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WXZX

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WXZX
Broadcast areaColumbus metro area
Frequency105.7MHz(HD Radio)
BrandingColumbus Alternative 105.7
Programming
FormatAlternative rock
SubchannelsHD2:Pride Radio[1]
AffiliationsCincinnati Bengals Radio Network
Premiere Networks
United Stations Radio Networks
Ownership
Owner
WCOL-FM,WNCI,WODC,WTVN,WYTS,WZCB
History
First air date
July 20, 1990(1990-07-20)
Former call signs
  • WNRJ (1990–1991)
  • WWHT (1991–1994)
  • WAKS (1994–1997)
  • WHQK (1997–1998)
  • WKFX (1998)
  • WZAZ-FM (1998–2000)
  • WFJX (2000–2005)
  • WBWR (2005–2015)
  • WXZX (2015–2024)
  • WWCD (2024)
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID64716
ClassA
ERP2,400watts
HAAT159 meters (522 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
39°58′10.00″N83°0′10.00″W/ 39.9694444°N 83.0027778°W/39.9694444; -83.0027778
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live(viaiHeartRadio)
HD2:Listen Live
Websitealt1057.iheart.com

WXZX(105.7FM) is a commercialradio stationthat is licensed to serveHilliard, Ohioand serves theColumbus metropolitan area.Owned byiHeartMedia,the station broadcasts analternative rockformat. Both the WXZX studios and the station transmitter are located inDowntown Columbus.The station is the Columbus affiliate of theCincinnati Bengals Radio Network.[3]

WXZX broadcasts inHD Radio.

History

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Top 40 (1990–1991)

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A new station was constructed inMarysville, Ohioat 105.7 MHz in early 1990, known as WNRJ. Thecall letterssignified "energy", as "Energy 105.7" was originally considered as a brand but never used. When the station finally signed on the air on July 20, 1990,[4]it was known as"The Power Pig"(not to be confused withTampa, Florida'sWFLZ's"The Power Pig"name) and featured acontemporary hit radioformat.

Rhythmic (1991–1994)

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This short-lived format quickly evolved torhythmic contemporaryas WWHT, "Hot 105".[5]In March 1993, sister stationWTLT(107.1 FM) inCirclevillebegansimulcastingWWHT's signal and changed its call sign to WAHC. Together the two stations were branded as "Hot 105/Hot 107" and served the entire Columbus market.[6][7]

Top 40 (1994)

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In an effort to again re-image the station, in early 1994 WWHT was changed to WAKS, "105.7 Kiss-FM", playing mainstream hits with a more adult lean. Kiss-FM failed to become a viable competitor to top 40 leaderWNCIdue to WAKS' relatively poor signal and undifferentiatedformat.

'70s hits (1994–1996)

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The next format change in April of that year saw WAKS and WAHC flip to all-1970soldiesas "Arrow 105.7".[8]The first song on Arrow was "Stayin' Alive"by theBee Gees.

Country (1996–1997)

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The late 1990s saw frequent changes at the station. In December 1996,Jacor Communicationspurchased WAKS and WAHC for approximately $9.5 million.[9]The new owner flipped the station tocountry musicthe following month as WHQK, "Kicks Country 105-7", ending the simulcast with WAHC.[10]WHQK dropped its programming in April 1997 after only a few months in favor of simulcastingWHOK-FM's country format.[11](Prior to the Jacor purchase, in late 1996 WAKS and WAHCstuntedas simulcasts ofWLLD(Country 98-9) in an attempt to "surround" leading country stationWCOL-FM(92.3 FM).

'70s hits (1997)

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A third format change came late in 1997 when the station gave all-1970s another try; it was branded "105.7 The Chicken" in reference to its mascot, a giant whole broiled chicken dressed in seasonal clothing.

Urban (1997–1998)

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Also late in the year, after a day of stunting withOhio State Universitythemes, WHQK flipped tourban adult contemporary.

Modern rock (1998–2000)

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Urban programming lasted until 1998, whenmodern rock-formatted WZAZ-FM (then located at 98.9 FM) swapped formats and call signs with WHQK. WZAZ-FM, now on 105.7 FM, was rebranded as "Channel Z 105.7" with amodern rockformat.

Classic rock (2000–2014)

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On June 6, 2000, WZAZ-FM relocated its transmitter closer to Columbus and became WFJX, aclassic rockoutlet branded "The Fox". A listeners petition to "Bring Back Channel Z" was started after the station switched to 1970s and 1980s rock, but nothing materialized from this effort. Although many liked the music variety played by "Channel Z", it was not competitive in the ratings withGrove City's alternative station,WWCD.On September 19, 2005, after a week of stunting again (this time with episodes of the TV seriesCheers), The Fox relaunched as WBWR, "The Brew @ 105.7". Later that year, WBWR began broadcasting inHD Radio.

Modern rock (2014–2016)

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Logo for WXZX as 105.7 The X from 2014 to 2016.

On December 1, 2014 at noon, after playing "Heard It on the X"byZZ Top(a clever reference to the station's future format), WBWR dropped the "Brew" format and began stunting with music by theOhio State University Marching Band.At 3 p.m., WBWR flipped to gold-leaning alternative rock as105.7 The X,bringing back the former name and branding of sister stationWCGX(106.7 FM) after it dropped the format two months earlier; a modern rock format branded as "X" aired on WBWR's HD2digital subchannelin the interim. The first song on The X was "Gold on the Ceiling"byAkron-based bandThe Black Keys.[12][13]On July 8, 2015, WBWR changed its call letters to WXZX to match the new branding.

Sports (2016–2019)

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On November 21, 2016, at 3 p.m., after briefly stunting with audio from pastOhio State–Michigan football games(as the next rivalry game was set for the following Saturday, November 26), WXZX flipped tosports radioas "105.7 The Zone".[14]

Classic rock (2019–2020)

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Logo under second iteration as The Brew, 2019–2020

On February 8, 2019, WXZX returned to its previous classic rock format andThe Brewbranding.[15]By that July, the station shifted tomainstream rock.On March 16, 2020, WXZX began airingRover's Morning Gloryfrom sister stationWMMS/Cleveland.[16][17]

Modern rock (2020–present)

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On November 16, 2020, WXZX returned to modern rock asColumbus Alternative 105.7,returning the format to terrestrial radio afterWWCDflipped toRegional Mexicanin early November after being taken over byUrban One.[18][19]On November 21, WWCD returned to terrestrial radio on the former WMYC, giving Columbus two alternative rock stations.

The station changed its call sign to WWCD on February 12, 2024, and then changed it back to WXZX a week later.

HD Radio

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WXZX'sHD RadioChannels with former format "The Zone" on a SPARC Radio withPSD.

WXZX broadcasts inHD Radiowith two subchannels:

  • WXZX-HD1 is a digital simulcast of the analog signal.
  • WXZX-HD2 airs "Gen XRadio ", a commercial-free channel from theiHeartRadiostreaming radio platform that featureshits from the 1980sand1990s.The HD2 subchannel serves as the originating station for this service.

References

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  1. ^"FM Bandscan #92:Columbus, Ohio".YouTube.
  2. ^"Facility Technical Data for WXZX".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ^"Bengals Radio Network Stations".Cincinnati Bengals.RetrievedJune 22,2020.
  4. ^"WNRJ signed on the air (July 18, 1990)".Newspapers.com.Marysville, Ohio: Marysville Journal-Tribune. 1990. p. 1.RetrievedDecember 6,2020.
  5. ^"Rumbles"(PDF).Radio & Records.February 15, 1991. p. 31.RetrievedJune 21,2020.
  6. ^"Format Changes"(PDF).The M Street Journal.New York: M Street Corporation. March 17, 1993. p. 1.RetrievedJune 21,2020.
  7. ^"Street Talk"(PDF).Radio & Records.March 12, 1993. p. 24.RetrievedJune 21,2020.
  8. ^"Format Changes & Updates"(PDF).The M Street Journal.New York: M Street Corporation. April 13, 1994. p. 2.RetrievedJune 21,2020.
  9. ^"Entravision Eyes El Paso Pair"(PDF).Radio & Records.December 13, 1996. p. 6.RetrievedJune 21,2020.
  10. ^"Format Changes & Updates"(PDF).The M Street Journal.New York: M Street Corporation. January 8, 1997. p. 2.RetrievedJune 21,2020.
  11. ^"Format Changes & Updates"(PDF).The M Street Journal.New York: M Street Corporation. May 7, 1997. p. 1.RetrievedJune 21,2020.
  12. ^Venta, Lance (December 1, 2014)."Columbus' Brew Marches To Alternative".RadioInsight.RadioBB Networks.RetrievedJune 22,2020.
  13. ^"WBWR Becomes The X".Format Change Archive.RadioBB Networks. December 5, 2014.RetrievedJune 22,2020.
  14. ^Venta, Lance (November 21, 2016)."Sports 105.7 The Zone Debuts In Columbus".RadioInsight.RadioBB Networks.RetrievedJune 22,2020.
  15. ^Feran, Tim (February 8, 2019)."105.7 switches from sports to classic rock".The Columbus Dispatch.RetrievedApril 22,2020.
  16. ^"WXZX/Columbus, OH Adds Rover's Morning Glory To Mornings".All Access.All Access Music Group. March 24, 2020.RetrievedJune 22,2020.
  17. ^"The Brew Is Back In Columbus As WXZX Zones Out".RadioInsight.8 February 2019.Retrieved2020-11-17.
  18. ^"Radio One Launches La Grande 102.5 Columbus".RadioInsight.6 November 2020.Retrieved2020-11-17.
  19. ^"iHeartMedia Launches Columbus Alternative 105.7".RadioInsight.16 November 2020.Retrieved2020-11-17.
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