WWVA-FM

Infobox Radio Station


name = WWVA-FM
airdate =
frequency = 105.7 MHz HD Radio
city = Canton, Georgia
area = Atlanta metropolitan area
format = Spanish CHR
owner = Clear Channel Communications
sister_stations = WBZY, WGST, WKLS, WWLG, WUBL
erp = 20,000 watts
haat = 238 meters
branding = Viva 105.7
slogan = "¡Tan Latina Como Tú!" ("As Latin As You!")
class = C2
facility_id = 10698
former_callsigns = WLCL, WMXV, WGST, WCHK
webcast = [http://www.vivaatlanta.com/cc-common/streaming_new/index.html?refreshed=yes Listen Live]
website = [http://www.vivaatlanta.com www.vivaatlanta.com]
callsign_meaning = W W VivA 105.7 (on-air name)

WWVA-FM ("Viva 105.7") is an Atlanta radio station that plays Spanish top 40.

In September 2004, the station format and moniker were created as "Viva 105.3", as part of efforts by owner Clear Channel Communications to expand into Hispanic markets. During the last quarter of 2004, it was the second highest rated radio station in Atlanta.

History

Until 1991 the station was country WCHK-FM on 105.5 MHz in Canton, Georgia, sister station to WCHK AM. In 1993 owner Cherokee Broadcasting received FCC approval to upgrade to class C2, with a much stronger signal and relocation of their transmitter location southwards toward Atlanta. This change also required a frequency shift of one channel to 105.7. (Subsequently this also allowed a later move by WMAX-FM (now WBZY-FM) on 105.3 from Carrollton, GA east towards Atlanta.) WCHK remained under local management for a little over a year afterward, briefly as "North Metro's K-105" then as "Atlanta's Classic Country 105.7", before owner Chuck McClure leased the station to Clear Channel Communications.

Under Clear Channel Management the station became WGST-FM and simulcast news-talk WGST AM 640. in the mid-1990's it again relocated its transmitter site southward, this time to Sweat Mountain in northeastern Cobb County. In 2004 Clear Channel purchased the license outright from McClure, and still holds Canton as its city of license. A new WCHK-FM, located at 100.1 and also owned by McClure, was sold and changed to WNSY FM in 1999.

In the fall of 2000, the station became rock "Mix 105.7" (WMXV), but didn't stay that way for long due to lagging Arbitron ratings. It finally became WLCL "Cool 105.7" in the spring of 2003, playing '60s/'70s oldies music after Cox Radio dropped its '50s/'60s "Fox 97" format from WFOX FM, which is now WSRV FM. At the time, WLCL was the only oldies station in Atlanta. Regardless, the oldies format still wasn't as profitable to companies as it once was.

In 2005, it switched to Spanish top 40 on May 2, simulcasting with 105.3 WWVA-FM. One week later, the station officially became WWVA-FM itself, swapping the WLCL callsign over to 105.3, where "The Buzz" format from 96.7 was put. Strangely, that left the hard modern rock of "The Buzz" with the oldies call sign WLCL instead of with its own WBZY-FM, which was unused for about two weeks.

This station began simulcasting on 96.7 (formerly "the Buzz", now "Viva 96.7") on May 17, and that station's callsign has been changed to WVWA FM (an anagram of WWVA, with the two middle letters transposed). Because 105.7 is north of Atlanta, 96.7 gave some coverage to the south. Its far-northeastern simulcast on WHEL FM 105.1 in Helen, Georgia was sold in 2005, and has since changed formats to Hot AC. On December 20, 2006, WVWA flipped formats to WLTM's former adult contemporary radio station as "96.7 Lite FM".

External links

* [http://www.vivaatlanta.com Viva home page]
*FMQ|WWVA
*FML|WWVA
*FMARB|WWVA