WSIX-FM
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| WSIX-FM | |
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| City of license | Nashville, Tennessee |
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| Broadcast area | Nashville, Tennessee (FM) United States (SDARS) |
| Branding | The Big 98 |
| Frequency | 97.9 (MHz) (Also on HD Radio) XM 161 97.9-2 FM (WSIXtra New) for New Country |
| Format | Country |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 349 meters |
| Class | C0 Satellite Radio Station |
| Facility ID | 59815 |
| Transmitter Coordinates | |
| Callsign meaning | 638 ("SIX") Tire Company (home of original WSIX-AM) |
| Owner | Clear Channel Communications |
| Sister stations | WLAC, WNRQ, WRVW, & WUBT |
| Website | www.wsix.com |
WSIX-FM is an FM radio station broadcasting in Nashville, Tennessee on a frequency of 97.9 MHz. It is owned by Clear Channel Communications.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Countrypolitan
Originally the sister station of a similarly-styled AM station (now WFYN-AM, which simulcasts the Bible Broadcasting Network's religious programming), WSIX-FM pioneered the broadcasting in Nashville (and likely elsewhere in the U.S.) of the "countrypolitan" "Nashville sound" of country music, which developed in the 1960s, adding violins and other stringed instruments (and occasionally horns) to the traditionally fiddle- and guitar-driven sound of country music. During those years (roughly the late 1960s until the late 1970s) WSIX-FM used the tagline, "We're metropolitan country." As such, WSIX-FM became one of the first successful country-formatted stations on the FM dial in the U.S.; country stations were overwhelmingly found on AM until well into the early 1980s.
In 1983, then-owners General Electric sold the AM and FM stations, along with WNGE-TV (now WKRN), to other interests. Around that time, the stations' (both were simulcasting by this point) format turned to a more straightforward country sound (i.e., honkey tonk and "Outlaw" recordings that previously did not fit the more mellow, quieter playlist).
[edit] The Big 98
The station was long the dominant country station in the Arbitron ratings in the Nashville/Middle Tennessee market, but this long dominance has recently been threated by the resurgent WSM-FM. However, WSIX continues to hold its own against WSM-FM.
Disc jockeys and other station employees from WSM-FM and WSIX play each other every year in a charity softball game at Herschel Greer Stadium. Top country artists are "drafted" to play for both teams alongside the DJs. All proceeds from the game benefit local charities.
Despite the longstanding absence of WSIX (AM) and WSIX-TV, the station's callsign still officially bears the "-FM" suffix, largely due to traditional custom.
[edit] Simulcasting
On May 1, 2006, WSIX-FM began simulcasting on XM Satellite Radio (channel 161). Some of the disc jockeys now mention WSIX simulcast on XM Radio. The station and its staff do not receive any sort of compensation for the XM exposure. In comparison, local blowtorch 650 WSM was paid $500,000 a year by Sirius Satellite Radio to carry the station on their satellite radio platform, although WSM (home of the Grand Ole Opry) has more heritage and is better known nationwide than WSIX is.
[edit] Airstaff
The current lineup is as follows
- Morning Show: Gerry House & The House Foundation - Gerry House, Mike Bohan, Al Voecks,
Duncan Stewart & Richard Falklen - Mid-Days: Newman
- Afternoon Drive: Big D and Bubba
- Nighttime: Slam Duncan
- Overnights: After Mid-Nite with Blair Garner
[edit] Links
Query the FCC's FM station database for WSIX
[edit] See also
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