| Broadcast area | Knoxville metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 94.3MHz |
| Branding | 94.3 Jack FM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Adult hits |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WDKW,WIMZ-FM,WJXB-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | February1967 (as WATO-FM) |
Former call signs | WATO-FM (1967-?) WUUU (197?-1982) WETQ (1982–1985) WKNF-FM (1985–1994) |
Call sign meaning | "Ninety Four Z" (The Z=3) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 31837 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 2,950watts |
| HAAT | 144 meters (472 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 35°57′58.0″N84°04′6.0″W / 35.966111°N 84.068333°W /35.966111; -84.068333 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live Listen on iHeartRadio |
| Website | jackfmknoxville.com |
WNFZ (94.3FM) is acommercialradio stationlicensed toPowell, Tennessee, and serving theKnoxville metropolitan area. WNFZ is owned byMidwest Communications.[2] It airs anadult hitsradio format, subscribing to the nationallysyndicatedJACK-FM service. It uses the slogan "Playing What We Want!" The General Manager is Randy Ross.
Thestudios and offices are on Sharps Ridge Memorial Park Drive in Knoxville.[3] Thetransmitter is on the west side of Knoxville, off Sands Road.[4]
In February 1967, the stationsigned on asWATO-FM.[5] The station'scity of license was originallyOak Ridge, Tennessee. At first, itsimulcast co-ownedAM 1290 WATO (now off the air). By the late 1960s, WATO-FM began carrying aprogressive rock format.
94.3 later changed to aneasy listening format asWUUU. The slogan was "The Station For You". It wasoff the air for a short time until January 18, 1982 when it switched itscall sign toWETQ. It carried acountry music format known as "Q-94FM".
On March 25, 1985, the station changed toWKNF-FM and became "Magic 94," flipping to anoldies sound. In April 1993, it became aclassic country station as "K-94". In September 1993, the station shifted toCHR/Top 40 and changed the on-air position to "94Z".
On July 1, 1994, WKNF-FM switched toWNFZ to reflect on-air branding of 94Z and became analternative rock station. Then in2008, WNFZ refocused, becoming anactive rock outlet. Between 1994 and 2013 the station was branded variously "94Z", "The Planet", "94.3 Extreme Radio" and "94-3 The X."
WNFZ simulcast former sister station 95.7WVRX until October 31, 2013. At that point, The X alternative rock format moved to 95.7.[6] At Midnight on November 1, WNFZ flipped to aTalk format, formerly broadcast on WNOX-FM. The ownership switched to Oak Ridge FM, Inc. under the branding, "KnoxTalkRadio 94.3 WNFZ".[7]
At noon on October 21, 2015, WNFZ returned toalternative rock as "94Z".
On March 21, 2019, WNFZ was sold toMidwest Communications and changed its format from alternative rock toadult hits, branded as "94.3 Jack FM".[8] It began carrying theJACK-FM format, similar to co-ownedWCJKNashville, one of that market's highest rated stations. The sale closed on June 4, 2019, at a price of $2 million.