WKLD
Encyclopedia
WZZN is a radio station
licensed
to serve Union Grove, Alabama
, USA. The station is owned by Great South Wireless LLC. Previously licensed to Union Grove, Alabama
, the station began licensed operation from Union Grove site in December 2009. The move was made so the station may serve the Huntsville, Alabama
, area. The station went on the air in July 2010 with a sports talk format as "97.7 The Zone".Sports Director Steve Moulton was named the Large Market Sportscaster of the Year by the Alabama Broadcasters Association on March 26,2011. On Air Staff includes former Auburn Football Player Cole Cubelic and PGA Golfer Spike McRoy.
In April 2008, Blount County Broadcasting Service, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to Great South Wireless LLC for a reported sale price of $1.1 million. The deal was approved by the FCC on June 10, 2008, and the transaction was consummated on September 16, 2008. At the time of the sale, WKLD broadcast a country music
format branded as "K97.7".
) City Cafe host John Lemley
began his radio career at WKLD at the age of 16. For a brief time in 1984, he hosted the afternoon drive (adult contemporary) music program.
One of the most popular WKLD programs was its early morning talk and music program Early Riser hosted by the brother and sister team of Danny Bentley and Terri (Bentley) Lowry. After the sale, they moved to former sister station WCRL
.
(FCC) construction permit
to move the station's broadcast tower to a new city of license
location of Union Grove, Alabama
. The move would mean the station's signal would serve the Huntsville, Alabama
area. This permit is scheduled to expire on August 4, 2011. Multiple listeners in the area report the station went silent shortly after midnight on January 10, 2009. The last song played was reportedly "When Will I See You Again
" by The Three Degrees
.
The station was assigned call sign
WZZN by the FCC on August 27, 2009.
WZZN began licensed operation with Union Grove as the city of license on December 24, 2009. Four days later, the station applied for a new special temporary authority
to remain silent
for technical reasons, citing their inability to "maintain an adequate studio/transmitter link". This authority was granted by the FCC on March 22, 2010, with a scheduled September 19, 2010, expiration. The station returned to the air in July 2010 with a sports talk format.
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...
licensed
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
to serve Union Grove, Alabama
Union Grove, Alabama
Union Grove is a town in Marshall County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. Union Grove is located approximately three miles from Guntersville Lake and six miles from Arab. Electricity service in Union Grove is provided through Arab...
, USA. The station is owned by Great South Wireless LLC. Previously licensed to Union Grove, Alabama
Union Grove, Alabama
Union Grove is a town in Marshall County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. Union Grove is located approximately three miles from Guntersville Lake and six miles from Arab. Electricity service in Union Grove is provided through Arab...
, the station began licensed operation from Union Grove site in December 2009. The move was made so the station may serve the Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
, area. The station went on the air in July 2010 with a sports talk format as "97.7 The Zone".Sports Director Steve Moulton was named the Large Market Sportscaster of the Year by the Alabama Broadcasters Association on March 26,2011. On Air Staff includes former Auburn Football Player Cole Cubelic and PGA Golfer Spike McRoy.
Ownership
The "LD" in the original WKLD call letters stand for the station's founder, former owner and on-air host, Luther Daniel "L.D." Bentley. For the first few decades of its existence, the station was a multi-format station featuring a wide-ranging selection of music, talk and entertainment programs. In November 2002, control of Blount County Broadcasting Service legally passed from Luther Daniel Bentley Jr. to Luther Daniel Bentley III.Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format branded as "K97.7".
Former on-air staff
Atlanta's (WABEWABE
WABE FM 90.1 is a radio station in Atlanta, Georgia, that is affiliated with National Public Radio and Public Radio International . WABE's format features mostly classical music. It has lately added the short feature Atlanta Sounds and twice weekly previews of weekend events around the city...
) City Cafe host John Lemley
John Lemley
John Smith Lemley is the WABE early-afternoon music host. From 12 to 1 p.m., he hosts an hour of music, news, and features titled City Cafe. Afternoon Classics follows for two hours, from 1 to 3 p.m...
began his radio career at WKLD at the age of 16. For a brief time in 1984, he hosted the afternoon drive (adult contemporary) music program.
One of the most popular WKLD programs was its early morning talk and music program Early Riser hosted by the brother and sister team of Danny Bentley and Terri (Bentley) Lowry. After the sale, they moved to former sister station WCRL
WCRL
WCRL is a radio station licensed to serve Oneonta, Alabama. The station is owned by Blount County Broadcasting Service Inc. and began operation on July 29, 1952. WCRL airs an oldies music format....
.
Relocation
On August 4, 2008, WKLD received a Federal Communications CommissionFederal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) construction permit
Construction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
to move the station's broadcast tower to a new city of license
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
location of Union Grove, Alabama
Union Grove, Alabama
Union Grove is a town in Marshall County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. Union Grove is located approximately three miles from Guntersville Lake and six miles from Arab. Electricity service in Union Grove is provided through Arab...
. The move would mean the station's signal would serve the Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
area. This permit is scheduled to expire on August 4, 2011. Multiple listeners in the area report the station went silent shortly after midnight on January 10, 2009. The last song played was reportedly "When Will I See You Again
When Will I See You Again
"When Will I See You Again" is a song by American soul group The Three Degrees, from their third album The Three Degrees. The song was written and produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.It was one of the most successful recordings of the "Philly Soul" era...
" by The Three Degrees
The Three Degrees
The Three Degrees are an American female vocal group. Formed in 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,, the group has always been a trio though there have been a number of personnel changes and a total of fourteen women have represented the group so far. The original members were Fayette Pinkney,...
.
The station was assigned call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
WZZN by the FCC on August 27, 2009.
WZZN began licensed operation with Union Grove as the city of license on December 24, 2009. Four days later, the station applied for a new special temporary authority
Special temporary authority
In U.S. broadcast law, a special temporary authorization or special temporary authority is a type of broadcast license which temporarily allows a broadcast station to operate outside of its normal technical or legal parameters...
to remain silent
Dark (broadcasting)
In the broadcasting industry, dark is a term used to describe a radio station or television station that has gone off-the-air for an indefinite period of time, or as defined by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission , a "silent" station...
for technical reasons, citing their inability to "maintain an adequate studio/transmitter link". This authority was granted by the FCC on March 22, 2010, with a scheduled September 19, 2010, expiration. The station returned to the air in July 2010 with a sports talk format.