WATO (FM)

WATO (106.1 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Oliver Springs, Tennessee, and serving the Knoxville metropolitan area.^[2] It is owned by Loud Media and broadcasts an alternative rock format branded as "Atomic 106".

WATO

Oliver Springs, Tennessee United States
Broadcast area	Knoxville metropolitan area
Frequency	106.1 MHz
Branding	Atomic 106
Programming
Format	Alternative rock
Ownership
Owner	Loud Media LLC
Sister stations	WKCE, WKVL, WTLT, WGAP, WSMM
History
First air date	2009; 16 years ago (2009) (as WJRV)
Former call signs	WJZO (2008–2009) WJRV (2009–2020) WSMM (2020–2024)
Call sign meaning	"Atomic"
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	170987
Class	A
ERP	190 watts
HAAT	532.4 meters (1,747 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	36°6′29″N 84°20′8″W
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Webcast	Listen live
Website	www.atomic106.com

WATO is a Class A station, with an effective radiated power of 190 watts. The studios are on the fifth floor of the Sunsphere in Knoxville.

History

The station signed on the air in 2009 as WJRV. The station aired a hot adult contemporary music format branded as "106.1 The River".

On May 27, 2020, it was announced that the station was to be acquired by Loud Media.^[3] On June 26, 2020, Loud Media launched "106.1 VLZ" with an active rock format.^[4] The station changed its call sign on July 1, 2020, to WVLZ.^[5]

On October 21, 2024, WVLZ dropped its active rock format, which moved to WSMM (850 AM), and began stunting towards a new format to be launched on October 25, 2024, under new WATO call letters.^[6] At 1:06 pm that day, WATO launched an alternative rock format branded as "Atomic 106".^[7]