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WZLX

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Coordinates:42°20′50.3″N71°4′57.1″W/ 42.347306°N 71.082528°W/42.347306; -71.082528
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
WZLX
Broadcast areaGreater Boston
Frequency100.7MHz(HD Radio)
Branding100.7 WZLX
Programming
FormatClassic rock
Subchannels
AffiliationsPremiere Networks
Ownership
Owner
WBWL,WBZ,WJMN,WRKO,WXKS,WXKS-FM,WZRM
History
First air date
October 1948;75 years ago(1948-10)[1]
Former call signs
  • WCOP-FM (1948–1976)
  • WTTK (1976–1978)
  • WHUE-FM (1979–1984)
  • WCOZ (1984–1985)
  • WKKT (1985)
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID13806
ClassB
ERP21,500watts
HAAT235 meters (771 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
42°20′50.3″N71°4′57.1″W/ 42.347306°N 71.082528°W/42.347306; -71.082528
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websitewzlx.iheart.com

WZLX(100.7FM) is aclassic rockradio station inBoston, Massachusetts.This station is owned and operated byiHeartMedia.WZLX was one of America's first classic rock FM stations. Its studios are inMedford,and its transmitter is atop thePrudential Tower.

History

[edit]

What is now WZLX was originally WCOP-FM, notable for being one of the first FM stations to break simulcasting withits AM partner.WCOP-FM's separate programming was initiallyclassical musicand was one of the first FM stations in the region to (briefly) broadcast inFM stereo(the station would resume stereo programming in the early 1970s).

In 1965, WCOP (AM) had become Boston's affiliate for theNBC Radio Network,and WCOP-FM would often simulcast the hourly NBC Radio newscasts. By 1969, NBC Radio's weekend seriesMonitorhad moved from WCOP to WCOP-FM, to allow the former to broadcast more hours of country music on the weekends.

WCOP-FM went through a number of format and callsign changes, includingbeautiful musicin the late 1960s until 1973,oldies(as "Total Gold 101, WCOP-FM" ) from 1973 to 1974,countryfrom 1974 to October 1976, "progressive country" (as WTTK, "TK101" ) from October 1976 to December 1978,[3]beautiful music (as WHUE-FM) from January 1979 to January 1985,[4]andtop 40(as WKKT, "The Cat" ) for a few months, beginning in February 1985.[5][6]In December 1984, while still a beautiful music station, WHUE-FM sought and received the WCOZ call letters formerly on94.5;the call sign was only used for two weeks prior to becoming WKKT.

The station adopted its current format and callsign, WZLX, in mid-October 1985. Station owners First Media Corporation hired Gary Guthrie as the architect of itsclassic hitsformat, a format aimed at people who experiencedadolescencein either the 1960s and 1970s and enjoyed the music of those eras, but did not care for the then-currentheavy metalortop 40'hot hits' of the 1980s. These were people whose mindset was getting too old forAORand top 40, but were too young for or not interested in oldies.[7]WZLX is considered one of theclassic rockformat's earliest success stories as reflected by the station's 19th to 2nd place climb in the Adults 25-54 demographic in its first ratings period.

In 1986, Guthrie spread his concept of the format to other radio stations he consulted, and Bill Smith was hired to be the station's program director and morning personality. Guthrie would return in 1990 for an additional on-site stint to repair the station's ratings.

A series of ownership changes made WZLX a part ofCook Inlet Radio Partners,thenInfinity Broadcastingin late 1992. Infinity was renamedCBS Radioin December 2005.

In 1997, WZLX radio hostGeorge Taylor Morriscreated a media frenzy about the "Dark Side of the Rainbow"phenomenon, in whichPink Floyd's albumThe Dark Side of the Moonis said to synch up with the movieThe Wizard of Oz.[8]

In 2005, WZLX, along with sister stationsWBMXandWODS,were rumored to flip to CBS Radio's ever-expanding "Jack FM"format. Had WQSX (nowWEEI-FM) not flipped to the format as "93.7 Mike FM" on April 14, WZLX might have flipped to the format the next day as100.7 Jack FM.

CBS Boston studios, home of WZLX from 2007 until 2018

From 1991 to 2007, the station had its studios on the 24th floor of thePrudential Towerin downtownBoston,the location of itstransmitter.On March 3, 2007, the station moved crosstown to the facility where sister stations WODS andWBCNwere clustered in theCBSstudios inBrighton.The antenna is still atop the Prudential Tower.

In the spring of 2007, WZLX became the very first FM station in the country to broadcast programming in full digital 5.1 stereo surround sound. This flagship effort coincides with the recent move of the industry to implement theHD Radioformat.

On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced it would merge withEntercom(which locally ownedWEEI,WEEI-FM,WKAF,WRKOandWAAF).[9]On October 10, CBS Radio announced that as part of the process of obtaining regulatory approval of the merger, WZLX would be one of sixteen stations that would be divested by Entercom, along with sister stationsWBZand WBZ-FM, as well as WRKO and WKAF (WBMX,WODS, WEEI AM and FM, and WAAF would be retained by Entercom, while WBZ-FM was traded toBeasley Broadcast Groupin exchange forWMJX).[10]On November 1,iHeartMediaannounced that they would acquire WZLX, WBZ (AM), WRKO, and WKAF. To meet ownership limits set by the FCC, iHeart placedWKOXinto the Ocean Stations Trust in preparation for a sale to a permanent buyer.[11]The merger was approved on November 9, 2017, and was consummated on November 17.[12][13]iHeart then began operating WZLX, WBZ, and WKAF under alocal marketing agreement.[14]The sale of WZLX, WRKO, WKAF, and WBZ to iHeart was completed on December 19, 2017.[15]

Programming/personalities

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There have been a few morning shows on the station in its history. With the coming ofHoward SterntoWBCNin the early 1990s, the Boston legendCharles Laquidaraand his show, The Big Mattress, took up residence at WZLX. With Charles's retirement, the short-livedMornings with Tai andSteve Sweeneyeventually gave way toSteve Sweeney's Neighborhood(co-hosted byLance Norris), which ended a 5-year run in 2005. Longtime morning teamKarlson and McKenzietook over on August 1, 2005. The run of theKarlson and McKenzieended in late 2023 due to the death of Kevin Karlson in October of 2023. On May 20th 2024, The Rich Shertenlieb Show premiered. Shertenlieb co-hosted the Toucher & Rich Show on both WBCN and WBZ-FM.

Barry Scott andThe Lost 45sretro radio show was a Sunday night staple (he was also the marketing and promotions director there from its inception until 1992).

Sports conflict broadcasts

[edit]

Beginning in October 2013, WZLX carriedBoston Celticsgames that conflicted withBoston Bruinsgames. Games were produced by sister station WBZ-FM (which is the flagship for both teams).[16]In addition, some Bruins games conflicting with WBZ-FM'sNew England Patriotsbroadcasts aired on WZLX starting in 2011 (previously, WBZ served this function). Celtics and Bruins broadcasts were dropped from WZLX following the sale to iHeartMedia, which separated the station from WBZ-FM (now owned by the Beasley Broadcast Group). As of April 2020, conflicting Bruins games had movedWBOS,while conflicting Celtics games moved toWROR-FM.

WZLX HD2

[edit]

WZLX previously aired an all-blues format on its HD2 subchannel called "Radio Mojo". On December 19, 2017, WZLX-HD2 began simulcasting sistertalk radiostationWRKO.[17]

WZLX HD3

[edit]

WZLX previously aired a freeform rock format on its HD3 subchannel called "WBCN" which continued the name of the former BostonAORstation. On January 29, 2016, WZLX-HD3 switched to anadult standardsformat as "The Lounge". After the sale of the station to iHeart was completed on December 19, 2017, the HD3 channel was removed. In early March 2020, the HD3 channel was reopened and started carrying theK-Lovenetwork under a lease agreement withEMF Broadcasting.In 2021, the lease ended, and the HD3 programming was changed to a simulcast of another sister talk radio station,WXKS.

References

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  1. ^Broadcasting Yearbook 1949(PDF).1949. p. 306.RetrievedJanuary 16,2012.
  2. ^"Facility Technical Data for WZLX".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ^Steve Morse, "Pickin' country music,"The Boston Globe,September 23, 1976.
  4. ^McLean, Robert A. (January 24, 1979)."Takeover in the night".The Boston Globe.p. 31 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^Robert A. McLean, "Aiming for the yuppie market,"The Boston Globe,January 3, 1985.
  6. ^Robert A. McLean, "Two radio stations on the air soon,"The Boston Globe,February 9, 1985.
  7. ^Jack Thomas, "Extraordinary look at an ordinary day,"The Boston Globe,October 30, 1985.
  8. ^ Holley, Joe (August 3, 2009)."George Taylor Morris, 62: Radio Host Played Classic Rock".The Washington Post'.RetrievedAugust 10,2009.
  9. ^CBS Radio to Merge with Entercom
  10. ^Venta, Lance (October 10, 2017)."Entercom Narrows Down 16 Stations To Be Divested To Complete CBS Radio Merger".RadioInsight.RetrievedOctober 11,2017.
  11. ^Entercom Trades Boston/Seattle Spin-Offs to iHeartMedia for Richmond/Chattanooga
  12. ^"Entercom Receives FCC Approval for Merger with CBS Radio".Entercom.November 9, 2017.RetrievedNovember 17,2017.
  13. ^Venta, Lance (November 17, 2017)."Entercom Completes CBS Radio Merger".Radio Insight.RetrievedNovember 17,2017.
  14. ^Venta, Lance (December 10, 2017)."Alt 102.9 & KUBE 104.9 Tacoma To Flip Monday".RadioInsight.RetrievedDecember 11,2017.While iHeart has begun operating 1030 WBZ, 97.7 WKAF, and 100.7 WZLX in the Boston market and Sports "1090 The Fan" KFNQ Seattle via LMA…
  15. ^"Consummation Notice".CDBS Public Access.Federal Communications Commission.December 19, 2017.RetrievedDecember 20,2017.
  16. ^Finn, Chad (September 26, 2013)."It's official: Celtics heading to The Sports Hub".Boston.com.RetrievedSeptember 28,2013.
  17. ^"iHM Boston Debuts WBZ Simulcast on WXKS-FM-HD2".Radio Online.December 19, 2017.RetrievedDecember 20,2017.
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