One of radio’s most recognizable call signs is about to go on the block.

WKRP (101.9), a 100-watt low-power FM station in Raleigh, NC, is auctioning off its WKRP call letters to qualified TV, AM and full-power FM stations east of the Mississippi River — with a special hope that a Cincinnati broadcaster steps forward.

“For the first time in years, the iconic WKRP call letters are available,” says D.P. McIntire, General Manager of WKRP-LPFM and Executive Director of licensee Oak City Media Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. “I would like nothing better than to see a Cincinnati-licensed commercial radio or television station participate in our process and ‘bring WKRP home,’” he tells “Cincinnati Public Radio” WVXU radio/television reporter John Kiesewetter.

Despite the fame of the CBS sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati” (1978-82), no Cincinnati broadcaster has ever held the WKRP call letters. The ensemble comedy, centered on a struggling station that flipped from easy listening to rock ‘n’ roll, became a cult favorite thanks to characters including Dr. Johnny Fever, Venus Flytrap, Les Nessman and station manager Arthur “Big Guy” Carlson. Soon after the show premiered, Cincinnati’s WKRC-AM famously edited the sitcom’s theme song to reference its own call letters. More recently, WBQC-TV branded its low-power station as “WKRP TV” in 2008, though it did not use the official call sign.

Efforts to bring the calls to the region have surfaced before. In 1987, a Kentucky broadcaster considered acquiring WKRP for his Falmouth station, but signal limitations and concerns about how the fictional station’s bumbling image might translate in the real marketplace ultimately derailed the idea.

Oak City Media acquired the WKRP call letters in 2014 and signed on the Raleigh LPFM in 2015. Now the nonprofit plans to transfer the calls as part of a structured auction process, with proceeds benefiting the organization and potentially helping other low-power FM stations “in need of funds to stay afloat,” McIntire says.

Interested parties have until March 15 to apply. McIntire says financial terms have not been publicly disclosed, as attorneys are reviewing the process to ensure compliance with FCC and IRS regulations.

“Admittedly we’re trying to monetize the call sign as best we can, and have structured a program to that end,” he says. “But our lawyers are going over all the details just to ensure no one involved violates FCC or IRS regulations, so nothing has been mentioned with respect to money thus far.”

Qualified applicants will be narrowed to three finalists in each category — TV, AM and full-power FM — followed by what McIntire describes as a private auction among finalists. Because the FCC permits shared call signs across certain service categories, it’s possible more than one station could ultimately carry WKRP. McIntire anticipates the process concluding by April 30, 2026.

Licensed AM, FM or commercial TV stations assigned call signs beginning with a “W” may request documentation and an application directly from McIntire. So far, he says, no Greater Cincinnati broadcaster has expressed formal interest.

WKRP-LPFM’s ties to the television series are largely promotional. The station runs liners referencing characters such as Les Nessman and, each Thanksgiving, airs the audio track of the show’s legendary “Turkeys Away” episode continuously for more than 48 hours, with permission from 21st Century Fox.

“How well it translates to a solely audio story I can’t tell,” McIntire says. “But it’s been a station tradition since 2015.”

“There’s an age demographic from 35 to 80 with which that call sign resonates,” he adds. “Nostalgia sells. And someone with the resources to really invest and lean in to it as a branding element probably wouldn’t regret it.”

“Part of me feels that the WKRP call sign belongs in the Cincinnati market in some form or fashion,” McIntire says. “But whether that will occur or not I can’t speculate.”