WHHZ
Encyclopedia
WHHZ branded as "100.5 The Buzz", is a commercial radio station
licensed to Newberry, Florida
, broadcasting to the Gainesville
-Ocala, Florida
area. The station is owned by MARC Radio Gainesville, LLC and transmits with an Effective radiated power
of 44 KW
from a tower site 2 miles west of Trenton, Florida
.
, it never had good penetration into its primary target market of Gainesville.
After several call letter changes and format changes; WBXY in 1998, WRGK in 1999, it was sold to Astrisk Communications who then sold the station to Pamal Broadcasting. The sale was consummated in February 2001. Pamal immediately co-located the station with its other market stations in the WLUS
building on SE 27th Street. The format was changed briefly to CHR
before finally settling on Active Rock.
In July 2004, the transmitter was relocated to sister station WKZY
's tower and the signal was upgraded to a class C2 FM allocation. This greatly improved coverage of the Gainesville city metro. Unfortunately, the improved signal never translated to higher ratings or higher revenue for the station.
In October 2005 the studios were moved across town to the Sunshine Broadcasting building on 100 NW 76th drive in the Tower Hill Office Park along with Pamal's other Gainesville stations.
In July of 2011, WHHZ and all of its sister stations were sold by Pamal Broadcasting to MARC Radio Gainesville, LLC.
tracks. The station was at the time anchored by "The Morning Buzz," hosted by Mojo, and an afternoon drive segment hosted by Leroy the Lovetoy. WHHZ was noted for its station identification drop that referenced Linkin Park
, Disturbed, and Creed
, and ended with Leroy the Lovetoy declaring "We're proud to say that we don't play any of that dogs***."
While this format may have been unique, targeting the younger University of Florida students, it never made a good showing in the Arbitron ratings. The station often placed below its AM sister station, WDVH
, which has a smaller signal but is programmed with a classic country format.
In March 2008, the station abruptly began playing more mainstream rock tracks, including artists that were previously referred to on-air as "dogs***." WHHZ also dropped some of its more unique programs, such as the independent hip-hop show "The Swank Manifesto," One of its more popular shows, "The Independent" was moved from Wednesday night to Sunday night and now plays the music that WHHZ previously played in heavy rotation. The Buzz is now known as North Florida's Pure Rock.
Spanish (Mornings / Nights): 2004-2008 *Now At CBS Radio West Palm Beach, Florida)
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
licensed to Newberry, Florida
Newberry, Florida
Newberry is a city located on the west side of Alachua County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,316 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 3,630 . Much of the city borders the neighboring Gilchrist County to the west...
, broadcasting to the Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
-Ocala, Florida
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
area. The station is owned by MARC Radio Gainesville, LLC and transmits 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 44 KW
Kw
kw or KW may refer to:* Kuwait, ISO 3166-1 country code** .kw, the country code top level domain for Kuwait* Kilowatt* Self-ionization of water Kw* Cornish language's ISO 639 code* Kitchener–Waterloo, Ontario, Canada...
from a tower site 2 miles west of Trenton, Florida
Trenton, Florida
Trenton is a city in Gilchrist County, Florida, United States. The population is projected to be 1,722 as of April 1, 2008. It is the county seat of Gilchrist County.-Geography:Trenton is located at ....
.
History
The FCC added 100.5 MHz class A allocation for Newberry, Florida to the table of allotments on December 17, 1986. Newberry Broadcasting Corporation applied for and was granted the construction permit on January 10, 1990. During the construction phase, the allotment was upgraded to a class C3. The station first signed on the air on November 18, 1994. Originally, as a class C3 FM station broadcasting from a tower site west of High Springs, FloridaHigh Springs, Florida
High Springs is a city in Alachua County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,863 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 4,139 .-Geography:High Springs is located at ....
, it never had good penetration into its primary target market of Gainesville.
After several call letter changes and format changes; WBXY in 1998, WRGK in 1999, it was sold to Astrisk Communications who then sold the station to Pamal Broadcasting. The sale was consummated in February 2001. Pamal immediately co-located the station with its other market stations in the WLUS
WDVH (AM)
WDVH is a commercial radio station in Gainesville, Florida, broadcasting to the Gainesville-Ocala, Florida area on 980 AM. The-History:WDVH signed on the air on in October 1955 from its current transmitter location on SE 27th street...
building on SE 27th Street. The format was changed briefly to CHR
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
before finally settling on Active Rock.
In July 2004, the transmitter was relocated to sister station WKZY
WKZY
WKZY is a commercial radio station in Cross City, Florida, broadcasting to the Gainesville-Ocala, Florida area on 106.9 FM.-History:...
's tower and the signal was upgraded to a class C2 FM allocation. This greatly improved coverage of the Gainesville city metro. Unfortunately, the improved signal never translated to higher ratings or higher revenue for the station.
In October 2005 the studios were moved across town to the Sunshine Broadcasting building on 100 NW 76th drive in the Tower Hill Office Park along with Pamal's other Gainesville stations.
In July of 2011, WHHZ and all of its sister stations were sold by Pamal Broadcasting to MARC Radio Gainesville, LLC.
Programming
The station that once billed itself as "Gainesville's Rock Alternative," and from 2004 until March 2008 had a playlist that avoided most Top 40 and mainstream rockRock 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...
tracks. The station was at the time anchored by "The Morning Buzz," hosted by Mojo, and an afternoon drive segment hosted by Leroy the Lovetoy. WHHZ was noted for its station identification drop that referenced Linkin Park
Linkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
, Disturbed, and Creed
Creed (band)
Creed is an American rock band formed in 1995 in Tallahassee, Florida. Becoming popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the band has released three consecutive multi-platinum albums, one of which has been certified diamond, and has sold over 28 million records in the United States, with an...
, and ended with Leroy the Lovetoy declaring "We're proud to say that we don't play any of that dogs***."
While this format may have been unique, targeting the younger University of Florida students, it never made a good showing in the Arbitron ratings. The station often placed below its AM sister station, WDVH
WDVH (AM)
WDVH is a commercial radio station in Gainesville, Florida, broadcasting to the Gainesville-Ocala, Florida area on 980 AM. The-History:WDVH signed on the air on in October 1955 from its current transmitter location on SE 27th street...
, which has a smaller signal but is programmed with a classic country format.
In March 2008, the station abruptly began playing more mainstream rock tracks, including artists that were previously referred to on-air as "dogs***." WHHZ also dropped some of its more unique programs, such as the independent hip-hop show "The Swank Manifesto," One of its more popular shows, "The Independent" was moved from Wednesday night to Sunday night and now plays the music that WHHZ previously played in heavy rotation. The Buzz is now known as North Florida's Pure Rock.
Weekdays
- 12p-6p: Leroy The Love Toy
- 6p-12a: Boomer, Who also hosts a show in Albany NY at [WZMR].
Weekends
Sunday Nights- 7pm-9pm: Local Music With Dirty D
- 9pm-11pm: hard drive
- 11p-1a: skratch n sniff
WHHZ Alumni
- MoJo (Program Director / Morning Show Host): 2001-2008 *Left in August 2008 to become the program director of WDYL Richmond, Virginia. *Now At WNRN Charlottesville, VA
- Leigh Scott (Morning Show Host / Host Of Salvation / Promotions Director): 2002-2008
- Leroy The Love Toy (Production Director / Afternoon Drive): 2002–Present
Spanish (Mornings / Nights): 2004-2008 *Now At CBS Radio West Palm Beach, Florida)
- Nick (Middays): 2007-2008
- Dirty D (Nights): 2003–Present
- Moe Rodriguez (Moe Music): 2004-2008 *Now On WGOT
- Toto and The Bone (Former Hosts Of The Independent): 2004-2007 *Got Real Jobs
- Nick and Donna (Hosts Of The Independent): 2007-2008