History

Moody Radio, WKES, was established in July of 1961 as Keswick Radio and was the first and only full-time radio ministry in the Tampa Bay area at that time.

In 1973, the call letters of the FM station were changed from WGNB (West Coast Good News Broadcasting) to WKES. That same year, the station began broadcasting in stereo and increased its power to 100,000 watts. In 1976, the format was expanded to broadcast 24 hours a day. One year later, in 1977, the Keswick Christian School, Bible conference grounds, and radio station were donated to Moody Bible Institute.

During the following decades, WKES proclaimed the Gospel throughout the Tampa Bay area. In 1999, Moody Radio purchased WKZM in Sarasota, which began repeating the WKES signal. In 2003, two other stations owned by Moody also began simulcasting WKES programming; they were WSOR in Naples and WHGN in Crystal River. Moody Radio became a regional station heard throughout Central and Southwest Florida.

In 2003, the onset of Internet streaming presented the incredible opportunity for world-wide expansion of the ministry. It’s now possible for the station to be heard anywhere in the world where there is Internet access.