WZBL
Encyclopedia
WSFF and WSNZ are Adult Hits
formatted broadcast
radio station
s. WSFF is licensed to Vinton, Virginia
, serving Metro Roanoke
. WSFF is owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications
and WSNZ is licensed to Lynchburg, Virginia
serving Metro Lynchburg. Both WSFF and WSNZ are owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications
.
101.7 FM started out with the call sign WXYU in 1962.
On January 18, 1991, the frequencies began a simulcast as "Jammin' 101.7 and 106.1" and 106.1 FM changed their call letters to WJJS on May 18, 1994. 101.7 FM, which had previously been assigned the WJJS call letters on January 1, 1992, then adopted the call sign WJJX on April 29, 1994. Before that, the WJJS call sign had been assigned to 1320 AM. On August 29, 1996, the call sign on 104.9 FM was modified to WJJS-FM and the WJJS call sign was returned to 1320 AM (now WVGM
).
In 1998, WJJS-FM/WJJX shifted to Top 40 Mainstream and began a serious challenge to take on the area's longtime rival WXLK in a battle would last for nearly seven years, even though they maintained a Rhythmic lean during that tenure.
But by 2005 WJJS-FM/WJJX would start shifting back towards a pure Rhythmic direction as they began phasing out non-Rhythmic product, resulting in a complete return to Rhythmic Top 40 in the Spring of 2006.
At noon on December 17, 2007, the WZBL call sign and Classic Country
format was moved from 104.9 FM to 106.1 FM as "106.1 The Bull". This was part of a frequency swap that moved the WJJS call letters to 104.9 FM as "Jammin' JJS". On the same date the 101.7 FM "WJJX" simulcast was also swapped with WSNV, which had been broadcasting on 102.7 FM, simulcasting WSNV
at 93.5 FM.
At noon on March 27, 2009, the format was changed to Adult Hits as "106.1 Steve FM". The new callsign, WSFF, went into effect a day later on March 28. At 5:00pm on March 25, 2011, WSFF began simulcasting on WSNZ at 101.7 FM, once again reuniting 106.1 FM with 101.7 FM.
WSFF is part of a group of stations owned by Clear Channel that are scheduled to be sold as part of Clear Channel's conversion from a public to a private company.
The station also broadcasts all Virginia Tech sporting events including Hokies football and basketball games. In addition. the Hokie Hotline talk show airs every Monday night.
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
formatted broadcast
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
radio station
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...
s. WSFF is licensed to Vinton, Virginia
Vinton, Virginia
Vinton is a town in Roanoke County, Virginia, United States. The population was 7,782 at the 2000 census. It hosted teams by three names in the ECHL in a custom built facility known as the LancerLot; after the roof collapsed during the Blizzard of 1993, the franchise moved to the Roanoke Civic...
, serving Metro Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
. WSFF is owned and operated by 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...
and WSNZ is licensed to Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
serving Metro Lynchburg. Both WSFF and WSNZ are owned and operated by 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...
.
Combined 106.1/101.7 History
106.1 FM started out with the call sign WWFO on January 18, 1991.101.7 FM started out with the call sign WXYU in 1962.
On January 18, 1991, the frequencies began a simulcast as "Jammin' 101.7 and 106.1" and 106.1 FM changed their call letters to WJJS on May 18, 1994. 101.7 FM, which had previously been assigned the WJJS call letters on January 1, 1992, then adopted the call sign WJJX on April 29, 1994. Before that, the WJJS call sign had been assigned to 1320 AM. On August 29, 1996, the call sign on 104.9 FM was modified to WJJS-FM and the WJJS call sign was returned to 1320 AM (now WVGM
WVGM
WVGM is a Sports Radio formatted broadcast radio station affiliated with ESPN Radio.WVGM is licensed to Lynchburg, Virginia, serving the Metro Lynchburg area...
).
In 1998, WJJS-FM/WJJX shifted to Top 40 Mainstream and began a serious challenge to take on the area's longtime rival WXLK in a battle would last for nearly seven years, even though they maintained a Rhythmic lean during that tenure.
But by 2005 WJJS-FM/WJJX would start shifting back towards a pure Rhythmic direction as they began phasing out non-Rhythmic product, resulting in a complete return to Rhythmic Top 40 in the Spring of 2006.
At noon on December 17, 2007, the WZBL call sign and 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...
format was moved from 104.9 FM to 106.1 FM as "106.1 The Bull". This was part of a frequency swap that moved the WJJS call letters to 104.9 FM as "Jammin' JJS". On the same date the 101.7 FM "WJJX" simulcast was also swapped with WSNV, which had been broadcasting on 102.7 FM, simulcasting WSNV
WSNV
WSNV is a Light Adult Contemporary formatted broadcast radio stationlicensed to Salem, Virginia, serving Metro Roanoke. WSNV is owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications....
at 93.5 FM.
At noon on March 27, 2009, the format was changed to Adult Hits as "106.1 Steve FM". The new callsign, WSFF, went into effect a day later on March 28. At 5:00pm on March 25, 2011, WSFF began simulcasting on WSNZ at 101.7 FM, once again reuniting 106.1 FM with 101.7 FM.
WSFF is part of a group of stations owned by Clear Channel that are scheduled to be sold as part of Clear Channel's conversion from a public to a private company.
The station also broadcasts all Virginia Tech sporting events including Hokies football and basketball games. In addition. the Hokie Hotline talk show airs every Monday night.