WBKZ

Infobox Radio station
name = WBKZ


city = Jefferson, Georgia
area = Chattanooga, Tennessee
branding =
slogan =
airdate =
frequency = 880 kHz
format =
power = 5,000 watts day
class = D
facility_id = 7315
coordinates = coord|34|0|52.00|N|83|27|11.00|W|region:US_type:city
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns = WEEG (1984-1986) WBKZ (1986-2007)
owner = Brown Broadcasting System, Inc.
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast =
website =
affiliations =

WBKZ (880 AM) was a radio station licensed to Jefferson, Georgia, USA, and serving the Chattanooga, Tennessee, area. The station is currently owned by Brown Broadcasting System, Inc. [ cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=DWBKZ |title=DWBKZ Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division ]

History

The station was assigned the call letters WEEG on 1984-05-21. On 1986-08-30, the station changed its call sign to WBKZ then on 2007-04-19 was deleted from the FCC database and archived as "DWBKZ". [cite web |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=7315&Callsign=DWBKZ |title=DWBKZ Call Sign History |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division]

The format has change over the years servicing primarily to the African American Community airing Gospel, blues, news, talk shows, and car races. WBKZ 880am played a very important roll to expand "Contacto Latino", the very first Spanish radio program in Northeast Georgia, which became one of the most successful radio shows in the early 1990's.'"Contacto Latino"' was founded by Francisco O. Alvarez and Juan J. Alvarez, Mexican immigrants with a great vision of what their community needed. They played a large variety of Spanish music, news, and other interesting topics to help the Latin American community in Athens, in adapting to their new life style and environment. The Alvarez brothers also helped the community in monetary, social, educational, and emergency support needs. One of the longer lasting sponsor was the Prince Avenue Hispanic Baptist Church, buying air every weekend to transmit "Palabras de Vida" with Reverendo Manuel Rojas. The University of Texas also supported Conatcto Latino with the stars and space cultural show called "Universo", a pre-recorded program. Contacto Latino opened the doors to american owned business to reach the Latino market in this region, and supported the newly created Latino busineses in their starting stages and development. Contacto Latino was first aired on WXAG 1470am in Athens GA, and then moved gradually to WBKZ. At some point the program was transmitted on both stations simultaneously. Coantacto Latino's first transmission was on September 15, 1990 and last transmission on September 16, 1995.

References

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