WZZN

Last updated
WZZN
WZZN-FM Zone logo.jpg
Broadcast area Huntsville, Alabama
Frequency 97.7 MHz
Branding97.7 ESPN The Zone
Programming
Format Sports
Affiliations ESPN Radio
Ownership
OwnerNeighbors Broadcast Company, LLC
History
First air date
July 12, 1968 (as WKLD-FM)
Former call signs
WKLD-FM (1968-1981)
WKLD (1981-2009)
Call sign meaning
ZZN = "Zone"
Technical information
Facility ID 5885
Class A
ERP 950 watts
HAAT 251 meters (823 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
 34°26′39″N86°32′05″W / 34.44417°N 86.53472°W / 34.44417; -86.53472 Coordinates: 34°26′39″N86°32′05″W / 34.44417°N 86.53472°W / 34.44417; -86.53472
Links
Webcast Listen Live
Website 977espn.com

WZZN (97.7 MHz, "97.7 The Zone") is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Union Grove, Alabama, and serving the Huntsville media market. The station is owned by Neighbors Broadcast Company, LLC, and airs a sports radio format, affiliated with the ESPN Radio Network.

Contents

WZZN studios and offices are on Woodson Street in Huntsville. [1] The transmitter is off Allens Cross Road in Union Grove. [2]

Programming

WZZN carries a mix of local sports programs and nationally syndicated shows from the ESPN Radio Network. Afternoon host Paul Finebaum is carried from studios in Charlotte, North Carolina, a program that is syndicated around the South. Program Director Steve Moulton was named the "Large Market Sportscaster of the Year" by the Alabama Broadcasters Association six times in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 &2018. On-air personalities include former University of Alabama Football player Wes Neighbors, plus Drew DeArmond, co-host of "Talkin Ball," heard weekday mornings, 7-9 am, along with Scott Theisen. Play-by-play broadcasts on the station include the Crimson Tide Sports Network, Atlanta Braves Baseball, Madison Academy football (on Friday nights during the season), Army Black Knights football, the Huntsville Times Classic (a local high school basketball tournament), UAH Chargers basketball, Huntsville Havoc home games, plus coverage of Auburn University and University of Alabama sports. Thom Abraham is on the air as well

History

Ownership

On July 12, 1968, the station first signed on as WKLD-FM in Oneonta, Alabama. [3] It was simulcast with co-owned AM 1570 WCRL. Because the AM station was a daytime only station, the FM carried the AM programming around the clock. The "LD" in the original WKLD call letters stood for the station's founder, former owner and on-air host, Luther Daniel "L.D." Bentley. For the first few decades of its existence, the station was a multi-format station featuring a wide-ranging selection of music, talk and entertainment programs. In November 2002, control of Blount County Broadcasting Service legally passed from Luther Daniel Bentley Jr. to Luther Daniel Bentley III. [4]

"K97.7" logo WKLD-FM logo.png
"K97.7" logo

In April 2008, Blount County Broadcasting Service, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to Great South Wireless LLC for a reported sale price of $1.1 million. [5] [6] The deal was approved by the FCC on June 10, 2008, and the transaction was consummated on September 16, 2008. [7] At the time of the sale, WKLD broadcast a country music format branded as "K97.7". [5]

To serve the larger Huntsville media market, in 2008, the station received Federal Communications Commission (FCC) permission to move to its Union Grove site in December 2009. [8] [9] In 2009, the station switched its call sign to WZZN, and began an all-sports format branded as "97.7 The Zone" in July 2010.

Effective July 26, 2019, Great South Wireless sold WZZN to Neighbors Broadcast Company, LLC for $535,000.

[10] [11]

Former on-air staff

Sirius XM (Crime Stories with Nancy Grace) new anchor John Lemley began his radio career at WKLD at the age of 16. For a brief time in 1984, he hosted the afternoon drive time (adult contemporary) music program.

One of the most popular WKLD programs was its early morning talk and music program Early Riser hosted by the brother and sister team of Danny Bentley and Terri (Bentley) Lowry. After the sale, they moved to former sister station WCRL. [8]

Relocation

On August 4, 2008, WKLD received an FCC construction permit to move the station's broadcast tower to a new city of license location of Union Grove, Alabama. The move means the station's signal can be heard around the Huntsville metropolitan area. [8] [12] The last song played on WKLD was reportedly "When Will I See You Again" by The Three Degrees.

The station was assigned the new call sign WZZN by the FCC on August 27, 2009. [13]

WZZN began licensed operation with Union Grove as the city of license on December 24, 2009. Four days later, the station applied for a new special temporary authority to remain silent for technical reasons, citing their inability to "maintain an adequate studio/transmitter link". This authority was granted by the FCC on March 22, 2010, with a scheduled September 19, 2010, expiration. The station returned to the air in July 2010 with a sports talk format.

Related Research Articles

WVNN (AM) Radio station in Athens, Alabama

WVNN is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Athens, Alabama, serving parts of North Alabama including Huntsville and Decatur. Owned by Cumulus Media, it airs a Talk radio format. Programming on WVNN is simulcast on WVNN-FM 92.5 MHz, which is licensed to Trinity, Alabama. Collectively, the stations are branded as "NewsTalk 770 AM/92.5 FM WVNN." The studios and offices are on U.S. Route 72 East in Athens.

WXJC-FM Radio station in Cullman, Alabama

WXJC-FM is a commercial Christian FM radio station licensed to Cullman, Alabama, serving the Birmingham metropolitan area and nearly all of north-central Alabama. The station is owned by Crawford Broadcasting Company, and airs a mix of Christian talk and teaching programs with Southern Gospel music. The studios and offices are located in Homewood.

WARB is a radio station licensed to serve Dothan, Alabama, United States. The station, which began licensed operation in 1996, is currently owned by Alarado Media, LLC. The station is licensed to broadcast only during daylight hours.

WYAM is a Spanish language Variety formatted radio station licensed to serve Hartselle, Alabama. The station primarily serves the Huntsville, Alabama, area. It is owned by Decatur Communications Properties, LLC.

WABD is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Mobile, Alabama. The station, established in 1973 as WABB-FM, is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. Its studios are on Dauphin Street in Midtown Mobile, and its transmitter is near Spanish Fort, Alabama.

WHRP 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.

WRSA-FM is an adult contemporary-formatted radio station serving the Huntsville, Alabama, area.

WAHR Radio station in Huntsville, Alabama

WAHR is an American mainstream adult contemporary music-formatted radio station licensed to serve Huntsville, Alabama. The station is licensed to Southern Stone Communications, LLC. The signal covers most of northern Alabama and southern central Tennessee. WAHR is one of the top-rated radio stations in the Huntsville market. Its studios are located off University Drive in Huntsville, and its transmitter is located north of the city.

WJRD Radio station in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

WJRD is a radio station licensed to serve Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by JRD, Inc. WJRD simulcasts on FM translator W271AM in Tuscaloosa.

WIEZ is an American radio station licensed to Decatur, Alabama that serves the western Huntsville, Alabama, market. The station airs a rhythmic contemporary format.

WHIY Radio station in Huntsville, Alabama

WHIY is an Urban oldies and Blues music formatted radio station that serves Huntsville, Alabama, and the majority of the Tennessee Valley in north Alabama, United States. The station's studios and transmitter are both co-located along Jordan Lane in Northwest Huntsville.

WTAK-FM Radio station in Hartselle, Alabama

WTAK-FM is a classic rock-formatted radio station licensed to Hartselle, Alabama, and owned by San Antonio-based iHeartMedia, Inc. It serves Huntsville, Alabama, and the central Tennessee Valley area. Its broadcast tower is located on Brindlee Mountain in Morgan County, Alabama, near the Union Hill community, and its studios are located in Madison, Alabama.

WTKI is a radio station licensed to serve Huntsville, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by FRC of Alabama LLC, doing business as "Focus Radio Communications". Its studios and transmitter are located just west of downtown Huntsville.

WHOS is a radio station licensed to serve Decatur, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by San Antonio-based iHeartMedia and the broadcast license is held by iHM Licenses, LLC. WHOS is one of five stations in the Huntsville, Alabama, market owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The station is also simulcast on WBHP at 1230 AM in Huntsville, a 106.5 FM broadcast translator in Huntsville, and on WQRV-HD2. Its studios are located in Madison, Alabama and its transmitter is located in West Decatur, Alabama.

WDLT-FM Radio station in Saraland, Alabama

WDLT-FM is an American radio station licensed to the community of Saraland, Alabama. The station, founded in 1966, broadcasts to the greater Mobile metropolitan area. The station is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. The WDLT broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC.

WNSP Radio station in Bay Minette, Alabama

WNSP is a radio station licensed to serve Bay Minette, Alabama, United States. The station, founded in 1964, is currently owned by Dot Com Plus, LLC. WNSP and sister station WZEW broadcast from the former Smith Bakery building in Mobile, Alabama. WNSP's transmitter is near Bay Minette.

WKKR Radio station in Auburn, Alabama

WKKR is a radio station licensed to Auburn, Alabama, United States. The station, established in 1968, is currently owned by San Antonio–based iHeartMedia, through licensee iHM Licenses, LLC. In 1988, WKKR became the first Alabama radio station to earn the National Association of Broadcasters Crystal Radio Award for outstanding commitment to community service.

WHVK is a radio station repeating a satellite-delivered Contemporary Christian music format branded as K-LOVE, and is licensed to New Hope, Alabama. The station serves the Huntsville, Alabama, area. WHVK is owned and operated by Educational Media Foundation.

WCRL is a radio station licensed to serve Oneonta, Alabama. The station is owned by Our Town Radio, Inc. and began operation on July 29, 1952. WCRL airs a classic hits music format.

WBHK Radio station in Warrior, Alabama

WBHK is an urban adult contemporary music formatted radio station owned by SummitMedia that serves Birmingham, Alabama. It is currently ranked by the Arbitron rating system as the nation's highest rated urban adult contemporary station. 98.7 Kiss FM is licensed to Warrior and broadcasts on the 98.7 Megahertz (MHz) frequency at effective radiated power of 39 kilowatts (kW) from atop Red Mountain. It is owned by SummitMedia along with six other stations, and all share studios in the Cahaba neighborhood in far southeast Birmingham.

References

  1. ↑ WZZN website
  2. ↑ Radio-Locator
  3. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-6
  4. ↑ "Application Search Details (BTC-20020725AAF)". FCC Media Bureau. Retrieved October 19, 2008.
  5. 1 2 "Deals - 4/28/2008". Broadcasting & Cable. April 28, 2008.
  6. ↑ "Transactions for April 21, 2008". Radio & Records. April 21, 2008.
  7. ↑ "Application Search Details (BALH-20080417ABT)". FCC Media Bureau. September 16, 2008.
  8. 1 2 3 Rice, Rob (November 5, 2008). "End of an era: WKLD off the air". The Blount Countian.
  9. ↑ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
  10. ↑ "Oneonta native named anchor on Nancy Grace's radio program".
  11. ↑ "Briefs: John Lewis CNN doc; Atlanta United on Fox Sports; John Lemley update; 'Paid off with Michael Torpey' over".
  12. ↑ "Application Search Details (BPH-20080409ACP)". FCC Media Bureau. August 4, 2008.
  13. ↑ "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
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.