WYZE 1480 Khz AM Leaves the Air

[wavo]

The contract engineer for WYZE told me today that 1480 left the air at noon and will not return. There is a possibility the license will be turned back in and the 1480 spot on the dial silent in Atlanta permanently.

WYZE started out as the NBC Blue affiliate with the calls WAGA and was owned by the Atlanta Journal. It went on the air in 1937. (WSB was the NBC Red affiliate and owned by the Constitution. - I may have ownership and network affiliation backwards.)

I'm not sure when the calls became WYZE but it has had several formats over the years. Notably, it was one of the first all news stations that sprang up in the 60s although I don't think it was very successful.

My memories of WYZE were when it was a jazz station in the 70s with Alley Pat doing afternoons. It was radio unlike any other! It has been Black Gospel since around 1980 and lasted 38 years with that format!

Sad to see another AM bite the dust after 81 years of service.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

Wow. AM is certainly dying a slow death.

I think WYZE was at one time a country station because longtime V-103 salesperson Bob Jackson once told me he started there, and country was the format.

When I came to Atlanta in 1994, I saw what looked like an AM tower in the area of Harold's Barbecue and somehow assumed it was WYZE. But eventually I drove by the WYZE studio facility on Boulevard and saw the tower was right there.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

The Atlanta Journal owned WSB. I assume that means the Constitution owned what is now WYZE.

Business has not been kind to daytimers and Class D stations.

 

[davideduardo]

The contract engineer for WYZE told me today that 1480 left the air at noon and will not return. There is a possibility the license will be turned back in and the 1480 spot on the dial silent in Atlanta permanently.

WYZE started out as the NBC Blue affiliate with the calls WAGA and was owned by the Atlanta Journal. It went on the air in 1937. (WSB was the NBC Red affiliate and owned by the Constitution. - I may have ownership and network affiliation backwards.)

I'm not sure when the calls became WYZE but it has had several formats over the years. Notably, it was one of the first all news stations that sprang up in the 60s although I don't think it was very successful.
.

WAGA did start in 1937 on 1460, and moved to 1480 with the NARBA reassignment. It was 1 kw day and 500 wwatts at night. In 1942 WAGA got a CP to move to 590 where its successor is still operating. 1480 became open for a new station.

In 1956, WYZE was licensed after about 13 years of having no station on 1480 in Atlanta. It was a daytimer, as an Augusta station had taken up residency on 1480 when WAGA moved. WYZE only dates back to the 50's, and was never a network affiliate in the Golden Years as the the national webs did not give affiliations in major markets to daytimers which could not carry the prime time programming.

 

[jabba17]

WYZE only dates back to the 50's, and was never a network affiliate in the Golden Years as the the national webs did not give affiliations in major markets to daytimers which could not carry the prime time programming.

WBIE (now WFTD) 1080 was a daytimer and the CBS affiliate. The AJC has them listed as such in 1966-1967, and also here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WFTD

WGUN (now WTZA) 1010 was a daytimer and the Mutual affiliate.

Ross Brittain when he was at WIIN 970 (post-WREK, pre-WZGC/Ross & Wilson) used to refer to WYZE as the "Wise old WYZE" when he would (illegally) scan the dial on the EBS monitor on the air.

WYZE is listed in the 1966-1967 AJC as having a Town & Country format--which is odd because 590 WPLO is just listed as country and WPLO was one of the pioneers of the modern Town & Country format.

 

[davideduardo]

WBIE (now WFTD) 1080 was a daytimer and the CBS affiliate. The AJC has them listed as such in 1966-1967, and also here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WFTD

WGUN (now WTZA) 1010 was a daytimer and the Mutual affiliate.

Ross Brittain when he was at WIIN 970 (post-WREK, pre-WZGC/Ross & Wilson) used to refer to WYZE as the "Wise old WYZE" when he would (illegally) scan the dial on the EBS monitor on the air.

WYZE is listed in the 1966-1967 AJC as having a Town & Country format--which is odd because 590 WPLO is just listed as country and WPLO was one of the pioneers of the modern Town & Country format.

The "Golden Age" of radio ended in about 1953; that benchmark coincides with the lifting of the FCC "Freeze" on TV licensing. By the mid-50's, night time was no longer radio's prime time and much network programming was intended for daytime broadcast; by the 60's the networks were transitioning to news delivery services.

As I said, the Red, Blue, CBS and Mutual webs did not use daytimers as they were not on the air for prime time in the Golden Age.

Once the dominance of network radio ended, the webs would take nearly any station as an affiliate.

 

[wavo]

WAGA did start in 1937 on 1460, and moved to 1480 with the NARBA reassignment. It was 1 kw day and 500 wwatts at night. In 1942 WAGA got a CP to move to 590 where its successor is still operating. 1480 became open for a new station.

In 1956, WYZE was licensed after about 13 years of having no station on 1480 in Atlanta. It was a daytimer, as an Augusta station had taken up residency on 1480 when WAGA moved. WYZE only dates back to the 50's, and was never a network affiliate in the Golden Years as the the national webs did not give affiliations in major markets to daytimers which could not carry the prime time programming.

You obviously did a little research as I should have done before posting.

Did WAGA have night service at 1460 Khz and did they sign on as the NBC Blue service for Atlanta? Did the 1480 Khz frequency have night time service? Was WAGA, at ANY time, the Blue service owned by the Journal? I know when they switched to 590 Khz they had night service.

 

[kf4rca]

The old WAGA (590) radio transmitter site was right up the road (on N. Druid Hills Rd) from where the WAGA TV station is today. Its now occupied by an apartment complex.

 

[fybush]

You obviously did a little research as I should have done before posting.

Did WAGA have night service at 1460 Khz and did they sign on as the NBC Blue service for Atlanta? Did the 1480 Khz frequency have night time service? Was WAGA, at ANY time, the Blue service owned by the Journal? I know when they switched to 590 Khz they had night service.

WAGA's pre-NARBA channel was actually 1450, not 1460 - and yes, it had night service of 500 watts (1000 watts by day). 1460, pre-NARBA, was a clear channel used by WJSV (WTOP) in Washington and KSTP in St. Paul.

WAGA is shown in the 1939 Broadcasting Yearbook as being NBC - but the ownership is listed as Liberty Broadcasting, with no connection visible to the Journal and WSB.

As David noted, WAGA's move from 1450/1480 down to 590 cleared the way for WRDW over in Augusta to move from 1500/1490 (a 250-watt class IV channel) to fulltime operation on 1480 - which in turn meant that when 1480 came back on in Atlanta as WYZE, it was limited to daytime-only status.

 

[MRFLASHPORT]

Very sad to see this, but the writing is on the wall for terrestrial AM. Aside from a decline in programming, the ability to receive a listenable signal in most modern homes and businesses is a huge factor. The noise floor on the AM band in the typical home is now so high only a clear channel border blaster can make it over the static pops, whines, whistles, heterodynes and imposed carriers from all the garbage pail Chinese electronics such as switching power supplies and LED lights now flooding the landscape.
One can have the best, most unique programmed signal with the best audio processing and attention to detail, all for nothing if no one can tune it within the intended coverage area. I am amazed at how many stations can pay the huge costs to keep an AM stick up with so little revenue coming in.

 

[fybush]

And how did Atlanta get a full-time class III station on 1450 as late in the game as 1937? Because the WAGA license was actually a decade older than that - it started up at Toccoa Falls College as WKBJ in 1927, later as WTFI - and moved to Athens in 1931 before coming all the way in to Atlanta.

I'm still not completely clear on whether there was any connection at all between the Journal and WAGA. There's a mention in the FCC history cards in 1940 of James Cox taking an ownership interest in WAGA, but because Cox owned the Journal and WSB, the end of radio duopoly in 1943 would have forced a sale of WAGA.

The Constitution, meanwhile, came along after WWII with WCON on 550, but that lasted only briefly because the Journal/Constitution merger led to WCON shutting down.

 

[wavo]

And how did Atlanta get a full-time class III station on 1450 as late in the game as 1937? Because the WAGA license was actually a decade older than that - it started up at Toccoa Falls College as WKBJ in 1927, later as WTFI - and moved to Athens in 1931 before coming all the way in to Atlanta.

I'm still not completely clear on whether there was any connection at all between the Journal and WAGA. There's a mention in the FCC history cards in 1940 of James Cox taking an ownership interest in WAGA, but because Cox owned the Journal and WSB, the end of radio duopoly in 1943 would have forced a sale of WAGA.

The Constitution, meanwhile, came along after WWII with WCON on 550, but that lasted only briefly because the Journal/Constitution merger led to WCON shutting down.

The story I have long heard was that it was needed to clear the Blue network and was owned by either the morning or evening paper (Journal or Constitution.) But as is often the case, the old timers anecdotal memories are not always accurate. I should have at least Googled WYZE before posting to check for accuracy.

I'm still curious about the network relationship. Maybe David knows already or has the time to research it.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

I looked at WYZE on Radio Locator and learned they had increased power to 10,000 watts. I had not been aware of that.

 

[davideduardo]

The story I have long heard was that it was needed to clear the Blue network and was owned by either the morning or evening paper (Journal or Constitution.) But as is often the case, the old timers anecdotal memories are not always accurate. I should have at least Googled WYZE before posting to check for accuracy.

I'm still curious about the network relationship. Maybe David knows already or has the time to research it.

In 1937, WTFI in Athens, was listed as a having a CP to move to Atlanta with 1 kw day and 500 watts at night, a major improvement over its 500 watts in a smaller community. There is some indication that there was interest even at the time of the move in also changing frequency. The actual change did not happen until a formal CP was granted, and it appears that 590 became operational sometime in the 1942-1943 period.

WAGA became an NBC affiliate (Blue) as soon as it got to Atlanta. Remember that the government made RCA divest that web, which became the ABC Network as part of the duopoly prohibition that Scott mentions and that was long before WYZE went on the air.

WAGA was originally on 1450, and then moved to 1480 with the NARBA change.

A more interesting fact is that James Cox had been the president of Liberty Broadcasting, the owner. But before the war, ownership and management changed to George B. Storer. Following the war, he was listed as Lt. Cmdr. Geo. B. Storer. And this was the beginning of major expansion of one of America's great group owners, Storer Broadcasting, outside its Ohio / West Virgina area (WSPD, WMMN, WWVA, etc).

 

[davideduardo]

WAGA's pre-NARBA channel was actually 1450, not 1460 - and yes, it had night service of 500 watts (1000 watts by day). 1460, pre-NARBA, was a clear channel used by WJSV (WTOP) in Washington and KSTP in St. Paul.

WAGA is shown in the 1939 Broadcasting Yearbook as being NBC - but the ownership is listed as Liberty Broadcasting, with no connection visible to the Journal and WSB.

As David noted, WAGA's move from 1450/1480 down to 590 cleared the way for WRDW over in Augusta to move from 1500/1490 (a 250-watt class IV channel) to fulltime operation on 1480 - which in turn meant that when 1480 came back on in Atlanta as WYZE, it was limited to daytime-only status.

Sorry for the frequency typo. I was distracted by the appearance of George B. Storer's name in the 1941 Yearbook, which would indicate that at some time in 1940 Liberty was sold through a stock sale to Fort Oil Industries as a wholly owned subsidiary.

That would mean that Mr. Cox was only associated with the station for a few years at the most.

At some point I heard a story about NBC being unhappy with Liberty as they did not push for a signal upgrade. I'm wondering if NBC nudged Storer to make an offer and upgrade the facility.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

A more interesting fact is that James Cox had been the president of Liberty Broadcasting, the owner. But before the war, ownership and management changed to George B. Storer. Following the war, he was listed as Lt. Cmdr. Geo. B. Storer. And this was the beginning of major expansion of one of America's great group owners, Storer Broadcasting, outside its Ohio / West Virgina area (WSPD, WMMN, WWVA, etc).

Interesting. fmr. Governor Cox purchased the Atlanta Journal (and therefore WSB) in December 1939. Liberty sold itself (and therefore WAGA) to Fort Industry Co. in June 1940. Both Cox and Fort Industry were based in Ohio at the time.

I wonder if Cox owned WAGA before purchasing WSB, and then sold WAGA.

 

[jabba17]

Very sad to see this, but the writing is on the wall for terrestrial AM. Aside from a decline in programming, the ability to receive a listenable signal in most modern homes and businesses is a huge factor. The noise floor on the AM band in the typical home is now so high only a clear channel border blaster can make it over the static pops, whines, whistles, heterodynes and imposed carriers from all the garbage pail Chinese electronics such as switching power supplies and LED lights now flooding the landscape.
One can have the best, most unique programmed signal with the best audio processing and attention to detail, all for nothing if no one can tune it within the intended coverage area. I am amazed at how many stations can pay the huge costs to keep an AM stick up with so little revenue coming in.

I got a new AV receiver last Christmas, and the AM section had good reception (I could do ok DXing stations not too far away like WLW, WSM, KMOX, WABC, and some others--mostly non-DA stations on the low end of the dial, so no directional WBTs or high-freq WLACs) but sound quality was typical modern solid-state AM. When I reorganized my equipment a week or two ago, I couldn't get anything but noise, so I just unhooked the AM antenna and figured I'd just stream whatever AM I would want to listen to. I ought to see if I can get WCNN with no antenna, being in Gwinnett. On a really cheap AM radio WCNN will overwhelm the whole dial.

 

[wavo]

In 1937, WTFI in Athens, was listed as a having a CP to move to Atlanta with 1 kw day and 500 watts at night, a major improvement over its 500 watts in a smaller community. There is some indication that there was interest even at the time of the move in also changing frequency. The actual change did not happen until a formal CP was granted, and it appears that 590 became operational sometime in the 1942-1943 period.

WAGA became an NBC affiliate (Blue) as soon as it got to Atlanta. Remember that the government made RCA divest that web, which became the ABC Network as part of the duopoly prohibition that Scott mentions and that was long before WYZE went on the air.

WAGA was originally on 1450, and then moved to 1480 with the NARBA change.

A more interesting fact is that James Cox had been the president of Liberty Broadcasting, the owner. But before the war, ownership and management changed to George B. Storer. Following the war, he was listed as Lt. Cmdr. Geo. B. Storer. And this was the beginning of major expansion of one of America's great group owners, Storer Broadcasting, outside its Ohio / West Virgina area (WSPD, WMMN, WWVA, etc).

Thanks for doing a little digging and coming up with the facts on WAGA/WYZE. As with most radio stations, it certainly has a storied history!

 

[trusty]

WAGA is shown in the 1939 Broadcasting Yearbook as being NBC - but the ownership is listed as Liberty Broadcasting, with no connection visible to the Journal and WSB.

The 1939 yearbook lists the "Chief Owner or Executive" of Liberty as Norman K. Winston. The 1940 yearbook lists it as James M. Cox. The 1942 and 43 yearbooks lists it as George B. Storer (and another Liberty Broadcasting was founded in the late 40's by Gordon McLendon). Interesting.

Was James Cox related to Cox > WSB > Journal?

 

[rohocop2121]

Jacob Bogan, who runs WYZE, told me the station had to go dark due to technical problems regarding RF emissions. Fixing it would have been cost prohibitive. So he will either sell his property and relocate or simply sell off the license and equipment to someone else.

https://www.ajc.com/blog/radiotvtal...rk-after-years-gospel/sYfqpgOHzAkexnAiWlIYvK/