WRKZ

Infobox Radio Station
name = WRKZ


city = Columbus, Ohio
area = [http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WRKZ&service=FM&status=L&hours=U]
branding = 99.7 The Rock
slogan = Columbus' Rock Station
airdate = April 26, 1962
frequency = 99.7 (MHz)
format = Active Rock
erp = 20,000 watts
haat = 239 meters
class = B
facility_id = 49107
owner = North American Broadcasting Company, Inc.
webcast =
website = http://www.997wrkz.com
:"For the station that was once WRKZ, please see WBZW in Pittsburgh" WRKZ (99.7 FM, "99.7 The Rock") is primarily a rock music radio station in Columbus, Ohio owned by locally-based North American Broadcasting Company, Inc. [cite episode |title=WBZX Radio broadcast |station=WBZX |airdate=9:53PM EST, April 3, 2008 |minutes=Continuous] [cite news | first=Lance | last=Venta | coauthors= | title=99.7 WBZX Columbus Stunting | date=April 3, 2008 | publisher= | url =http://radioinsight.com/netgnomes/997-wbzx-columbus-stunting/ | work =RadioInsight | pages = | accessdate = 2008-04-04 | language = ]

History

99.7FM went on the air in 1962. At that time, FM radio wasn't very popular and WMNI-FM (as it was known) mostly rebroadcast its sister AM station's easy listening music format. Like most stations, it has changed formats over the years. In the late '80s and early '90s the station was known as WMGG, "Magic 99.7" (spoken as "ninety-nine-seven"), and played predominantly '60s-era classic rock/oldies. "The Blitz" began July 4th weekend, 1992, and played 'new rock hits'. WBZX became WRKZ "The Rock" on April 4th, 2008.

"The Rock" broadcasts from one of the highest radio antennas in Columbus (only WOSU-FM is higher) and covers an area more than 125 miles in diameter. The station uses a state-of-the-art audio and radio transmission system. There are three on-the-air studios, four radio production rooms, an interview studio and a multi-track recording studio with a separate sound booth. Most of the programming on "99.7 The Rock" is produced on fully digital audio systems. Computer-controlled main and backup transmitter sites feature the latest equipment, backup power systems and high-tech environmental controls. [cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = NEW ROCK 99.7 THE BLITZ (via Google Cache) | work = | publisher = | date = March 28, 2008 16:20:16 GMT. | url = http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:7EVlcXvl8EUJ:www.wbzx.com/stationinfo.asp+99.7FM+Columbus+history&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7&gl=us | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-04-04]

Other Items of Interest

^{- From WBZX Wikipedia entry -}

The FCC website has shown that the call letters, WBZX, have been changed to WRKZ, effective April 4, 2008. [http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=49107&Callsign=WRKZ]

On April 3rd, 2008, the station played miscellaneous jargon that sounded as if the radio was having trouble tuning. Intermittently, a voice would mention that the "station is rebooting".

On April 4th 2008, 99.7FM was yet again changed to WRKZ The Rock. The new station premiered with "Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" at 17:00 EST.

References

External links

* [http://www.997wrkz.com/ WRKZ 99.7 The Rock]
*FMQ|WRKZ
*FML|WRKZ
*FMARB|WRKZ