WAQX-FM
Encyclopedia
WAQX-FM is a radio station
broadcasting an active rock
format. Licensed to Manlius, New York
, USA, the station serves the Utica-Rome, Syracuse area. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Media
and features programming from Cumulus Media Networks and Westwood One
.
to Syracuse's West Side. It was also moved from its original frequency 95.3 to 95.7 in order to boost its coverage area to include not just Syracuse, but other surrounding cities, including Rome, New York
and Utica, New York
. The original on-air line-up featured Champaign Lenny, Craig Fox, Ted Utz, Ed Levine and Dave Friscina.
In later years the station was the Syracuse affiliate of The Howard Stern Show from June 17, 1996
until December 31, 2005
when the station carried an active rock
format. The station changed formats to mainstream rock
when the show left the station; however, it would revert to active rock
after Mediabase
& Nielsen BDS gave that station back to the active rock
panel. On December 1, 2004 a dispute occurred directly between Stern and 95X, Stern was upset that the station was censoring and cutting his show short before it actually ended, 95X and its parent company Citadel Broadcasting
contended that Stern was giving free advertising every time he talked about Sirius Satellite Radio
. In a public statement, 95X DJ Ryno wrote on the station's website: "We don't appreciate him talking about satellite radio and we don't appreciate him taking our money to do a show then end up talking about moving to a direct competitor." Within a few hours of the statement's posting it was removed without explanation.
Prior to the Stern show, the station aired "Fatman and Stacy", Ray Lytle and Dave Coombs (Coombs left for WTKW-FM, a rival classic rock station in 1995) and "Dave and The Fatman". After Stern's departure, WAQX broadcasted "The Beaner and Ken Show" , formerly Birmingham, Alabama
-based , for a year but then dropped the program in favor of Opie and Anthony
which was later dropped and then replaced with the "Shut up & Rock" program mornings with Alexis. The station's current morning show is called The Show with Hunter and Josh.
Beginning in February 2011 the "Irish Power Hour," a Celtic rock
program previously heard on WXTL, will move to WAQX, due to the threat of sports pre-emptions on the show's former station. Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
broadcasting an active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
format. Licensed to Manlius, New York
Manlius (town), New York
Manlius is a town in Onondaga County, east of the city of Syracuse, New York, United States. The population was 32,370 at the 2010 census, making it the third largest suburb in metropolitan Syracuse...
, USA, the station serves the Utica-Rome, Syracuse area. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
and features programming from Cumulus Media Networks and Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
.
Controversy
WAQX Radio was founded in 1978 by Syracuse University students Craig Fox and Ted Utz. It was owned and operated by AGK Communications as an independent property until the acquisition of WOLF Radio in 1983. At that time, the station was moved from its original location on Rt 92 in Manlius, New YorkManlius (town), New York
Manlius is a town in Onondaga County, east of the city of Syracuse, New York, United States. The population was 32,370 at the 2010 census, making it the third largest suburb in metropolitan Syracuse...
to Syracuse's West Side. It was also moved from its original frequency 95.3 to 95.7 in order to boost its coverage area to include not just Syracuse, but other surrounding cities, including Rome, New York
Rome, New York
Rome is a city in Oneida County, New York, United States. It is located in north-central or "upstate" New York. The population was 44,797 at the 2010 census. It is in New York's 24th congressional district. In 1758, British forces began construction of Fort Stanwix at this strategic location, but...
and Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
. The original on-air line-up featured Champaign Lenny, Craig Fox, Ted Utz, Ed Levine and Dave Friscina.
In later years the station was the Syracuse affiliate of The Howard Stern Show from June 17, 1996
1996 in radio
The year 1996 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*WBOB and KQQL, both in Minneapolis, Minnesota are sold to Chancellor Communications....
until December 31, 2005
2005 in radio
The year 2005 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*April 29 - KFRC 610 AM in San Francisco, switches formats as a result of ownership change. KFRC becomes KEAR, the "Sound of the New Life", a listener-supported, gospel/religious only station. It had been previously KFRC from...
when the station carried an active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
format. The station changed formats to mainstream rock
Mainstream rock
Mainstream rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada.-Format background:...
when the show left the station; however, it would revert to active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
after Mediabase
Mediabase
Mediabase is a music industry service that monitors radio station airplay in 180 US and Canadian markets. Mediabase publishes music charts and data based on the most played songs on terrestrial and satellite radio, and provides in-depth analytical tools for radio and record industry professionals...
& Nielsen BDS gave that station back to the active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
panel. On December 1, 2004 a dispute occurred directly between Stern and 95X, Stern was upset that the station was censoring and cutting his show short before it actually ended, 95X and its parent company Citadel Broadcasting
Citadel Broadcasting
Citadel Broadcasting Corporation was a Las Vegas, Nevada-based broadcast holding company. Citadel owned 243 radio stations across the United States and was the third-largest radio station owner in the country...
contended that Stern was giving free advertising every time he talked about Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
. In a public statement, 95X DJ Ryno wrote on the station's website: "We don't appreciate him talking about satellite radio and we don't appreciate him taking our money to do a show then end up talking about moving to a direct competitor." Within a few hours of the statement's posting it was removed without explanation.
Prior to the Stern show, the station aired "Fatman and Stacy", Ray Lytle and Dave Coombs (Coombs left for WTKW-FM, a rival classic rock station in 1995) and "Dave and The Fatman". After Stern's departure, WAQX broadcasted "The Beaner and Ken Show" , formerly Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
-based , for a year but then dropped the program in favor of Opie and Anthony
Opie and Anthony
Opie and Anthony are the hosts of The Opie & Anthony Show, a talk radio program airing in the United States and Canada on XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. Since the merger of the two satellite companies, this is now called Sirius/XM...
which was later dropped and then replaced with the "Shut up & Rock" program mornings with Alexis. The station's current morning show is called The Show with Hunter and Josh.
Beginning in February 2011 the "Irish Power Hour," a Celtic rock
Celtic rock
Celtic rock is a genre of folk rock and a form of Celtic fusion which incorporates Celtic music, instrumentation and themes into a rock music context...
program previously heard on WXTL, will move to WAQX, due to the threat of sports pre-emptions on the show's former station. Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011.