As an artist, you’ll want to keep up to date with what music is popular in the charts and how your sound compares to other artists. You can get all the latest news and music when you tune into 103.5 KTU live (WKTU). It’s a Rhythmic Adult Contemporary formatted radio station. The station focuses primarily on rhythmic tracks from top stars including Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Kanye West and more
Listen to 1035 KTU Live for Free! Stream Top 40 & Pop songs online from this radio station, only on iHeartRadio.
What Is KTU 103.5?
103.5 KTU live is directed at adults. WKTU ranks highly in the key demographic groups, including one of the most desirable – adults aged 18 to 34. The station, owned by iHeartMedia, broadcasts a Rhythmic Contemporary format.
National Reach, Local Impact: 103.5 KTU is The Beat of New York featuring Ac Rhythmic radio live from NY. KTU is the second cume station in NY reaching 4.8 million listeners each week and is the number 1 English-speaking Hispanic station and balanced 50/40 male-female listeners. It is consistently at the top for every core demographic.
HD
In 2005 WKTU started to broadcast in HD, WKTU-HD1 replicates the analogue signal from the Rhythmic AC format. There is also a WKTU-HD2 which originally broadcast Country music. The Country format was replaced by Pride Radio in 2009, which is aimed towards the LGBTQ community.
103.5 KTU is owned by iHeartRadio. With over 850 live broadcast stations in 153 markets throughout America, there is a local radio station almost everywhere. IHeartMedia is the biggest radio station group owner in the US, by number of stations and by revenue. They also deliver music charts based on most spins played on the radio in the US and Canada.
History Of 103.5 KTU
40’s
The station launched in the 40s and went on the air as WNNJ although it has had many changes since.
50’s
103.5 MHz was assigned to Babylon, New York for WGLI-FM in 1958. The station was founded by William Reuman.
60’s
In 1960, Friendly Frost Inc. bought WGLI Inc. the station from Babylon to Lake Success and changed its name to WTFM. The station was easy listening and strictly instrumental versions of pop standards. Additionally, the station began playing soft instrumental versions of rock and roll baby boomer pop songs.
70’s
It was sold to Sydney Horne in 1971 and began including soft songs by rock artists and standards artists. In 1978, the old WKTU (on 92.3 FM) went from an adult contemporary format to a disco format.
80’s
Heftel Broadcasting acquired WTFM after it was put up for sale in 1980. In 1982, Doubleday bought the station and changed it to WAPP. By 1986 Emmis Broadcasting bought WAPP and replaced it with WQHT where the station then flipped to a CHR/Dance format.
In 1988, the station hired a married morning team called Ron Stevens and Joy Grdnic. They came from another station called KSHE. Stevens and Grdnic were different as a male/female team in comparison to the usual male/male 103.5 KTU morning show.
90’s
WKTU was relaunched in 1996 on 103.5 FM with a dance-based format. The station climbed to number one in the Arbitron ratings. Mornings were hosted by Ru-Paul and Michelle Visage. Sean “Hollywood” Hamilton and Goumba Johnny debuted at night and moved to mornings in January 1998.
2000’s
By 2002, the station advanced into Rhythmic Hot AC.
In 2006, Whoopi Goldberg was the station’s morning host until her departure in 2007. Former KTU morning hosts Sean “Hollywood” Hamilton and Goumba Johnny, hosted afternoons. Hamilton remains the host of popular shows the Weekend Top 30 and the Remix Top 30.
WKTU became a Rhythmic AC format in 2009, dropping the older elements of dance music. The station targeted the advertiser-friendly demographic (25–54 years old). This helped increase the ratings of the station. In September 2010, 103.5 KTU returned to a Rhythmic Top 40 direction and were added to the Mediabase Rhythmic panel.
103.5 KTU Events
On 26th September 2020, Lulu and Lala are asking listeners to join them for the Autism Speaks Northern New Jersey Walk at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford. The event is set to be a powerful day and aims to increase awareness and understanding of people with autism.
In May 2014, they made history on the Remix Top 10 Countdown with 10-year-old DJ Kai. Having two guest spots on the show, he was then the youngest professional DJ in the world!
In 2012, WKTU announced a new concert event called KTUphoria. The star-studded line-up took place at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey in May 2012. It was an all-day event featuring DJs and artists performing on one stage.
In 2019 the lineup included Ellie Goulding, Bebe Rexha, Becky G, Bryce Vine, CNCO, Loud Luxury, Ava Max and The Chainsmokers. It took place Saturday 15th June at Jones Beach.
Beatstock
In August every year, WKTU hosts an event called Beatstock. The event presents artists from every dance genre. It’s staged at two venues: Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York and The PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey. The KTU Beatstock event originally took place in 1997 and it was hosted at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, New York. The first featured more than 50 artists from a variety of genres of dance music. In 2011, WKTU decided to no longer sponsor the event.
Final Thoughts On 103.5 KTU
With a variety of popular radio DJs, the station has evolved and established itself as a popular station listened to by millions each week.
Being played on the radio helps get you noticed and heard by potential fans. It can be great for your career but the competition to get played is fierce. You will be up against not only independent, up-and-coming artists but also national and internationally renowned stars. That’s not to say you shouldn’t give it a try. Approach the stations with specialist shows and DJs, and send copies to show producers and presenters. You never know if you could get added to a 103.5 KTU playlist! Understanding promotion and what it means to be played on a big national station is equally as important.
So, why not give it a go? Alternatively, you can head over to the iHeartMedia podcast to listen live to the latest music on 103.5 KTU! Check out ‘The Beat of New York!’.
