WOU (AM)

WOU (700 AM) is an American AM radio station broadcasting a mainstream urban format branded as 97.1 The Beat. Licensed to, United States, the station serves the area. The station is owned by and licensed as iHM Licenses, LLC. WOU's studios are located at 50th Street and Underwood Avenue in Midtown Omaha, while its transmitter is located in. WOU's programming is also heard on translator station K246AY (97.1 FM) in Omaha.

History
For several years, WOU was a full-service/adult standards radio station. By 1988, WOU had switched to 's "" active rock format. On November 1, 1994, after stunting for four hours with a loop of New Kids on the Block's "Hangin' Tough", WOU switched to a locally-originated hot adult contemporary format, branded as Mix 700.

In 1998, WOU flipped back to adult standards. By 2003, it had flipped to Spanish-language programming as La Pantera 700. It later flipped again to satellite-fed sports talk as Sports/Talk 700 WOU in 2007.

On May 4, 2011, the station flipped to all-comedy, using Clear Channel Radio's 24/7 Comedy Radio service. WOU then switched to urban oldies as Groovin' 700 in 2013.

In September 2015, WOU added FM translator K246AY. On October 1, 2015, "Groovin' 700" signed off with "Last Dance" by Donna Summer. WOU then began stunting with songs with "Spanish", "Mexican" or Spanish words in the title, telling people "Omaha will be ready to RUMBA!", promoting to listen the following Friday, October 9, at 6 a.m. iHeartMedia played into rumors of conversion of the station into a Spanish-language CHR format, according to a website registration for "rumba971.com". When the reformat took place, though, WOU/K246AY instead adopted a mainstream urban format as 97.1 The Beat, launching with "Takin' Over from Here" by Rachel S and MC Moonglo.