[6] In May 1940, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorized an FM band effective January 1, 1941, operating on 40 channels spanning 42–50 MHz.

[7] The FCC granted the WFIL Broadcasting Company a construction permit for a new FM station at 45.3 MHz on February 4, 1941,[8] which was assigned the call sign W53PH.

At the time, WFIL (560 AM) was owned by Triangle Publications, which published The Philadelphia Inquirer daily newspapers and TV Guide magazine.

Known as "Popular 102", the station featured softer pop music of the day with a mix of currents, oldies and instrumentals.

Air staff at this time included Jeff Dean, Lee Meredith, Art Andrews, Alan Drew (Frio), Jere Sullivan, and Jay Mathieu, with Dave Klahr continuing as program director.

After a year or so in this format, the station brought back the Popular 102 moniker and started playing a slightly more uptempo mix of pop tunes.

For a time in the mid-'70s, the station affiliated with ABC's "American FM Radio Network" in order to air some programs hosted by then-hip Geraldo Rivera.

That contract also required the station to air the network's ABC news at :15 past the hour, as its competition was playing music.

The station had trouble competing with established FM rock leader 93.3 WMMR and aggressive AOR upstart 94.1 WYSP.

WIOQ emerged from the bankruptcy under the ownership of The Outlet Company, a retail and broadcasting firm based in Providence, Rhode Island.

CBS had been putting the oldies format on a number of its FM stations around the U.S., based on the success of WCBS-FM in New York City.

[15] The station leaned toward dance and urban material, but played some of rock and pop crossover songs, changing according to chart trends and competitive conditions.

On March 8, 2022, at midnight, WIOQ began a temporary simulcast on sister station WISX as a stunt for the latter frequency.

[16] The simulcast lasted until March 10, when WISX shifted its stunting to all-Bad Bunny songs leading into a format change to Spanish CHR the following day.