2 , ▁a ▁new ▁Philadelphia ▁radio ▁station ▁was ▁author ized ▁by ▁the ▁government ▁to ▁the ▁L enn ig ▁Brothers ▁Co , ▁a ▁radio ▁supply ▁company ▁head ed ▁up ▁by ▁Frederick ▁L enn ig ▁at ▁ 8 2 7 ▁Spring ▁Garden ▁Street . ▁ ▁O wn ership ▁of ▁the ▁station ▁changed ▁twice ▁within ▁a ▁two - year ▁span . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁the ▁Bon w it ▁T eller ▁department ▁store ▁replaced ▁The ▁Even ing ▁Led ger ▁newspaper ▁as ▁owner ; ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁J . ▁David ▁Stern , ▁who ▁published ▁The ▁Philadelphia ▁Record ▁newspaper ▁bought ▁the ▁station ▁from ▁Bon w it ▁T eller . ▁At ▁that ▁time , ▁WH AT ▁operated ▁with ▁ 1 0 0 ▁w att s ▁of ▁power . ▁ ▁B anks ▁ownership ▁( 1 9 4 4 – 1 9 8 6 ) ▁On ▁February ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁former ▁W IP ▁sales man ▁William ▁B anks ▁purchased ▁WH AT ▁for ▁$ 2 2 , 5 0 0 ▁from ▁the ▁Philadelphia ▁Record ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁station ' s ▁new ▁President . ▁His ▁sister , ▁Dol ly ▁B anks , ▁became ▁program ▁director ▁and ▁expanded ▁on ▁the ▁eth nic ▁format ▁while ▁ending ▁time - bro ker ed ▁programming . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁The ▁Philadelphia ▁In qu ir er , ▁WH AT ▁was ▁known ▁for ▁innov ation . ▁" In ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁WH AT ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁U . S . ▁radio ▁station