I've been researching WZZK-FM's history the past few days, trying to determine when the station dropped its progressive rock format and changed to country music. I've seen various years mentioned when this took place...1976, 1977, and 1978. I do remember reading in various places (and my dad used to tell me, too) that WZZK's predecessor, WJLN, was a simulcast of WJLD-AM but began to offer progressive rock at nights sometime in the early 70's. And I've also heard that the station was a full-fledged progressive rock station too once the WZZK calls were put into place...and the country version of WZZK did not occur until later.
Here's where I'm having difficulty in putting the pieces of the puzzle together. I went on the FCCdata.org and pulled up WZZK-FM's history card. It appears that the station changed its call sign from WJLN to WZZK on 1/1/74. So presumably, this would have been around the time the station went entirely to a progressive rock format (unless the station was already airing a full-time progressive format prior to the call sign change/when it was still WJLN). I also checked the 1975 Broadcast Yearbook and in that edition, 104.7 FM is listed as WZZK and the format is country, progressive. Granted, those books did contain errors from time to time, but it appears the call sign being listed as WZZK coincides with the info I found on WZZK=FM's history card at the FCC, as the books' information is typically gathered during the preceding year and is included once the books are published.
If WZZK was indeed airing a country/progressive format in 1975 (with that particular info possibly gathered from late 1974)...as far as what the Broadcast Yearbook details...exactly how long would have WZZK's progressive rock format been in place if the station's call sign change did not occur until the beginning of 1974 (1/1/74)? A few months? .
Here's where I'm having difficulty in putting the pieces of the puzzle together. I went on the FCCdata.org and pulled up WZZK-FM's history card. It appears that the station changed its call sign from WJLN to WZZK on 1/1/74. So presumably, this would have been around the time the station went entirely to a progressive rock format (unless the station was already airing a full-time progressive format prior to the call sign change/when it was still WJLN). I also checked the 1975 Broadcast Yearbook and in that edition, 104.7 FM is listed as WZZK and the format is country, progressive. Granted, those books did contain errors from time to time, but it appears the call sign being listed as WZZK coincides with the info I found on WZZK=FM's history card at the FCC, as the books' information is typically gathered during the preceding year and is included once the books are published.
If WZZK was indeed airing a country/progressive format in 1975 (with that particular info possibly gathered from late 1974)...as far as what the Broadcast Yearbook details...exactly how long would have WZZK's progressive rock format been in place if the station's call sign change did not occur until the beginning of 1974 (1/1/74)? A few months? .
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