WXZX

WXZX
City Hilliard, Ohio
Broadcast area Columbus metro area
Branding Sports Radio 105.7 The Zone
Slogan Columbus' New Destination For Sports
Frequency 105.7 MHz
First air date 1990 (as WNRJ)
Format Sports talk
HD2: Rock music
ERP 2,400 watts
HAAT 159 meters
Class A
Facility ID 64716
Former callsigns WNRJ (1990–1991)
WWHT (1991–1994)
WAKS (1994–1997)
WHQK (1997–1998)
WKFX (1/1998–9/1998)
WZAZ-FM (1998–2000)
WFJX (2000–2005)
WBWR (2005–2015)
Affiliations Fox Sports Radio
Cincinnati Bengals Radio Network
Cleveland Cavaliers Radio Network
Cleveland Indians Radio Network
Premiere Networks
United Stations Radio Networks
Owner iHeartMedia
(Citicasters Licenses, Inc.)
Sister stations WZCB, WCOL-FM, WNCI, WODC, WTVN, WYTS
Webcast Listen Live
Website 105.7 The Zone

WXZX (105.7 FM) – 105.7 The Zone – is a commercial radio station licensed to Columbus, Ohio serving the Columbus metro area. Owned by iHeartMedia, WXZX serves as the Columbus affiliate for the Cincinnati Bengals Radio Network and, as of the 2016-17 season, the Cleveland Cavaliers Radio Network. Both the WXZX studios and the station transmitter are located in Downtown Columbus. Besides a standard analog transmission, WXZX broadcasts over two HD Radio channels, and is available online via iHeartRadio.[1][2][3][4]

History

WXZX's HD Radio Channels on a SPARC Radio with PSD.

A new station was constructed in Marysville, Ohio at 105.7 MHz in 1990 and premiered as Top 40 WNRJ "The Power Pig". (The "NRJ" in the calls signified "energy" as in "Energy 105.7", a name that was originally considered but never used.) The original format lasted until 1991, when the station became Rhythmic Contemporary WWHT, "Hot 105". Not long after, 107.1 MHz (changed from WTLT to WAHC) began simulcasting WWHT's signal. The combo was referred to as "Hot 105/Hot107").

In an effort to again re-image the station, WWHT was changed to WAKS, "105.7 Kiss-FM", playing more mainstream Top 40 with a much more adult lean. With its poor signal and undifferentiated format, "Kiss" failed to become a viable competitor to WNCI.

The next format change saw the station become all-70s oldies as "Arrow 105.7", First song on Arrow was "Stayin Alive " by Bees Gees which was simulcast on Circleville's 107.1 MHz (now WJYD).

Early in 1997, the station was purchased by Jacor Communications and switched to a country format (as WHQK "Kicks Country 105-7"). Just months later, the format was dropped and began simulcasting WHOK-FM. (The station stunted in late 1996 when "Country 98-9", WLLD, was briefly simulcast on 105.7 and 107.1 in a short-lived attempt to "surround" country WCOL).

Late in 1997, the station decided to give all-'70s another try, and briefly switched formats again (the third change to take place in 1997). During this time, it was known as "105.7 The Chicken" in reference to its mascot, a giant whole broiled chicken dressed in seasonal clothing.

After a day of stunting with Ohio State themes, 105.7 flipped to urban AC. Urban programming lasted until 1998, when alternative-formatted WZAZ (then located at 98.9 FM) swapped formats/call-letters with 105.7. 105.7 then became the new home of WZAZ, and was rebranded as "Channel Z 105.7."

On June 6, 2000, the station relocated its transmitter closer to Columbus and became classic rock "The Fox", WJFX. A petition to "Bring back Channel Z" was started after the station switched to 1970s and 1980s rock, but nothing materialized from this effort. Although many liked the music variety played by "Channel Z", it was not competitive in the ratings with Grove City's alternative station, WWCD.

On September 19, 2005, after a week of stunting again (this time with "Cheers" episodes), "The Fox" relaunched as "The Brew @ 105.7", WBWR. Later that year, WBWR began broadcasting in HD Radio.

On December 1, 2014, at Noon, after playing Heard It on The X by ZZ Top (a clever reference to their future format), WBWR dropped the "Brew" format and began stunting again with music by the Ohio State University marching band. At 3 p.m., WBWR flipped to gold-leaning alternative rock as "105.7 The X", bringing the former name and branding of sister station WCGX (now WZCB) back after it dropped the format two months before (in between, "X" was broadcast on 105.7 HD2). The first song on "The X" was Gold on the Ceiling by Akron band The Black Keys.[5][6] On July 8, 2015, WBWR changed their call letters to WXZX to match the "X" branding.

On November 21, 2016, at 3 p.m., after briefly stunting with audio from past Ohio State-Michigan Rivalry football games (as the next rivalry game was set for the following Saturday, the 26th), WXZX flipped to sports talk as "105.7 The Zone".[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-08-04. Retrieved 2010-06-22.
  2. ↑ http://www.sixxsense.com/pages/radiostations.html?state=ohio
  3. ↑ http://houseofhaironline.com/house-of-hair-stations-list-by-state/
  4. ↑ http://www.hdradio.com/stations/Ohio-OH/Columbus-20
  5. ↑ Columbus' Brew Marches To Alternative from Radioinsight - December 1, 2014
  6. ↑ WBWR Becomes The X from Format Change Archive December 5, 2014
  7. ↑ Radio Insight "105.7 The Zone Debuting in Columbus". Retrieved November 23, 2016.
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