WFNZ-FM

Last updated

WFNZ-FM
Sports Radio 92.7 FM WFNZ logo.png
Broadcast area Metrolina
Frequency 92.7 MHz
BrandingSportsradio 92.7 WFNZ
Programming
Format Sports
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
  • Urban One
  • (Radio One of North Carolina, LLC)
WBT, WBT-FM, WFNZ, WLNK, WOSF, WPZS
History
First air date
January 1995;29 years ago (1995-01)
Former call signs
  • WCCJ (1994–2001)
  • WCHH (2001–2004)
  • WQNC (2004–2012)
  • WPZS (2012–2015)
  • WQNC (2015–2022)
Call sign meaning
"Fans"
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 28898
Class C3
ERP 10,500 watts
HAAT 154 meters (505 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
 35°16′20.5″N80°45′53.3″W / 35.272361°N 80.764806°W / 35.272361; -80.764806
Repeater(s) 107.9  WLNK-HD3 (Charlotte)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website wfnz.com

WFNZ-FM (92.7 MHz) is a sports station in Charlotte, North Carolina, owned and operated by Radio One. The station's studios are located at 1 Julian Price Place just off Morehead Street in Charlotte, and its transmitter site is in Charlotte's Newell South neighborhood.

Contents

WFNZ-FM is the Charlotte affiliate of Infinity Sports Network, carrying network programming on nights and weekends. It airs local sports hosts weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. WFNZ serves as the flagship station for the NBA'S Charlotte Hornets [2] and Major League Soccer's Charlotte FC. [3] Whenever there is a conflict, Charlotte FC matches air on sister stations WBT AM-FM.

History

The station signed on as WCCJ in late January 1995 with a commercial-free free-form rock format. [4] Due to low advertising rates, in June 1995, the station changed to smooth jazz, [5] and would flip again to rhythmic oldies as "92.7 the Jam" on August 22, 1999. [6]

As a result of the decline of rhythmic oldies nationally, on April 2, 2001, WCCJ flipped to mainstream urban as Hot 92.7, with new call letters WCHH, taking on urban/hip hop station WPEG. [7] [8] It did well in the ratings at first, knocking heritage station WPEG down to 6th place in the market, [9] but later declined, so it was flipped to urban AC on January 21, 2004, as "Q92.7", along with a call letter change to WQNC. WQNC took over Tom Joyner's show from longer standing urban AC rival WBAV-FM soon after that. [10] [11] WBAV subsequently answered back by signing on as an affiliate for a new syndicated show hosted by Joyner's rival, Steve Harvey.

My 92.7 ident used until 2012. WQNCMy927.png
My 92.7 ident used until 2012.

On May 15, 2008, WQNC added two talk shows: the New York City based "Keeping It Real with Rev. Al Sharpton", and the "Warren Ballentine Show". [12]

In October 2009, WQNC rebranded as "My 92.7", changed to a more contemporary format, dropping the talk show hosts other than Joyner, and adding energetic music from such artists as Usher, Patti LaBelle and Whitney Houston. The slogan was "R&B from the 80s, 90s, and Now", although some 70s disco/soul/R&B songs remained on the playlist.

On August 31, 2011, Radio One announced its intention to sell off their Charlotte stations to Davis Broadcasting, [13] but in April 2012, the deal fell through, and Radio One decided to keep the stations. [14]

On August 27, 2012, WQNC began directing listeners on air and online to sister station WNOW-FM. Imaging teased that something 'inspirational' was coming. Two weeks later, on September 13, WQNC began simulcasting sister WPZS and switched call letters with that station. [15] [16] [17] The two stations provided a strong combined signal with 60 percent overlap.

WPZS increased power to 10.5 kW and height to 154 meters. Construction was completed in October 2013. [18]

On August 14, 2015, 92.7 began stunting with all-Drake as "Drake 92.7", promoting a new format to come the following Monday, August 17, at 5 pm. Along with this, 92.7 reverted to its previous call sign of WQNC, with 100.9 retaining the gospel format and the WPZS call letters. At the promised time, WQNC flipped back to urban as "92.7 The Block", taking direct aim at WPEG (as well as WGIV/W277CB). [19]

"The Block" was moved to the HD2 channel of WOSF, as well as translator station W273DA (102.5 FM), on February 28, 2022; following a transition period, 92.7 became an FM simulcast of WFNZ on March 1, a role previously served by the 102.5 facility. [20] Ahead of the swap, on February 16, WQNC changed its call letters to WFNZ-FM. [17] The simulcast served mainly to fill in the gaps in the AM station's nighttime signal. WFNZ must reduce power from 5,000 watts to 1,000 watts at sunset, making it hard to hear even in some parts of Charlotte and rendering it all but unlistenable in much of the South Carolina portion of the market. At midnight on September 19, 2022, WFNZ split from simulcasting with WFNZ-FM and joined WOSF-HD2 and W273DA in carrying "The Block". [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WHQC</span> Radio station in North Carolina, United States

WHQC is an American radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina. Licensed to serve the city of Shelby, North Carolina, it is owned by iHeartMedia. WHQC broadcasts a gold-based Top 40 (CHR) format branded as "Hits 96.1". Its transmitter is located in Dallas, North Carolina, and its studios are located along with the rest of iHeartMedia's Charlotte stations in the Wood Ridge Center office complex off Billy Graham Parkway in south Charlotte. WHQC's primary competitor is WNKS, owned by Beasley Broadcast Group.

WLNK is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Charlotte, North Carolina. The station is owned by Urban One and broadcasts a hot AC radio format. Its studios are located at One Julian Price Place on West Morehead Street, just west of Uptown Charlotte, and the station shares a broadcast tower with former television partner WBTV located near Dallas. WLNK broadcasts using HD Radio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSOC-FM</span> Country music radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina

WSOC-FM is a commercial radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group and airs a country music radio format, calling itself "Country 103.7". Its primary country competitor is iHeartMedia's WKKT. WSOC-FM's studios are located on South Boulevard in Charlotte's South End and the transmitter is located in East Charlotte near Reedy Creek Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KXBS</span> Radio station in St. Louis

KXBS is a non-commercial, listener-supported radio station licensed to Bethalto, Illinois, and serving Greater St. Louis. KXBS and sister station KQBS 97.7 in Potosi, Missouri are owned by Gateway Creative Broadcasting, and they simulcast a Christian Rhythmic Contemporary radio format known as "Boost 95.5." The radio studios for KXBS, KQBS and Christian Contemporary KLJY are on Manchester Road in Des Peres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WYMY</span> Radio station in North Carolina, United States

WYMY is a Regional Mexican radio station in Burlington, North Carolina, United States. It serves the Triad and Triangle areas, which includes cities such as Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Raleigh and Durham. In addition the signal goes well north of Danville, Virginia. The outlet, which is owned by Curtis Media Group, claims to have the largest FM radio signal in all of North Carolina, operating with an ERP of 100 kW. The reason for that FM radio signal claim comes from Curtis Media, due to the population covered by the station's signal. The transmitter is located on Bass Mountain in the Cane Creek Mountains in Alamance County, and studios are in Burlington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBAV-FM</span> Radio station in Gastonia, North Carolina

WBAV-FM is an urban adult contemporary radio station serving the Charlotte metropolitan area (Metrolina). Owned by Beasley Broadcast Group, WBAV's studios and offices are on South Boulevard in Charlotte's South End. In morning drive time, it carries the syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show.

WBCN was the call sign assigned from 2009 until 2021, and the last call sign used on the air, for radio station WJBX in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. The station, while silent, was assigned the call letters WJBX by the Federal Communications Commission on February 5, 2021. The license was deleted on August 24, 2022, before any broadcasts under the WJBX call letters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNKS</span> Contemporary hit radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

WNKS is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Charlotte, North Carolina. The station is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group through licensee Beasley Media Group, LLC and broadcasts a contemporary hit radio format. Studios are located on South Boulevard in Charlotte's South End and the station's broadcast tower is located near Dallas, North Carolina, at.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPEG</span> Radio station in North Carolina, United States

WPEG is a mainstream urban radio station serving the Charlotte, North Carolina, market. It is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group. The station's studios are located on South Boulevard in the city's South End, and a transmitter tower is located north of Dallas, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPZS</span> Radio station in Indian Trail, North Carolina

WPZS is a gospel music station located in Charlotte, North Carolina but licensed to Indian Trail. The station is currently owned & operated by Urban One. It carries the syndicated Yolanda Adams Morning Show. The station's studios are located in Southwest Charlotte near Carowinds, and the transmitter site is in Matthews near the intersection of NC 51 and Monroe Road.

WDMK is a commercial FM radio station in Detroit, Michigan. Owned by Beasley Broadcast Group, it broadcasts an urban adult contemporary format. The studios and offices are on Radio Plaza in Ferndale.

WFNZ, known on air as "102.5 The Block", is a commercial AM radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina. Owned by Urban One, the station airs an urban adult contemporary radio format. Its studios and offices are at 1 Julian Price Place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRFX</span> Classic rock radio station in Kannapolis–Charlotte, North Carolina

WRFX is a commercial radio station licensed to Kannapolis, North Carolina and serving the Charlotte metropolitan area. Owned by iHeartMedia, it airs a classic rock radio format, and calls itself "99.7 The Fox." The radio studios and offices are on Woodridge Center Drive in South Charlotte. WRFX is the flagship station for the John Boy and Billy Big Show, a nationally syndicated morning show heard around the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WOLS</span> Radio station in Waxhaw–Charlotte, North Carolina

WOLS is a Spanish-language FM radio station broadcasting at a frequency of 106.1 MHz serving the Charlotte, North Carolina market. Its programming consists of music and other material distributed by "La Raza," the Regional Mexican radio network.

WEGO was an AM radio station licensed to serve Concord, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WOSF</span> Radio station in Gaffney, South Carolina

WOSF is an urban adult contemporary station licensed to Gaffney, South Carolina; serving the Charlotte, North Carolina market. WOSF is the Charlotte affiliate of the Rickey Smiley Morning Show. Owned by Urban One, the station's studios are located in South Charlotte near Carowinds, and the transmitter site is located in Dallas, North Carolina.

Charlotte, North Carolina is a U.S. city that serves as a hub for numerous media sources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WHRP</span> Radio station in Gurley, Alabama

WHRP is a radio station licensed to serve Gurley, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC. WHRP broadcasts an urban adult contemporary music format to the Huntsville, Alabama, market. Its transmitter is located southeast of downtown Huntsville, but its main studios are in Athens, Alabama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WZGV</span> Radio station in Cramerton, North Carolina

WZGV is a commercial radio station, licensed to Cramerton, North Carolina and serving the Charlotte metropolitan area. It carries a sports radio format and is owned by Marty Hurney's 2G Media, Inc. Most programming comes from the ESPN Radio Network, with a local afternoon show called "The Afternoon Rush." The radio studios are on Morehead Street just outside downtown Charlotte.

WGIV was a commercial AM radio station, licensed to Charlotte, North Carolina, and serving the Charlotte metropolitan area. It was the first station in the Charlotte radio market to target the African-American audience full time.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WFNZ-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ InsideRadio.com/WFNZ
  3. ↑ "Charlotte FC, Radio One Announce Club's First-Ever Radio Partnership". WFNZ. January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  4. ↑ Funk, Tim (February 10, 1995). "Now hear this: New album-rock station attracts hungry listeners". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina. p. 1E. Retrieved February 22, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ Funk, Tim (June 20, 1995). "James back to interview colleagues". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina. p. 1E, 3E . Retrieved February 22, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "NAC 'CCJ/Charlotte Caught In A 'Jam'" (PDF). Radio & Records. August 27, 1999. pp. 36, 63.
  7. ↑ Washburn, Mark (April 3, 2001). "WCCJ goes hip-hop as ratings fade out for rhythmic oldies". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina. p. 3E. Retrieved February 22, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "'CCJ/Charlotte Gets 'Hot' Urban Format" (PDF). Radio & Records. April 6, 2001. p. 19.
  9. ↑ Washburn, Mark (July 28, 2001). "Radio competitor leaves favorite singing sad song". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina. p. 1D, 4D . Retrieved February 22, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "WCHH/Charlotte Goes Urban AC" (PDF). Radio & Records. January 30, 2004. p. 3.
  11. ↑ Washburn, Mark; Jameson, Tonya (January 23, 2004). "No. 1 morning show swaps stations in Charlotte". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina. p. 1D, 2D . Retrieved February 22, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Sharpton to headline new format at radio station". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina. May 14, 2008. p. 1D, 2D . Retrieved February 22, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Davis Broadcasting To Purchase WQNC and WPZS". allaccess.com. August 31, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
  14. ↑ Washburn, Mark (August 18, 2012). "Battle on way for urban radio". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina. p. 2B. Retrieved February 22, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Praise Charlotte Takes Over 92.7". September 13, 2012. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Call Sign History (WPZS)" . Retrieved October 30, 2012.
  17. 1 2 "Call Sign History (WFNZ-FM)" . Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  18. ↑ "FM Query Results (WFNZ-FM)". Audio Division (FCC) USA. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Non-Stop Drake Launches in Charlotte". RadioInsight. August 17, 2015.
  20. ↑ Venta, Lance (February 28, 2022). "Frequency Swap In Process In Charlotte". RadioInsight. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  21. ↑ Venta, Lance (September 20, 2022). "WFNZ Moves Exclusively To FM". RadioInsight. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.