WNFZ
Encyclopedia
WNFZ is a commercial radio station
licensed to Powell, Tennessee
, broadcasting to the Knoxville, Tennessee
area.
WNFZ airs an active rock
music format branded as "94.3 The X".
94.3 later changed to an easy listening
format as WUUU and their slogan was "The Station For You". It was off the air for a short time until January 18, 1982 when WUUU became WETQ, a country music
formatted station as "Q-94FM".
On March 25, 1985, the station changed calls to WKNF-FM and became "Magic 94". This was Oak Ridge and Knoxville's only oldies
station. In April 1993, they became a classic country
station as "K-94". In September 1993, they became a heavily alternative
leaning "Alt-40" CHR
and changed the on-air position to "94Z". On July 1, 1994, WKNF-FM changed to their current calls to WNFZ to reflect on-air branding of 94Z and became an alternative rock
station. By 2008
, WNFZ moved to the active rock
panel per Mediabase
& Nielsen BDS reports, dropping most alternative rock
acts, and now focuses on mainly modern rock
because of no heritage classic rock
artists on the station's playlist.
The station has been branded variously "94Z", "The Planet", "94.3 Extreme Radio", and the current "94-3 The X".
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 to Powell, Tennessee
Powell, Tennessee
Powell is an unincorporated community in Knox County, Tennessee, United States. The United States Geographic Names System classifies Powell as a populated place. The area is located in the Emory Road corridor, just north of Knoxville, southeast of Clinton, and east of Oak Ridge...
, broadcasting to the Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
area.
WNFZ airs 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:...
music format branded as "94.3 The X".
History
WNFZ 94.3 signed on the air in February 1967 as WATO-FM where it broadcasted an underground rock format. Students at the University of Tennessee would use their antennas to get the station.94.3 later changed to an easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
format as WUUU and their slogan was "The Station For You". It was off the air for a short time until January 18, 1982 when WUUU became WETQ, a country music
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...
formatted station as "Q-94FM".
On March 25, 1985, the station changed calls to WKNF-FM and became "Magic 94". This was Oak Ridge and Knoxville's only 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....
station. In April 1993, they became a classic country
Classic country
Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country hits from past decades.This genre generally follows one of two formats: those specializing in hits from the 1920s through the early 1970s, and focus primarily on innovators and artists from country music's Golden...
station as "K-94". In September 1993, they became a heavily alternative
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
leaning "Alt-40" 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...
and changed the on-air position to "94Z". On July 1, 1994, WKNF-FM changed to their current calls to WNFZ to reflect on-air branding of 94Z and became an alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
station. By 2008
2008 in radio
Several events occurred in radio in 2008.- Events :* January 2: WWFT finished Christmas music stunting, rolling out the red carpet for Adult contemporary music branded as "Warm."...
, WNFZ moved 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 per 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 reports, dropping most alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
acts, and now focuses on mainly modern rock
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
because of no heritage 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...
artists on the station's playlist.
The station has been branded variously "94Z", "The Planet", "94.3 Extreme Radio", and the current "94-3 The X".