WAQZ
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| WAQZ | |
| Broadcast area | Cincinnati, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Branding | Channel Z (1991-2003) New Rock 97.3 (2003-2005) Everything Alternative (2006) |
| Frequency | 107.1 MHz (1991-1998) 97.3 MHz (2000-2006) |
| First air date | May 15, 1991 at 107.1 MHz April 1, 2000 at 97.3 MHz Ended on November 9, 2006 |
| Format | Alternative rock |
| Callsign meaning | WAQZ (Channel Z) |
| Owner | Clear Channel (1991-1998) CBS Radio (2000-2006) Entercom Communications (2006) |
WAQZ was the alternative rock FM radio station in the Cincinnati, Ohio area for the most part of 15 years, from 1991 to 2006. Throughout its legacy, the station was broadcast at 107.1 FM from 1991 to 1998, and at 97.3 FM from 2000 to 2006.
The station was known as Channel Z from 1991 to 1998, again from 2000 to 2003, New Rock 97.3 from 2003 to 2005, and finally 97.3 Everything Alternative in 2006. WAQZ went off the air on November 9, 2006, replaced by a new alternative station, WSWD, on 94.9 FM.
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[edit] Channel Z at 107.1 FM
The independently owned WOXY (97X), based in Oxford, Ohio, was the first alternative station in the region, as it launched in 1983. However, WOXY's signal did not serve the entire Cincinnati area, so some listeners could not pick up the signal. In the early 1990s, as bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, and Green Day dominated the music scene, there was an increasing demand for a higher-powered alternative station to serve all of Greater Cincinnati.
Jacor Communications, now Clear Channel, eventually answered this demand. The call letters WAQZ originated on May 15, 1991, when local station WRBZ (broadcast at 107.1 FM) changed its call letters to WAQZ. At this time, the station carried a top 40 format. In 1992 and early 1993, the station carried a hard rock format. Finally, later in 1993, WAQZ picked up a new alternative format called Channel Z.[1]
According to Cincinnati CityBeat, Channel Z offered an "exciting lineup of real music and real music information."[2] The tagline for Channel Z at 107.1 FM was "The New Music Revolution," and the station was centered around alternative music. This format lasted for seven years.
The alternative format on 107.1 FM was in trouble by 1998. On August 11, 1998, the format of WAQZ at 107.1 FM flipped from alternative to top 40.[1] The station's on-air staff and announcers began referring to the station as simply 107 FM and acknowledged that the alternative format was discarded.[2]
Finally, on September 29, 1998, at 5 PM eastern time, WAQZ at 107.1 FM played its last song, "Closing Time" by Semisonic. Immediately after the song ended, WAQZ became KISS 107 FM, with new call letters WKFS, and permanently switched to the top 40 format.[1]
[edit] Channel Z at 97.3 FM
Throughout the rest of 1998, 1999, and early 2000, Oxford's 97X was again the only alternative music offering in the entire Greater Cincinnati region, leaving many potential listeners of alternative music out of the signal's range.
On March 31, 2000, Infinity Broadcasting, now known as CBS Radio, picked up where Jacor Communications left off in 1998 by re-introducing WAQZ as Z97.3 at 97.3 FM, replacing the former classic rock station on that frequency, WYLX. When the station flipped formats, "Bawitdaba" by Kid Rock was played continuously for about three days. Many fans around the Cincinnati area began referring to the station as the new Channel Z, and after a couple of weeks the station officially changed its name from Z97.3 to Channel Z.[1]
Initial criticism of the new Channel Z targeted its primarily mainstream rock playlist, which included bands that were already being played on Cincinnati's mainstream rock station, WEBN, such as Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Staind, Nickelback, and Creed.[3]
In 2001, WAQZ began broadcasting Howard Stern's morning radio show, which significantly increased its ratings.[1] Later, the station would also pick up syndication of Loveline at night, which previously aired in Cincinnati on WEBN.
[edit] New Rock 97.3
On March 4, 2003, WAQZ received a new name, New Rock 97.3.[1] The station also received a higher capacity broadcasting tower. Most of the on-air staff at the station survived the switch. The new name was chosen to place more focus on the frequency itself, allow the station to include "more cuts, and go deeper with artists," and put the format of the station in its name. All of these steps were taken to attract more listeners.[3]
The early criticism of WAQZ, which targeted its mainstream rock playlist, was eventually addressed by Infinity Broadcasting in 2003 and 2004. At this time, more experimental bands such as Modest Mouse, Franz Ferdinand, and The Killers reached high rotation.[3]
The format of WAQZ remained the same until December 16, 2005, when Howard Stern signed off from FM radio to make the move to Sirius Satellite Radio. After his final broadcast, WAQZ played "Train In Vain" by The Clash.
[edit] 97.3 Everything Alternative
Immediately after "Train In Vain", WAQZ announced its new name, 97.3 Everything Alternative.[1] The premise of the modified format was to have a "shuffle" of alternative music, similar to that of an iPod. Most of the on-air staff and music played on WAQZ remained the same. However, some deeper cuts and lesser known songs from the 1980s and 1990s were added to the existing playlist.
At the beginning of January 2006, WAQZ began syndicating Rover's Morning Glory to replace Howard Stern in the morning. Throughout the next eleven months, WAQZ continued to expand its on-air playlist and remained "on shuffle" for the most part, although it also featured live DJs, some requests, and countdown shows.
Despite the attempt to save WAQZ's alternative format with the "on shuffle" premise, the station ultimately could not survive. Some listeners predicted the demise of the format as early as 2005, when alternative stations in New York City, Philadelphia, Miami, Seattle, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. all switched to other formats.[4]
For the alternative stations that remained, WAQZ included, Howard Stern's show may have been the only thing keeping the format on the air. As a 2005 article in Billboard Radio Monitor explained, "Infinity will likely flip more stations from alternative to another format to coincide with Howard Stern's January 2006 exit."[5] Although WAQZ kept its alternative format through most of 2006, the end was approaching.
[edit] The end of WAQZ
- Further information: 2006 Cincinnati radio station reorganization
On August 21, 2006, Entercom Communications bought WAQZ, along with several other stations, from CBS Radio. On October 30, 2006, Entercom abruptly fired the entire on-air staff at WAQZ, including "Razor", Jimmy "The Weasel", "Notorious", Miss Sally, and others.[6]
On November 2, 2006, Entercom's plans became clear. A new alternative station would launch at 94.9 FM, while WYGY would be moved to 97.3 FM. WYGY was formerly "The Star", located at 96.5 FM and owned by Cumulus Media, but was traded to Entercom in exchange for WGRR. Entercom would re-launch WYGY on 97.3 as "The Wolf", a top 40 country station, in order to appeal to a younger demographic than its other country station, WUBE ("B-105").[7]
The final song to play on WAQZ was "The Only Difference Between Martyrdom And Suicide Is Press Coverage" by Panic! at the Disco, on November 9, 2006, at 11:58 a.m. EST, then the frequency switched to its new country format, now known as WYGY. At this time, Cincinnati's new alternative radio station, WSWD, began broadcasting on 94.9 FM, and WAQZ came to an end.
[edit] See also
- WSWD, the current alternative radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio
- WYGY (The Wolf), the country station now at 97.3 FM
- WKFS (KISS), the top 40 station now at 107.1 FM
- WOXY (97X), the alternative station formerly at 97.7 FM and now online
- 2006 Cincinnati radio station reorganization
- CBS Radio
- Entercom Communications
- Howard Stern
- Loveline
- Rover's Morning Glory
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g B., Mike. Greater Cincinnati and Dayton Radio - Station History. November 4, 2006.
- ^ a b McFarland, Todd. "Z Means Zip". Cincinnati CityBeat. September 3, 1998.
- ^ a b c Kiesewetter, John. WAQZ cranks up new tower of power. May 2, 2003.
- ^ Leeds, Jeff. "Fade Out: New Rock is Passe on Radio". New York Times. April 28, 2005.
- ^ Heine, Paul. "Hollander: A Radio Shift Is Underway". Billboard Radio Monitor. September 27, 2005.
- ^ Bird, Rick. "Deals shake up FM radio", The Cincinnati Post, E. W. Scripps Company, 2006-11-01, p. A1.
- ^ Kiesewetter, John. "Country music station WYGY moving again, changing name". Cincinnati Enquirer. November 2, 2006.
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