WZGX AM 1450 in Bessemer is back on the air today with regional mexican programming. The station's STA to remain silent expired yesterday (1/19), so I guess they are "resetting the clock" to keep the license active.
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WZGX returns to the air
- Thread starter passtheword
- Start date
Since it looks like every available frequency in the Birmingham area for an FM translator is taken, what is the realistic long-term future for this station? Or, for that matter, WENN, WJOX-AM, or the AM station licensed to Alabaster (I can't remember its call letters and I'm too lazy to look them up)?
The station in Alabaster is WQCR. I had to look it up on my own site because I couldn't remember. 
As much as it's a station with history, I see the best course of action for WENN is just turning in the license. Summit isn't going to be able to do anything profitable with it, it's an albatross at this point unless they can sell it to a religious huckster or Mexican programmer.
The Mexican stations will probably have a better short term future sans translators, since it's a thing where there's a loyal albeit fragmented niche market for them.
JOX-AM is more of a mystery to me. Isn't it just a network barker now with no local content? That's a lot of $$$ on the power bill for something that probably gets a 0.0 in the ratings. Wouldn't surprise me if Cumulus drops the power to 15 or 10 kW days to save money eventually, bringing an end to what is probably the state's best AM signal during the day.
As much as it's a station with history, I see the best course of action for WENN is just turning in the license. Summit isn't going to be able to do anything profitable with it, it's an albatross at this point unless they can sell it to a religious huckster or Mexican programmer.
The Mexican stations will probably have a better short term future sans translators, since it's a thing where there's a loyal albeit fragmented niche market for them.
JOX-AM is more of a mystery to me. Isn't it just a network barker now with no local content? That's a lot of $$$ on the power bill for something that probably gets a 0.0 in the ratings. Wouldn't surprise me if Cumulus drops the power to 15 or 10 kW days to save money eventually, bringing an end to what is probably the state's best AM signal during the day.
The only FM translator that might be available for WZGX would be the one licensed to Calera (W292FO) at 106.3 which has yet to be built. Granted, Calera is far removed from Birmingham, but the AM could be rebroadcast on the FM translator to serve a portion of Shelby county. Originally, 106.3 was going to simulcast WAMI-AM once it re-licensed from Opp to Maplesville at 880, but that appears to no longer be the case. WQCR in Alabaster is being simulcast (at least part of the time) on W252BE in Tarrant at 98.3, which rebroadcasts WAYE 1220...for now, anyway. WFXO "Fox 98.3" in Stewartville has already filed a petition to have W252BE's broadcast license deleted due to interference issues, however.
WENN...what can you say? Summit Media uses it as a "zombie station" for whatever other stations it owns, currently simulcasting WAGG-AM. As Zach said, the WENN license should be turned into the FCC or sold to a christian or hispanic broadcaster who might want it (good luck with that, though)...
WENN...what can you say? Summit Media uses it as a "zombie station" for whatever other stations it owns, currently simulcasting WAGG-AM. As Zach said, the WENN license should be turned into the FCC or sold to a christian or hispanic broadcaster who might want it (good luck with that, though)...
Is 1220 rebroadcasting WQCR too? BNecause as far as I know, a translator cant have more then one originating station.
WAYE and WQCR are both owned by Rivera Communications. I imagine that WQCR just duplicates (simulcasts) the AM 1220 programming, while WAYE is the actual station that is being rebroadcast over the FM translator.
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