The station signed on September 1, 1978, on the 106.3 FM frequency as WHBS, a station that served primarily Pasco and northern Pinellas Counties. The station later became WVTY, then WLVU, carrying an easy listening format and later adult contemporary. In 1998, the station would relocate to 97.1 FM (swapping frequencies with Citrus County's WXOF), to better reach the Tampa Bay market. Soon afterward, Cox Radio would acquire WLVU in a swap (see below), and transfer its WSUN calls to FM, adopting an oldies format as "Oldies 97.1".
Longtime "97X" logo (2000–2022)
Mired with a subpar signal and being one of two oldies stations in the market (WYUU was the other) did not allow WSUN-FM to take off in the Tampa Bay area. While rumors of Cox flipping the station to 1980s music ran rampant, the station began stunting with music from 2001: A Space Odyssey. At 5:00p.m. on November 3, 2000, the Tampa Bay area got its first taste of an alternative rock formatted station in many years with the debut of 97X. The first song, "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" by Fuel was dedicated to modern adult contemporaryWSSR and active rockerWXTB, both of whom are owned by competitor Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia).[3][4]
On January 18, 2013, the station relaunched itself with a listener-controlled format. The final song under the first "97X" era was the song they launched with, "Hemorrhage" by Fuel. At 10 a.m., the station began stunting with a recorded loop of announcements promoting the new listener-controlled format.[5] At 5 p.m., the station launched its listener-controlled format with "Best Of You" by Foo Fighters.[6] With this new direction, the audience controlled every song that played using special technology designed by LDR, or Listener Driven Radio.[7] LDR created a special app and website for WSUN that allowed listeners to take over the music live. In addition to the music voting features, the mobile app offered several other interactive elements. It allowed listeners to record audio using the app's 'Open Mic' option, sending it directly to the station for broadcasting, sign up for instant SMS, email, and Twitter alerts when their favorite songs were about to play, and share votes on social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Listeners could also earn social media ‘badges’ by interacting with the station. By 9 p.m. of that day, the station received 31,000 song votes; and over 1.7 million by January 28. In mid-2014, the listener voting feature was scaled back, now only allowing users to vote on select new/current songs (instead of the entire playlist, as before), the results of which are featured on daily "countdown" shows. The live voting feature is still occasionally employed during "After-Concert Takeovers", where listeners can vote on the order of songs from one or several artists who appeared in concert locally earlier, and during a Sunday night show featuring local artists. In about 2016, the voting way was changed. Before, listeners needed to press 'Play More/Less' button to hear the songs more or less frequently; the update allowed listeners to vote songs up or down.
The 24-hour interactive format has had a mix of compliments and complaints. Most of the complaints are about the axe of the "Morning X" show.[8][9]
In September 2014, iHeartMedia launched a local competitor to WSUN, branded "ALT 99.9" on WFUS-HD2, and relayed by 99.9MHz FM translator W207BU, located in Bayonet Point (the translator has since moved to 100.3 FM, now W262CP, and the station rebranded as "ALT 100.3"). On March 7, 2016, "ALT 100.3" was replaced with a simulcast of iHeartRadio's WRUB in Bradenton.
On July 22, 2016, the station changed its call sign to the current WSUN.
On August 11, 2016, WSUN began simulcasting on WHPT-HD2. As of August 6, 2019, WSUN began simulcasting on WPOI-HD2.
In 2019, Cox Media Group transferred WSUN, along with Orlando sister station WPYO, to CXR Radio, LLC, a divestiture trust run by Elliot B. Evers.[10] The transfer followed the sale of the remainder of Cox Media Group from Cox Enterprises to Apollo Global Management;[11] Cox had owned six FM stations in Tampa Bay, one over the FCC limit of five, and the sale eliminated this grandfathered status.[12]
On February 9, 2022, Spanish Broadcasting System announced they would purchase WSUN and WPYO from CXR Radio for $12.5 million. The deal marked SBS’ entry into both markets.[13]
On March 14, 2022, WSUN began simulcasting on St. Petersburg translator W248CA (97.5 FM), which is fed by WPOI-HD2. The translator formerly relayed WTMP (1150 AM), and is owned by NIA Broadcasting, Inc.[14] On April 26, 2022, WSUN announced they will drop the alternative format and "97X" branding the following day at Noon; "97X" continues to be heard on WWRM-HD2, WPOI-HD2 and translator W248CA. At the promised time, WSUN began stunting with a loop of a redirecting message for "97X" listeners to W248CA, WPOI-HD2 and WWRM-HD2, as well as the station's mobile apps and online stream. On April 29, SBS officially closed on their purchase of WSUN, and shifted the stunting to a loop of songs featured in their new Spanish contemporary hits format, which debuted on May 9 as "El Zol 97.1".[15][16]
The call letters
The "WSUN" calls have been used in the St. Petersburg area since 1927, when WSUN signed on, then a time-share with WFLA. The station moved to its longtime 620kHz frequency in 1929, and got the frequency all to itself in 1941, when WFLA moved to 940kHz (then to 970 shortly afterward). From the 1960s into the 1980s, WSUN was known as a leading country formatted station, benefiting from its signal that covered all of Florida's Gulf Coast by day and reached into Texas by night.
Owned by the city of St. Petersburg throughout most of its early life, the city sold WSUN radio and its television counterpart, WSUN-TV, to Hy Levinson, a Detroit broadcaster and owner of that city's WCAR radio. In 1970, WSUN-TV would go dark, while WSUN radio and its then-sister, WQXM-FM, would be sold to the broadcasting arm of pharmaceutical company Plough, Inc. In the mid-1980s, Plough would sell WSUN and WQXM separately, with WSUN being sold to Taft Broadcasting, then-owner of WTSP television and WYNF-FM.
In the late 1980s, WSUN flipped to all-news, following its purchase by CBS Radio from Taft. It then later flipped to a news-talk format, which remained after its purchase from Cox Broadcasting in the 1990s. In 1998 Cox swapped its 620 AM signal for the 97.1 signal owned by the Concord Broadcasting Group, whose easy-listening station, WLVU-FM, moved from 106.3 to 97.1 shortly before the swap. After the move to FM, WSUN-FM adopted an oldies format as "Oldies 97.1", while Concord changed 620's calls to WSAA, and became a simulcast of Bay News 9. (It would later be sold to Clear Channel Communications, becoming the new frequency for WDAE.)
Concerts
The Next Big Thing concert series, formerly at Coachman Park in Clearwater, Florida, was held at the 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre until 2012 when the venue was changed for a third time to Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg, Florida. Next Big Thing '12 was held December 1, 2012 with bands performing such as Bush, Rise Against, FUN., Silversun Pickups and a mystery head liner, announced October 24, 2012.[17] The concert has since returned to the venue previously known as the 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre, now known as the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre. In 2017 Next Big Thing began hosting this concert series over two days rather than one.
The Backyard Barbecue is a yearly spring concert held by 97X at Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg, Florida. This is a one-day, one stage concert series.
Napoleon – The first version of The Morning X was Fisher and Napoleon.
Crissy – The original night jock (7p-midnight).
Pat Largo – The original midday jock (10a-3p). Also the first host of Local Motion.
Ford Prefect – Did a few weekend shifts, but best known for hosting Sunday School (old school alternative) on Sunday nights.
Professor Brian- Hosted Sunday School with Ford Prefect
Jimmy – Original part-timer. Did weekends, over-nights, and fill-shifts. Also hosted Local Motion with Tre.
Kate – Was the on and off night jock after Crissy left.
Tre – Weekends, Fill-shifts, and co-hosted Local Motion with Jimmy.
Phoebe – Nights & Middays |
Jesse Kage – Kage Kult Show (7p-midnight) |
Seth Kushner – The Morning X |
Fisher – Original host of The Morning X | Currently morning drive host on 107.3 The Eagle
Drew Garabo – The Morning X | Currently afternoon host of Drew Garabo Live on 102.5 The Bone
Geo Gauvin – Nights | Currently producer for 102.5 The Bone
Shark – Program Director | Afternoons | Middays
Joel Weiss – Music Director | Middays
Griffin Brown – Nights
Danielle McBroom – Mornings | Mornings on Magic 94.9
97X Green Room
The 97X Green Room is an annual series of compilation albums of live music recorded for WSUN-FM's Green Room series. All albums contain acoustic versions of popular songs from artists heard on the station. It was released for sale primarily at Tampa Bay area Best Buy locations, although later volumes were made available at other locations. Proceeds from the first album's sales benefited Audubon of Florida's Coastal Islands Sanctuaries Program. For subsequent albums, proceeds from the sales benefit The Nature Conservancy. The albums' goal is to provide exclusive acoustic performances and to help raise money and awareness to the needs of environment in Florida.
WSRV – branded 97.1 The River – is a commercial radio station licensed to Gainesville, Georgia, and serving Metro Atlanta. It is owned by the Cox Media Group. WSRV broadcasts a classic rock radio format. The studios and offices are in the Cox Television and Radio Facility on West Peachtree Street near the Brookwood neighborhood of Atlanta.
WWWQ is a commercial radio station licensed to Atlanta, Georgia, carrying a top 40 (CHR) format known as "Q99.7". Owned by Cumulus Media, WWWQ serves the Atlanta metropolitan area as the regional affiliate for The Daly Download with Carson Daly and is the flagship station of The Bert Show and Elliott & Nina. WWWQ's studios are located in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs, while the station transmitter resides in Atlanta's Druid Hills neighborhood. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WWWQ broadcasts over three HD Radio channels with the second and third subchannels simulcast over low-power FM translators and is available online.
WFLA is a commercial AM radio station in Tampa, Florida, and serving the Tampa Bay media market. The station airs a news/talk format and is owned and operated by iHeartMedia, Inc. The station's studios and offices are located on Gandy Boulevard in South Tampa.
KQQL is a commercial radio station serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul radio market and is licensed to suburban Anoka. It plays classic hits and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios and offices are on Utica Avenue South in St. Louis Park.
KBFB is a commercial radio station with an urban contemporary–leaning rhythmic contemporary radio format, known as "97.9 The Beat." It is licensed to Dallas, Texas and serves the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. KBFB is owned by Urban One, its studios and offices, along with sister station KZMJ, are in the Galleria Area in North Dallas.
WDAE is a commercial radio station licensed to St. Petersburg, Florida and serving the Tampa Bay area. It is owned by iHeartMedia and airs a sports radio format. WDAE is one of the oldest radio stations in Florida still broadcasting today, going on the air in 1922. The studios and offices are on West Gandy Boulevard in South Tampa. The transmitter site is located near the Gandy Bridge in St. Petersburg.
WPYO, is a radio station licensed to Maitland, Florida. The station airs a Spanish contemporary hits format, and is branded as "El Zol 95.3.” Owned by Spanish Broadcasting System, it serves the Greater Orlando area. The station's transmitter is located in Pine Hills.
WLVU is an FM radio station licensed to the city of Belle Meade, Tennessee, but serving the Nashville market as a whole. It is currently branded as K-LOVE, repeating a satellite-delivered contemporary Christian format. The station is owned by Educational Media Foundation and is one of the two flagship of the K-Love brands based in nearby Franklin, Tennessee. It is Nashville's most recent full-power FM station to take the air.
WNRQ is a commercial FM radio station in Nashville, heard in northern middle Tennessee and southern central Kentucky. It airs a classic rock format. It is owned by iHeartMedia, with studios in Nashville's Music Row district.
WYUU is a radio station broadcasting from Safety Harbor, Florida, and serving the Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida area. The station airs a Latin pop format branded as "Maxima FM." Owned by Beasley Broadcast Group, its studios are in St. Petersburg while its transmitter is in Seminole.
KMMA is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Green Valley, Arizona and serving the Tucson metropolitan area. It carries a Spanish Contemporary radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios are on North Oracle Road.
WOEX is a commercial radio station in Orlando, Florida. It is owned by Cox Media Group and airs a bilingual adult contemporary radio format. WOEX's studios and offices are located in Orlando on North John Young Parkway.
WFLZ-FM is a commercial radio station in Tampa, Florida. It airs a contemporary hit radio radio format and is owned and operated by iHeartMedia. The station's studios and offices are located on Gandy Boulevard in South Tampa. Local DJs are heard on weekdays, with syndicated shows, including American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest, the iHeartRadio Countdown, the Remix Top 30 with Hollywood Hamilton and On The Move with Enrique Santos, heard on weekends.
WLDI is a radio station licensed to Juno Beach, Florida and broadcasting in the Treasure Coast and West Palm Beach, Florida markets. The station airs a Top 40 (CHR) format. It is owned by iHeartMedia, and broadcasts at 95.5 FM. Its studios are in West Palm Beach and its transmitter is located west of Interstate 95 near Palm City, Florida. The station broadcasts in an HD radio format, originally having LGBT hits and dance station Pride Radio on its HD2 subchannel. WLDI eventually dropped Pride Radio for Gen X Radio, broadcasting a classic hits format from the 1970s - 1980s. It later dropped that for commercial-free R&B station All My Jams, before it started simulcasting sister station WJNO on its HD2 subchannel in 2021.
WTBV is a commercial radio station licensed to St. Petersburg, Florida, and serving the Tampa Bay area. It is owned by the Cox Media Group and broadcasts an urban adult contemporary format known as "101.5 The Vibe." The studios are on 4th Street North in St. Petersburg. WTBV carries the syndicated Rickey Smiley Morning Show in drive time.
WFUS is a commercial radio station licensed to Gulfport, Florida. It airs a country music format and is one of the eight stations in the Tampa Bay radio market owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. It carries The Bobby Bones Show syndicated from Nashville in morning drive time. The studios are on Feather Sound Drive in Clearwater.
WWRM is a commercial radio station licensed to Tampa, Florida, and serving the Tampa Bay area. It has a hot adult contemporary format and is owned by Cox Media Group. The studios and offices are located on 4th Street North in St. Petersburg. It calls itself Magic 94.9.
KTFM is a commercial radio station licensed to Floresville, Texas, and serving Greater San Antonio. It broadcasts a sports radio format and is owned by Alpha Media. On weekdays it has local personalities hosting sports shows, with ESPN Radio heard nights and weekends. The studios are on Eisenhauer Road in San Antonio.
W273CA is a non-commercial FM radio station translator in Orlando, Florida. It is owned by the Central Florida Educational Foundation, airing a Christian Spanish format branded as "La Z 102.5". From 2011 until February 2014, the translator aired a smooth jazz format as "102.5 WLOQ," when it was leased by iHeartMedia.
WFYY is a commercial radio station licensed to Windermere, Florida, and serving Greater Orlando. The station is owned by Norsan Media, and airs a Spanish tropical format.
2SBS operates this station under a time brokerage agreement by Aurio A. Matos Barreto.
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