WMGE

Infobox Radio Station


name = WMGE
airdate = 1962
frequency = 94.9 MHz HD Radio
city = Miami Beach, Florida
area = Miami-Hollywood-Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
format = Latin Pop
owner = Clear Channel Communications
sister_stations = WBGG, WHYI, WINZ, WIOD, WLVE, WMGE, WMIB
erp = 100,000 watts
branding = Mega 94.9
slogan = Latino & Proud
class = C0
website = [http://www.mega949.com/main.html www.mega949.com]
callsign_meaning = The E in MEGA is transposed

WMGE is Mega 94.9 in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale radio market. The station plays a Spanish Soft AC format, which is a growing trend once again in the United States after several years of decline. Despite the market target, the station's signal is able to reach as far north as Jupiter and as far south as Key Largo.

The station signed on in 1962, with 81,000 watts under the WAEZ calls. It was the first station in Miami to broadcast in stereo. It played easy listening music "from the beautiful Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach." The station was owned by Arthur E. Zucker, hence the "AEZ" in the station's calls. A few years later, it changed its calls to WOCN-FM to reflect its sister station WOCN-AM, which it was now partially simulcasting. It continued to play its format, and even began an attempt at Spanish language romance music. For a brief moment during the mid 70's, they were known as " Stereo 94".

In 1975, it became WINZ-FM under Guy Gannett Broadcasting, and went to a progressive rock format, with the moniker "Zeta-4" until early 1981, when it flipped to CHR/Pop station "I-95", retaining the WINZ-FM calls. "I-95" provided for a highly competetive ratings battle against Top 40 powerhouse WHYI during its' few years of existence. In early 1986, WINZ-FM transformed from Top-40 to a short-lived Classic Rock/Adult Hits hybrid as "Rockin' With Class....95-INZ". This lasted for about a year until early 1987 when the station flipped to Classic rock as Zeta, this time with the WZTA call letters. This is where the station would begin a long term commitment as a rocker. In the early-90s, the station was purchased by Paxson Communications and then swallowed up by Clear Channel Communications in the mid-90's. Under Paxson, the station evolved to an active rock format, still retaining the WZTA calls. In the early new millennium, Zeta attempted an Alternative rock format, but quickly switched back to active. With ratings continuing to slump, and Lex and Terry underperforming, Zeta finally came to an end in February 11, 2005 after 19 years as a rock station.

Mega 94.9 was born, with the new calls WMGE, which previously existed in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale on what is now urban AC WMIB, also under the Clear Channel umbrella. The station was part of Clear Channel's effort to expand its Hispanic radio efforts, as they were flipping several more stations to Spanish formats the same year. Coincidentally, with no more active rock stations in the market, Cox Radio flipped their CHR-dance station Party 93.1 to active rocker 93Rock, with new calls WHDR, on February 14, 2005. Like other Hispanic Urban formatted stations, Mega was a hybrid of both English and Spanish language.

The new Mega 94.9 however continued to lose a listening base and failed to improve beyond its old rock format after two years on the air, and the station was adjusted to a Hispanic top 40 format in 2007. The station still uses the Mega brand name and has only made changes to its playlist.

External links

* [http://www.mega949.com WMGE]
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