WZZK-FM
 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Birmingham and north-centralAlabama |
| Frequency | 104.7MHz(HD Radio) |
| Branding | 104.7 WZZK |
| Programming | |
| Format | New country |
| Subchannels | HD2:Air1 |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WAGG,WBHJ,WBHK,WBPT,WENN,WPYA | |
| History | |
First air date | 1948(as WJLN) |
Former call signs | WJLN (1948–1973) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 48724 |
| Class | C0 |
| ERP | 97,800watts |
| HAAT | 404 meters |
| Translator(s) | HD2:102.1W271BN (Birmingham) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | www |
WZZK-FM(104.7FM) is acountry music-formattedradio stationlicensed toBirminghamthat serves northern and centralAlabama.As of January 3, 2007, WZZK-FM is the flagship station of theRick and Bubbaradio network. It was the first FM station in Birmingham to switch to country music, and throughout much of the 1980s and 1990s was the top-rated radio station in Birmingham.[2]The station is owned bySummitMediaalongside six other stations, and all share studios in the Cahaba neighborhood in far southeastern Birmingham. Its transmitter is located atopRed Mountainin Birmingham.
History
[edit]The 104.7 frequency was originally put on the air as the sister station ofWJLD(1400 AM). It began in 1948 as WJLN-FM and originally repeated the rhythm and blues music format of the AM station. By the end of the 1960s, WJLN began playingprogressive rockmusic at night, while continuing the daytime simulcast of WJLD.
In 1973, the call letters of WJLN were changed to WZZK. With the new call letters, WZZK became a full-timealbum rockstation. The station's main competitor in this format wasWERC-FM.However, the station failed to attract a significant listening audience. In 1977,WVOK-FM (K-99)made its on-air debut as another album rock station, forcing WZZK to abandon the format a year later.
In 1978, WZZK changed formats and became Birmingham's first FM country music station, challenging long-time market leaderWYDE.Initially, the new WZZK was automated, with no live studio announcers. The station began adding announcers in 1980 and began to assert itself in the Birmingham area. By 1982, the success of WZZK forced WYDE to drop the country music it had aired since 1963. Throughout most of the 1980s and 1990s, WZZK was ranked no lower than #3 in the BirminghamArbitronratings, despite challenges from firstWQUS,then fromWBMH, later WIKX.Neither station made a significant impact; in fact, the parent company of WZZK bought WIKX in 1991 and changed its format.
In 1985, the first of twoAMstations that had the WZZK call letters made its debut. Longtime Top 40 powerhouseWSGN(610) was purchased and began a simulcast that continued until 1998. The AM station is now one of the more successful urban gospel stations in Birmingham. In 2003, the second WZZK (AM) debuted as a classic country station at 1320 AM (nowWENN). The second WZZK AM changed formats in January 2006, and is now a simulcast of WAGG.
The most serious and successful challenge to WZZK's dominance came in 1994, whenWZBQ,a station licensed toJasperthat had previously targeted theTuscaloosaarea, moved its studios to Birmingham and relaunched itself as WOWC. The new competitor, by then having the new call lettersWDXB,gradually began chipping away at WZZK's audience, and in 2002, began broadcasting from atop Red Mountain in Birmingham, where most of the market's FM stations have their broadcast towers located. In 2006, WZZK and WDXB were the two dominant country music stations in Birmingham.
In 1999, the station was given theNational Association of BroadcastersFriend In Need Radio Award for outstanding service in the face of natural disasters.[3]
On January 2, 2007, it was announced that the popular morning-drive radio team ofRick and Bubbawould be moving their show from crosstown rivalWYSFto WZZK, effective the next day.
On July 20, 2012, Cox Radio, Inc. announced the sale of WZZK and 22 other stations to SummitMedia LLC for $66.25 million. The sale was consummated on May 3, 2013.[4][5]
Station management
[edit]- Executive Vice President:Randy Chase
- Vice President of Events and Promotion:Justin Ragland
- General manager: John Walker
References
[edit]- ^"Facility Technical Data for WZZK-FM".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.
- ^"NAB Leadership Foundation - 2020 Service to America Awards".NAB Leadership Foundation.Retrieved2021-06-23.
- ^"Cox Puts Clusters up for Sale".20 July 2012.
- ^"Cox Sells Stations in Six Markets to Two Groups".6 May 2013.
External links
[edit]- WZZK official website
- Official Website of Rick and Bubba
- Facility details for Facility ID 48724 (WZZK-FM)in theFCCLicensing and Management System
- WZZK-FMinNielsen Audio's FM station database
- Facility details for Facility ID 148321 (W271BN)in theFCCLicensing and Management System
- W271BNat FCCdata.org