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WZZK-FM
Radio station in Birmingham, Alabama From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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WZZK-FM (104.7 FM) is a commercial radio station in Birmingham that serves Northern and Central Alabama. It is the flagship station of the Rick and Bubba Morning Show. The station is owned by SummitMedia alongside six other stations sharing studios in the Cahaba neighborhood in far southeastern Birmingham.
WZZK is a Class C0 station.[2] It has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, the maximum for most FM stations. The transmitter is off Golden Crest Drive, atop Red Mountain where many Birmingham-area FM and TV stations have their towers.[3] WZZK broadcasts using HD Radio technology. Its HD2 subchannel carries the worship music network "Air1." This feeds FM translator W271BN at 102.1 MHz.
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History
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R&B and Album Rock
The 104.7 frequency signed on the air in 1948. It was put on the air as the sister station of WJLD 1400 AM.[4] The original call sign was WJLN-FM, simulcasting its AM station. They were owned by Johnson Broadcasting and their city of license was Bessemer. In the 1960s, WJLD and WJLN-FM had an R&B music format aimed at Birmingham's black community. By the end of the 60s, WJLN-FM began playing progressive rock music at night, while continuing the daytime simulcast of WJLD.
In 1973, the call letters were changed to WZZK. With the new call sign, WZZK became a full-time album-oriented rock (AOR) station.[5] Its main competitor in this rock format was 106.9 WERC-FM. However, the station failed to attract a significant listening audience. In 1977, WVOK-FM (K-99) made its debut as another album rock station. With the format divided among several stations, WZZK decided to abandon AOR a year later.
Country music
In 1978, WZZK became the first FM station in Birmingham to switch to country music. It decided to challenge long-time country music market leader WYDE 850 AM. WZZK soon became the top-rated radio station in Birmingham.[6] Initially, WZZK was automated, with no live DJs.
The station began adding announcers in 1980 and began to assert itself with advertising and promotions. 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 Birmingham Arbitron ratings, despite challenges from other stations. First 99.5 WQUS switched to country music, then 106.9 WBMH, 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 two AM stations that shared the WZZK call letters made its debut. Longtime Top 40 powerhouse 610 WSGN was purchased and began a simulcast that continued until 1998. The AM station is now a successful urban gospel station. In 2003, the second WZZK on the AM dial debuted as a classic country station at 1320 AM (now WENN). The second WZZK AM changed formats in January 2006, and is now an easy listening outlet.
New competition
The most serious and successful challenge to WZZK's dominance came in 1994, when WZBQ, a station licensed to Jasper that had previously targeted the Tuscaloosa area, moved its studios to Birmingham and relaunched itself as WOWC. The new competitor, by then having the new call letters WDXB, gradually began chipping away at WZZK's audience. In 2002, it relocated its transmitter to Red Mountain, where most of the market's FM stations have their towers. That gave it a signal almost equal to WZZK's. Throughout the 2000s, WZZK and WDXB have taken turns as the leading country music station in Birmingham.
In 1999, WZZK was given the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) "Friend In Need Radio Award." It won for outstanding service in the face of natural disasters.[7]
Changes in morning shows and ownership
On January 2, 2007, Cox Radio announced that the popular morning drive time, nationally syndicated Rick and Bubba Show would be moving from crosstown station 94.5 WYSF to WZZK, effective the next day. At the end of 2024, Bill Bussey (aka "Bubba") decided to step away from morning radio. Rick Burgess continues as the host, although the name remains The Rick and Bubba Show.[8]
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.[9][10]
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Station management
- Executive Vice President: Randy Chase
- Vice President of Events and Promotion: Justin Ragland
- General manager: John Walker
References
External links
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