[5] Following the establishment of the Federal Radio Commission (FRC), stations were initially issued a series of temporary authorizations starting on May 3, 1927.

[6] In addition, they were informed that if they wanted to continue operating, they needed to file a formal license application by January 15, 1928, as the first step in determining whether they met the new "public interest, convenience, or necessity" standard.

[7] On May 25, 1928, the FRC issued General Order 32, which notified 164 stations, including WIAD, that "From an examination of your application for future license it does not find that public interest, convenience, or necessity would be served by granting it.

On November 11, 1928, the FRC made a major reallocation of station transmitting frequencies, as part of a reorganization resulting from its implementation of General Order 40.

In 1929, the station's studio and transmitter were moved to the Elks Club at Broad and Vine Streets and the call sign changed to WELK.

[9] In 1934, Miller sold the station, and the new owners, silk manufacturers Dannenbaum & Steppacher, adopted the WDAS call sign, with the letters spelling out the company's initials.

WDAS added a number of young personalities, including Georgie Woods, Jimmy Bishop, Carl Helm, Butterball Tamburro, Jocko Henderson and Hy Lit.

The station also added black-oriented public affairs and news programs, and provided coverage of the unfolding civil rights movement, with journalists Joe Rainey and Jim Klash, along with Walt Sanders, Carl Stubbs, Bill Adams, Dave Colman, Jimmy Carter and reporter Ed Bradley (later of CBS's 60 Minutes).

By the early 1970s, the FM station would launch a groundbreaking and influential urban adult contemporary format still heard today.

Many people involved in the civil rights movement, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, visited and were heard on the station.

Arbitron settled the suit after four days of testimony and amended its methodologies and policies to make a better effort to survey African-American listeners and other minorities.

In 1988, as more listeners were choosing FM urban contemporary stations, WDAS switched to a full-time gospel music and religious format.

The station interspersed its smooth jazz programming with live coverage of five masses and speeches throughout the visit, and rolling news, traffic, and weather updates relevant to the events.

The new format launched on August 26, after the station temporarily stunting with a loop of the NFL on Fox theme music over the weekend.

[22] WDAS otherwise carries the full Fox Sports Radio national lineup, including its own betting-related show Straight Outta Vegas.