An iconic hip-hop radio brand serving New York for more than 30 years is heading to the television dial. But, don’t go expecting to scan it up on TVs in the Tri-State Area. Rather, “HOT 97 TV” is now on the air in the South’s largest market.
As hinted at by MediaCo Holding Inc. earlier this year, a video version of “HOT 97” in New York featuring music, culture, and community-based content is debuting October 30 what is now WHOT-TV in Atlanta.
Located on Channel 66, WHOT is the former WGBP-TV and is a CNZ Communications property. Programming includes “HOT 97 Originals,” TRACE Afro-urban content, and ATLNOW, a local news format highlighting community updates. The move continues MediaCo’s expansion into television after its acquisition of Estrella Media, with WQHT-FM previously getting its own Free Ad-Supported Television streaming channel.
CNZ Communications CEO Terry Crosby said, “WHOT-TV is where Atlanta’s voice meets HOT 97’s legacy. Together, we’re delivering hip hop culture live, local, and unfiltered.”
MediaCo Executive VP of Content & Growth Kudjo Sogadzi added, “Expanding into Atlanta television allows us to bring the music, the energy, and the voices of Black culture to an even larger audience. Atlanta has helped shape culture for many years through its artists, producers, and fans, and we’re excited to create a new platform where New York and Atlanta’s legacies meet.”
— With reporting by Cameron Coats, in New York
