WBZA
Encyclopedia
WBZA is a rock
station in Rochester, New York
, broadcasting at 98.9 FM. It is owned by Entercom Communications
, who purchased the station from Sinclair Broadcasting in 1999. Before its current format, the station played Oldies
as WBBF (and before that WKLX) before that station moved to a lower-powered transmitter broadcasting on 93.3 FM
.
"The Breakfast Buzz with Kimberly and Beck" airs Monday through Friday, 5:00am - 10am. The two have been together for nearly 10 years and counting.
Pete "The Mayor" Kennedy has joined the Buzz as their Midday jock Monday-Friday 10am-3pm. He is formerly of WPXY-FM for over 20 years.
"Afternoons with Robinson" has moved to sister station WCMF-FM, Rochester's heritage rock station.
Dem Jones takes over as the Afternoon Drive jock.
The station originally played 1980s music up until 2004
, when they shifted to classic rock. With the demise of hard rock station WNVE in 2007
, WBZA shifted from classic rock
to mainstream rock
at roughly the same time when Entercom purchased classic rock station WCMF
from CBS Radio
.
The callsign was originally that of WBZ's
sister station in Boston
, which was established in 1924; the callsign was switched with the original station in Springfield, Massachusetts
in 1931, which carried a simulcast of the original WBZ until it went dark in 1962.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
station in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, broadcasting at 98.9 FM. It is owned by Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications Corporation is the fourth-largest broadcasting company in the United States. As of November 2009, Entercom operates 110 radio stations in 23 markets across the United States....
, who purchased the station from Sinclair Broadcasting in 1999. Before its current format, the station played Oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
as WBBF (and before that WKLX) before that station moved to a lower-powered transmitter broadcasting on 93.3 FM
WFKL
WFKL is an FM radio station licensed to Rochester, New York, USA. The station, branded as Fickle 93.3, runs a variety format or what the station refers to as "We Play Everything", very similar to Jack FM. It broadcasts on FM frequency 93.3 MHz and owned by Stephens Media Group which also owns...
.
"The Breakfast Buzz with Kimberly and Beck" airs Monday through Friday, 5:00am - 10am. The two have been together for nearly 10 years and counting.
Pete "The Mayor" Kennedy has joined the Buzz as their Midday jock Monday-Friday 10am-3pm. He is formerly of WPXY-FM for over 20 years.
"Afternoons with Robinson" has moved to sister station WCMF-FM, Rochester's heritage rock station.
Dem Jones takes over as the Afternoon Drive jock.
The station originally played 1980s music up until 2004
2004 in radio
The year 2004 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting history.-Events:*30 October - In the UK a 163-metre-high radio mast at Peterborough collapses in a fire.-Debuts:...
, when they shifted to classic rock. With the demise of hard rock station WNVE in 2007
2007 in radio
The year 2007 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*January 8: Nanci "The Fabulous Sports Babe" Donnellan returns to radio after a six-year absence, filling in for local hosts in Florida....
, WBZA shifted from classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
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:...
at roughly the same time when Entercom purchased classic rock station WCMF
WCMF
WCMF-FM is a radio station located in the Rochester, New York area and broadcasts at 96.5 FM. Its transmitter is located on Pinnacle Hill in Brighton, Monroe County, New York....
from CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
.
The callsign was originally that of WBZ's
WBZ (AM)
WBZ is the call sign for an AM radio station in Boston, Massachusetts owned by CBS Radio, itself owned by the CBS Corporation. Originally based in and broadcast from Springfield, Massachusetts, WBZ was the first commercial radio station in the United States...
sister station in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, which was established in 1924; the callsign was switched with the original station in Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
in 1931, which carried a simulcast of the original WBZ until it went dark in 1962.