. Studios are in downtown Columbus, and the transmitter sits southwest of downtown. A 105.3 FM translator (W287CP) carries the station’s classic hip-hop programming from WYTS’ HD2 channel.

WYTS has a long history. It began on September 24, 1922, as WMAN at the Broad Street Baptist Church in downtown Columbus. Over the years it used several call signs, including WMAN, WSEN, WCOL, WFII, WZNW, WCOL again, and WTPG, before becoming WYTS. The station is best known for its 1960s–70s Top 40 era as WCOL, a dominant Columbus station at the time.

In the 1980s–1990s, the station experimented with many formats and owners, moving through news/talk, oldies, and other changes. It went through several format shifts and call-sign changes, including a period as WTPG with progressive and conservative talk. In 2009 it joined Fox Sports Radio, and in 2017 it briefly branded as Vibe 105.3 with urban AC, then switched to classic hip-hop on 105.3. On October 2, 2020, WYTS switched to all-news, joining iHeart’s Black Information Network. The 105.3 translator continues to carry the music format from WYTS’ HD2 channel.

Key facts:
- Frequency: 1230 AM
- Power: 1,000 watts, Class C
- Format: All-news (Black Information Network)
- Online: Available via iHeartRadio
- Sister stations: WCOL-FM, WNCI, WODC, WTVN, WXZX, WZCB
- Call sign meaning: “Your Talk Station” (from a former format)