WENZ facts for kids
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| Broadcast area | |
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| Frequency | 107.9 MHz (also on HD Radio) |
| Branding | Z 107.9 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Mainstream urban |
| Subchannels | HD2: Urban gospel (WJMO) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Urban One |
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Sister stations
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| History | |
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First air date
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April 5, 1958 |
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Former call signs
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Call sign meaning
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former "The End" branding |
| Technical information | |
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Licensing authority
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FCC |
| Facility ID | 2685 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 16,000 watts (horizontal) 15,000 watts (vertical) |
| HAAT | 272 meters (892 ft) |
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Transmitter coordinates
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41°27′54.00″N 81°17′13.00″W / 41.4650000°N 81.2869444°W |
| Links | |
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Public license information
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| Webcast |
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WENZ (107.9 FM) is a popular radio station in Cleveland, Ohio. It plays mainstream urban music, which includes hip-hop and R&B. The station is owned by Urban One. Its main offices are in Cleveland, and its broadcast tower is in Russell Township. You can listen to WENZ on your radio, or find it online. It also broadcasts using special HD Radio channels.
Contents
History of WENZ Radio
Starting Out: The Early Years
The station first started broadcasting on April 5, 1958. Its original name was WNOB. In the 1950s, it was hard for FM radio stations to make money on their own.
In 1963, WNOB became one of the first FM stations in the United States to broadcast in stereo. This made the music sound much better! In 1970, a company called Multicom Inc. bought the station. They changed its name to WELW-FM. For a while, WELW-FM played top 40 music. Later, it switched to country music.
Disco 108 WDMT: A New Sound
In 1975, Beasley Broadcast Group bought the station. They changed its name to WDMT. This name was short for "We're DynoMite!", a popular saying from a TV show. The next year, the station started playing Disco music. It was called "Disco 108 WDMT."
By 1978, WDMT changed its style again. It started playing a mix of pop hits and urban music. This style was sometimes called "CHUrban." It was the first radio station in Cleveland to play this kind of music. During this time, WDMT had special shows where local DJs mixed music live on the air. Many popular DJs worked at WDMT, including Ronnie "The Ghoul" Sweed.
Power 108 FM: A Stronger Signal
On April 9, 1987, the station changed its name to WPHR. It became "Power 108 FM" and played Top 40 music. In 1988, Ardman Broadcasting bought the station. Many well-known DJs, or "Power Jocks," worked here. These included Steven "Big Steve" Kelly and John Records Landecker. The station moved its offices to Playhouse Square in Cleveland in late 1988.
107.9 The End: Alternative Rock Era
On May 12, 1992, the station changed its name to WENZ. It started playing alternative rock music. The station was called "107.9 The End." Both the name and the call letters (WENZ) were chosen because the station was at the "end" of the FM radio dial.
When the station changed its music style, it would play R.E.M.'s song "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" for 24 hours straight! This was a fun way to announce the change. In 1996, Clear Channel Communications bought the station. A movie called The End of the World As We Knew It was made in 2009 about this time. It showed many of the people who worked at "The End."
Z 107.9: Hip-Hop and R&B Today
On January 15, 1999, Radio One bought WENZ. Radio One focuses on programming for African American communities. So, WENZ stopped playing alternative rock. On May 14, 1999, it started playing mainstream urban music, including hip-hop and R&B. It was first called "KISS 107.9."
However, another station in the area already used the "KISS-FM" name. To avoid problems, WENZ changed its name again. On September 1, 1999, it became "Z 107.9." Radio One changed its company name to Urban One in May 2018.
Current Programming on Z 107.9
WENZ is home to several popular radio shows. In the mornings, you can listen to the Morning Hustle show with HeadKrack. This show is heard on many stations across the country.
During the day, WENZ has local shows. These include The Micah Dixon Show in the middle of the day. In the afternoons, you can hear The Day Party with Ro Digga and DJ Ryan Wolf. In the evenings, Posted On The Corner with Incognito is on.
Images for kids
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Power 108 logo
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107.9 The End logo
