WAYS-FM (defunct)

articleissues
wikify=November 2007
orphan=March 2008

WAYS-FM was a radio station in Macon, Georgia.

History

Initially the station used the frequency 99.1 MHz and became known as FM99. The stations slogan was "99 WAYS, Your Hit Music Station."

Albert Sanders and Bill Powell were the early leaders. Sanders headed up WMAZ-TV, and Powell managed WMAZ-AM and FM and WAYS-FM. Powell also hosted the morning show for years, before moving to 13 WMAZ as Senior Forecaster in 1982. The same year, Bill Elder, an early protege of Powell, became the morning drive host at FM99. Other popular personalities were Hamp Swain, Ben Sandifer, Oscar Leverette (later went to WPEZ), Kenny Burgamy (former host of The Kenny B and Jami G Show on AM 940 WMAC), Wade Ryan (now known as Hank Brigmond, manager of Hawkinsville's WRPG 103.9 The Patriot), Mark "In the Dark" McCoy, Dee Shannon (later went to WDEN), Steve Cain, Mary Therese (later anchored 13 WMAZ Eyewitness News at 5), Scott Tyler, and a host of others. In the mid 1980s, the station became known as 99WAYS, Your Hit Music Station. Top 40 was the winning format. In the early 1990s, WAYS-FM ditched Top 40 in favor of golden oldies and became Oldies 99.1, WAYS. Therese stayed a few more years, and Elder was still the driving force until his departure in 2000 when the station switched frequencies with WDEN-FM 105.5. As country music became more popular and Top 40 finally began re-emerging in popularity in the early 2000s, Oldies 99.1 WAYS' popularity waned. Around 2001, WAYS-FM went off the air for about a few months to switch places with WDEN and became Big Ways 105 broadcasting on 105.5, where they remained for about 5 years. WAYS then started operating as a low power station at 1500 AM and was owned by Cumulus Media. However on Columbus Day 2006, after months of low ratings, WAYS said farewell, and went off the air now another oldies station occupies the dial. Today, Macon station B-95.1 is the area's Top 40 station.

Footnotes

References

*Edgar Online. (2007, March) Cumulus Media Inc. Report.
*Elder, Bill. (2007, May) Bill Elder Voiceovers.
*Womack, Amy Leigh. (2007, May) Kenny B takes position at Atlantic Southern Bank. The Macon *Telegraph.