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Tazewell, Morristown, etc Frequency - COL Swaps - Explain?

E

eacalhoun1

I know much of this happened (or started happening) many years ago...maybe around 2000 best I can determine. Can someone explain -- in laymen's terms -- what started and why the following frequency swaps began and is still transpiring with the forthcoming move of 105.9 from Tazewell to Weaverville, NC (Asheville):

1) 95.9 was formerly WMXK (Morristown) and moved to the Tri-Cities (Colonial Heights) to replace 105.9

2) 105.9 (Colonial Heights) moved to Tazewell to replace 94.1

3) 94.1 moved to Morristown to replace 95.9 -- same owners as old WMXK, 95.9?

4) In an FCC document from 2000 it looks like 95.9 in Princeton WV may have also been in this mix with a downgrade and/or tower move. Not sure if either one of these ever happened, though.

And as stated, 105.9 will soon be moving to the Asheville market which will leave Tazewell without FM service.

So when and why did all of this transpire and please add or correct any of my details, if necessary!

Thanks in advance...

Eric
 
Since I was working at WRZK at the time, you'd think I would remember what exactly the reason behind the frequency switcha-roos was all about, but quite frankly, I am having a senior moment at the age of 31. How sad is that?

Anyways, it seems like (at least as far as WRZK was concerned), the late Dave Murray (deceased owner of Murray Communications which still leases WRZK to Holston Valley Broadcasting) and HVBC decided that in order for us to be more competitive in the market, we needed more power. Unfortunately, we had to switch frequencies in order to do that. So not only did we change our number on the dial, but our whole name (from Rock 105.9 to 95.9 K-Rock) as well. Additionally, we went from an ERP of about 5kw to an ERP of about 50kw!

Man, what a great time to work at WRZK! That whole time was really exciting and I have some great memories of about 1999-2002. Like right after September 11th, we did an "event" where I walked from the fire station in front of Dobyns-Bennett in Kingsport....all the way to the fire hall there in JC near Cardinal Park, while Scott went to the fire halls in the van that were along the route I walked and collected money for a charity that went to help the families of the killed firefighters and Mike Steele stayed on the air and took pledges on the air! I can't tell you how proud I am of this event...it was true teamwork and our listeners really responded to it by pledging about 10-grand that day! Plus, during the walk, I can't tell you how many people stopped to talk with me AND give me water or a Gatorade. A day like that made me really proud of my station and my community. It's something I will remember for the rest of my life
And then the next year, we invited anyone who wanted to join on us a bike ride from JC to Bristol to Kingsport where we raised money for the Todd Beamer Foundation (the "Let's Roll" guy who died on United 93). It wasn't as successful as the previous year, but it did raise about $3,500.
Man, those were great times. And I am sorry for getting WAY off subject, but this just got me thinking about some good times. I guess remembering that time and the years before are what have made me mad about getting fired and all. I guess I just felt like I lost something. But like I recently told my former co-workers, I am done with the bashing and venom I have released on radio-info.

....in other words, I am sorry....
 
There was quite a bit of frequency movement during that time. Another one was Bristol Broadcasting, who owned WAEZ ("Electric 99.3") buying Radio Greeneville, Inc's WIKQ 94.9 ("The Big Dog") frequency and 100,000-watt transmitter, moving WAEZ to 94.9 ("Electric 94.9"). Then Radio Greeneville purchased WSMG AM and FM and moved "The Big Dog" to the weaker 103.1, replacing the short-lived WSMG FM ("G-103") and making WIKQ more of a local station. I remember it happening around 1999-2000.

With the frequency movement of 1999-2000, I had a tough time getting readjusted for a while LOL!
 
As posted, the three station move was to benefit Colonial Heights.

The move from Tazewell to the Asheville market (Weaverville) was a little stroke of luck. 105.9 was pretty much locked into the northern half of East Tennessee until WSTE (now WNGC) downgraded from a C to a C1 and moved a good distance south. This one move opened up all kinds of things:

- 105.9 was free to go to a C2 near Asheville
- The 106.3 allotment at Pigeon Forge opened up
- The 106.1 allotment at Oliver Springs opened up
- 106.3 in Newberry, SC was allowed to upgrade and move to Simpsonville (Greenville-Spartanburg market)

I may be missing something. Either way, one move down in Georgia shook up all kinds of things and made several people a lot of money.
 
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