WCSX
Encyclopedia
WCSX is a Detroit-based FM radio station
broadcasting a classic rock
format. WCSX's transmitter is located in suburban Oakland County in Royal Oak Township near the intersection of 8 Mile Rd. and Wyoming Avenue. WCSX transmits its signal from an antenna 951 feet in height with an effective radiated power
of 13,500 watts. 5 other Detroit radio stations transmit their signal from the same tower as WCSX. The station is owned by Greater Media
and is licensed to the Detroit suburb of Birmingham
.
's "Solid Gold" format except without the AC/MOR currents that the Solid Gold format played). The "Olde Golde" format evolved the following year into all-oldies WHNE, "Honey Radio." Sister station WQTE
-AM 560 changed its calls to WHND and began shadowcasting the format in 1974; it would continue as "Honey Radio" until 1994, by which time 94.7 FM had gone through several changes. Honey Radio was originally automated using Drake-Chenault's "Classic Gold" format, but transitioned to live personalities (on AM 560 only) around 1980, by which time 94.7 FM had changed format.
's successful WMGK
-FM in Philadelphia.
, WOMC
, WLTI
, and WNTM
, with WNIC and the oldies-based WOMC dominating in the format. In May 1987 Magic 95 switched its format to what became known as "classic rock" and changed their calls to what they are today. WCSX was one of the first radio stations in the United States to have a classic rock format; it is also one of very few nationwide to have endured with the classic rock format for over twenty years.
WCSX is licensed for HD Radio
operations. Their HD broadcast, called "WCSX Deep Trax," plays classic rock album tracks. Both WCSX-FM and WCSX Deep Trax stream webcasts for internet listeners. WCSX's most played bands are classic rock staples The Beatles
, Led Zeppelin
, Aerosmith
, Pink Floyd
and hometown classic rockers such as Bob Seger
and Ted Nugent
. WCSX generally takes a softer, older-sounding approach to classic rock reminiscent of progressive and album-oriented rock radio of the 1970s, since sister station WRIF
includes a good deal of harder classic rock titles in its playlist, including 1980s glam metal
which WCSX generally does not play. WCSX had competed up against classic rock
er WDTW-FM
(now Rhythmic adult contemporary
), but gave up the competition to CHUM Limited
(now CTVglobemedia
)'s CIDR-FM
, which shifted from hot AC to adult album alternative
. Today, the twinstick Detroit rockers are either owned by Greater Media
(WRIF & WCSX) or CTVglobemedia
(CIMX-FM
& CIDR-FM
). CKUE-FM
's Windsor, Ontario
repeater is the only rocker in Detroit not part of a twinstick operation along with Clear Channel Communications
' own WDTW-FM
, which returned to classic rock after a five-year hiatus in 2011
.
November 2010 PPM Rating: #5 (4.9)
Weekend's/Fill-ins include Dave Doran, Jim Hughes, Julianne Jordan, John O’Leary, Mark Pasman, Pam Rossi, Scott Shepard, Peter Werbe, & Tim Morley.
DEEP TRAX HD2: (Weekdays)- John O'Leary, Peter Werbe, Scott Shepard. (Weekends) - Jon Ray, Wally Londo, Jim Hughes, Ben Perez,& Tim Morley. The HD2 Channel also features two specialty shows on the weekedns, Motor City Beat with Doug Podell (Saturday) and Kostans Classic Rondevous with Steve Kostan (Sunday)
Much of the on-air talent of WCSX had previously been with WRIF
since the 80s and 90s, including Ken Calvert, Karen Savelly, and most recently, Doug Podell.
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 a 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...
format. WCSX's transmitter is located in suburban Oakland County in Royal Oak Township near the intersection of 8 Mile Rd. and Wyoming Avenue. WCSX transmits its signal from an antenna 951 feet in height with an effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
of 13,500 watts. 5 other Detroit radio stations transmit their signal from the same tower as WCSX. The station is owned by Greater Media
Greater Media
Greater Media, Inc., known as Greater Media, is an American media company that specializes in radio stations. The markets where they own radio stations include Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, Charlotte, and the state of New Jersey...
and is licensed to the Detroit suburb of Birmingham
Birmingham, Michigan
Birmingham is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan and an affluent suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,103...
.
Whiffieland/Honey Radio
94.7 FM was originally home to WHFI ("Whiffieland"), featuring a MOR/adult contemporary format with disc jockeys such as Lee Alan (formerly of WXYZ-AM). In 1972, WHFI shifted to a syndicated, automated oldies format provided by Draper-Blore called "Olde Golde," featuring hits of the 1950s and 1960s (similar to Drake-ChenaultDrake-Chenault
Drake-Chenault Enterprises was a radio syndication company that specialized in automation on FM radio stations. The company was founded in the late-1960s by radio programmer and deejay Bill Drake , and his business partner, Lester Eugene Chenault...
's "Solid Gold" format except without the AC/MOR currents that the Solid Gold format played). The "Olde Golde" format evolved the following year into all-oldies WHNE, "Honey Radio." Sister station WQTE
WRDT
WRDT, known on the air as "The Word AM 560, Detroit's Christian Talk", is a radio station licensed to Monroe, Michigan, serving the Detroit metropolitan area. The station broadcasts in HD Radio with 500 Watts daytime power from a transmitter located in South Monroe, MI, and 14 Watts nighttime...
-AM 560 changed its calls to WHND and began shadowcasting the format in 1974; it would continue as "Honey Radio" until 1994, by which time 94.7 FM had gone through several changes. Honey Radio was originally automated using Drake-Chenault's "Classic Gold" format, but transitioned to live personalities (on AM 560 only) around 1980, by which time 94.7 FM had changed format.
Magic 95
In 1976, WHNE became WMJC, "Magic 95," with an adult contemporary format modeled after Greater MediaGreater Media
Greater Media, Inc., known as Greater Media, is an American media company that specializes in radio stations. The markets where they own radio stations include Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, Charlotte, and the state of New Jersey...
's successful WMGK
WMGK
WMGK, known as "Classic Rock 102.9 MGK" or "Philadelphia's Classic Rock: 102.9 MGK", is a Classic rock formatted radio station which is broadcast in the Philadelphia area. The station features popular Philadelphia radio personality John DeBella and former Howard Stern Show censor Andre Gardner. ...
-FM in Philadelphia.
94.7 WCSX
By 1987, the adult-contemporary format in Detroit had become quite crowded; in addition to WMJC, Detroit had four other AC stations, WNICWNIC
WNIC is an American radio station based in Detroit, Michigan broadcasting at 100.3 MHz FM. WNIC's studios and offices are located in Farmington Hills, MI. WNIC's transmitter is located near Schoolcraft and Livernois Avenue in the City of Detroit on the near west side. WNIC broadcasts with an...
, WOMC
WOMC
WOMC is a Classic Hits radio station broadcasting in the Detroit, Michigan, USA area. WOMC's transmitter and studios are located on Woodward Heights . near Interstate 75 in Ferndale, Michigan. WOMC broadcasts with an effective radiated power of 190,000 watts from an antenna height of 361 feet...
, WLTI
WDRQ
WDRQ is an FM radio station in Detroit, Michigan. The station is branded as 93.1 Doug FM. Doug FM broadcasts from the Fisher Building just north of downtown Detroit and transmits its signal from an antenna 669 feet in length located at the intersection of Ten Mile and Greenfield Roads in suburban...
, and WNTM
WMXD
WMXD is a Clear Channel-owned Urban AC FM radio station in Detroit, Michigan, United States, that broadcasts on the frequency of 92.3 MHz. WMXD, which bills itself as "Today's R&B and the Best Old School Jamz," is consistently a very highly rated station in Detroit's Arbitron ratings reports,...
, with WNIC and the oldies-based WOMC dominating in the format. In May 1987 Magic 95 switched its format to what became known as "classic rock" and changed their calls to what they are today. WCSX was one of the first radio stations in the United States to have a classic rock format; it is also one of very few nationwide to have endured with the classic rock format for over twenty years.
WCSX is licensed for HD Radio
HD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
operations. Their HD broadcast, called "WCSX Deep Trax," plays classic rock album tracks. Both WCSX-FM and WCSX Deep Trax stream webcasts for internet listeners. WCSX's most played bands are classic rock staples The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
and hometown classic rockers such as Bob Seger
Bob Seger
Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...
and Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent
Theodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, reserve police officer, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, before embarking on a lengthy solo career...
. WCSX generally takes a softer, older-sounding approach to classic rock reminiscent of progressive and album-oriented rock radio of the 1970s, since sister station WRIF
WRIF
WRIF — branded 101 WRIF: The RIFF — is a commercial active rock radio station licensed by the FCC to operate in Detroit, Michigan serving surrounding Metro Detroit. The station is currently owned by Greater Boston Radio, Inc. WRIF is a grandfathered Class B station with a signal equivalent to...
includes a good deal of harder classic rock titles in its playlist, including 1980s glam metal
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
which WCSX generally does not play. WCSX had competed up against 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...
er WDTW-FM
WDTW-FM
WDTW-FM is a classic rock formatted radio station in Detroit, Michigan. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications. WDTW-FM is licensed for HD Radio operations; its secondary channel carries Clear Channel's "Pride Radio" format, which features music geared toward the LGBT audience...
(now Rhythmic adult contemporary
Rhythmic Adult Contemporary
Rhythmic adult contemporary is a format used on stations in the United States and Canada. It usually gears toward an older audience, ages 25 to 54. Stations using this format play disco from the 1970s and early 1980s, dance/pop music, adult-friendly hip hop/old school tracks, R&B, dance/freestyle...
), but gave up the competition to CHUM Limited
CHUM Limited
CHUM Limited was a media company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada from 1945 to 2007. Immediately prior to its acquisition, it held full or joint control of two Canadian television systems — Citytv and A-Channel — comprising 11 local stations, and one CBC Television affiliate, one...
(now CTVglobemedia
CTVglobemedia
CTVglobemedia , was one of Canada's largest private media companies. Its operations include newspaper publishing , television broadcasting and production , radio broadcasting , and their respective Internet properties.Originally established by BCE and the Thomson family in 2001 combining CTV Inc.,...
)'s CIDR-FM
CIDR-FM
CIDR-FM is the callsign for a radio station, broadcasting at 93.9 FM in Windsor, Ontario. The station broadcasts a adult album alternative format using the brand name 93-9 The River. It is owned and operated by Bell Media. It is one of the few commercial adult album alternative stations in Canada...
, which shifted from hot AC to adult album alternative
Adult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
. Today, the twinstick Detroit rockers are either owned by Greater Media
Greater Media
Greater Media, Inc., known as Greater Media, is an American media company that specializes in radio stations. The markets where they own radio stations include Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, Charlotte, and the state of New Jersey...
(WRIF & WCSX) or CTVglobemedia
CTVglobemedia
CTVglobemedia , was one of Canada's largest private media companies. Its operations include newspaper publishing , television broadcasting and production , radio broadcasting , and their respective Internet properties.Originally established by BCE and the Thomson family in 2001 combining CTV Inc.,...
(CIMX-FM
CIMX-FM
CIMX-FM — branded 89X — is a commercial active-leaning alternative rock radio station based in Windsor, Ontario. 89X serves both Essex County, Ontario and Metro Detroit; its 100,000-watt signal reaches most of southwestern Ontario, southeastern Michigan, the Toledo metro area and the western Lake...
& CIDR-FM
CIDR-FM
CIDR-FM is the callsign for a radio station, broadcasting at 93.9 FM in Windsor, Ontario. The station broadcasts a adult album alternative format using the brand name 93-9 The River. It is owned and operated by Bell Media. It is one of the few commercial adult album alternative stations in Canada...
). CKUE-FM
CKUE-FM
CKUE-FM is the callsign for a radio station located in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, with a booster station in Windsor, and an office in Leamington. Dubbing itself "Canada's Rock Station", the station features an active rock format.-History:...
's Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
repeater is the only rocker in Detroit not part of a twinstick operation along with Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
' own WDTW-FM
WDTW-FM
WDTW-FM is a classic rock formatted radio station in Detroit, Michigan. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications. WDTW-FM is licensed for HD Radio operations; its secondary channel carries Clear Channel's "Pride Radio" format, which features music geared toward the LGBT audience...
, which returned to classic rock after a five-year hiatus in 2011
2011 in radio
The following events occurred in radio broadcasting in 2011.-Events:*January 1: 2 Knoxville stations change formats as WDLF and WYLV flip to K-LOVE and Air 1 , and a few Pittsburgh station change formats, as ESPN Radio moves from WEAE to WBGG, and Radio Disney moves from WWCS to the renamed WDDZ,...
.
November 2010 PPM Rating: #5 (4.9)
Airstaff
The current weekday lineup (as of August 9, 2010) Starting off the day from 5am-9am its Ken Calvert With Ashley Asphalt (Traffic) and Jamie Samuelson (Sports). During the mid-day from 9am-2pm is longtime Detroit jock Karen Savelly. Next on the ride home from 2pm-6pm its Doug Podell. Wrapping up the day from 6pm-11pm its Steve Kostan, and Uncle Buck from 11pm-5am.Weekend's/Fill-ins include Dave Doran, Jim Hughes, Julianne Jordan, John O’Leary, Mark Pasman, Pam Rossi, Scott Shepard, Peter Werbe, & Tim Morley.
DEEP TRAX HD2: (Weekdays)- John O'Leary, Peter Werbe, Scott Shepard. (Weekends) - Jon Ray, Wally Londo, Jim Hughes, Ben Perez,& Tim Morley. The HD2 Channel also features two specialty shows on the weekedns, Motor City Beat with Doug Podell (Saturday) and Kostans Classic Rondevous with Steve Kostan (Sunday)
Much of the on-air talent of WCSX had previously been with WRIF
WRIF
WRIF — branded 101 WRIF: The RIFF — is a commercial active rock radio station licensed by the FCC to operate in Detroit, Michigan serving surrounding Metro Detroit. The station is currently owned by Greater Boston Radio, Inc. WRIF is a grandfathered Class B station with a signal equivalent to...
since the 80s and 90s, including Ken Calvert, Karen Savelly, and most recently, Doug Podell.