 | |
| Broadcast area | Columbus metro area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 105.7MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Columbus Alternative 105.7 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Alternative rock |
| Subchannels | HD2:Pride Radio[1] |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WCOL-FM,WNCI,WODC,WTVN,WYTS,WZCB | |
| History | |
First air date | July 20, 1990 (1990-07-20) |
Former call signs |
|
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 64716 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 2,400watts |
| HAAT | 159 meters (522 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 39°58′10.00″N83°0′10.00″W / 39.9694444°N 83.0027778°W /39.9694444; -83.0027778 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live (viaiHeartRadio) |
| Website | alt1057 |
WXZX (105.7FM) is a commercialradio station that is licensed to serveHilliard, Ohio and serves theColumbus metropolitan area. Owned byiHeartMedia, the station broadcasts analternative rock format. Both the WXZX studios and the station transmitter are located inDowntown Columbus. The station is the Columbus affiliate of theCincinnati Bengals Radio Network.[3] WXZX broadcasts inHD Radio.
A new station was constructed inMarysville, Ohio, at 105.7 MHz in early 1990, known as WNRJ. Thecall letters signified "energy", as "Energy 105.7" was originally considered as a brand but never used. When the station finally signed on the air on July 20, 1990,[4] it was known as"The Power Pig" (not to be confused withTampa, Florida'sWFLZ's"The Power Pig" name) and featured acontemporary hit radio format. This short-lived format quickly evolved torhythmic contemporary as WWHT, "Hot 105".[5] In March 1993, sister stationWTLT (107.1 FM) inCircleville begansimulcasting WWHT's signal and changed its call sign to WAHC. Together the two stations were branded as "Hot 105/Hot 107" and served the entire Columbus market.[6][7]
In an effort to again re-image the station, in early 1994 WWHT was changed to WAKS, "105.7 Kiss-FM", playing mainstream hits with a more adult lean. Kiss-FM failed to become a viable competitor to top 40 leaderWNCI due to WAKS' relatively poor signal and undifferentiatedformat. The next format change in April of that year saw WAKS and WAHC flip to all-1970soldies as "Arrow 105.7".[8] The first song on Arrow was "Stayin' Alive" by theBee Gees.
The late 1990s saw frequent changes at the station. In December 1996,Jacor Communications purchased WAKS and WAHC for approximately $9.5 million.[9] The new owner flipped the station tocountry music the following month as WHQK, "Kicks Country 105-7", ending the simulcast with WAHC.[10] WHQK dropped its programming in April 1997 after only a few months in favor of simulcastingWHOK-FM's country format.[11] (Prior to the Jacor purchase, in late 1996 WAKS and WAHCstunted as simulcasts ofWLLD (Country 98-9) in an attempt to "surround" leading country stationWCOL-FM (92.3 FM). A third format change came late in 1997 when the station gave all-1970s another try; it was branded "105.7 The Chicken" in reference to its mascot, a giant whole broiled chicken dressed in seasonal clothing. Also late in the year, after a day of stunting withOhio State University themes, WHQK flipped tourban adult contemporary. Urban programming lasted until 1998, whenmodern rock-formatted WZAZ-FM (then located at 98.9 FM) swapped formats and call signs with WHQK. WZAZ-FM, now on 105.7 FM, was rebranded as "Channel Z 105.7" with amodern rock format.
On June 6, 2000, WZAZ-FM relocated its transmitter closer to Columbus and became WFJX, aclassic rock outlet branded "The Fox". A listeners petition to "Bring Back Channel Z" was started after the station switched to 1970s and 1980s rock, but nothing materialized from this effort. Although many liked the music variety played by "Channel Z", it was not competitive in the ratings withGrove City's alternative station,WWCD. On September 19, 2005, after a week of stunting again (this time with episodes of the TV seriesCheers), The Fox relaunched as WBWR, "The Brew @ 105.7". Later that year, WBWR began broadcasting inHD Radio.
On December 1, 2014, at noon, after playing "Heard It on the X" byZZ Top (a clever reference to the station's future format), WBWR dropped the "Brew" format and began stunting with music by theOhio State University Marching Band. At 3 p.m., WBWR flipped to gold-leaning alternative rock as105.7 The X, bringing back the former name and branding of sister stationWCGX (106.7 FM) after it dropped the format two months earlier; a modern rock format branded as "X" aired on WBWR's HD2digital subchannel in the interim. The first song on The X was "Gold on the Ceiling" byAkron-based bandThe Black Keys.[12][13] On July 8, 2015, WBWR changed its call letters to WXZX to match the new branding.
On November 21, 2016, at 3 p.m., after briefly stunting with audio from pastOhio State–Michigan football games (as the next rivalry game was set for the following Saturday, November 26), WXZX flipped tosports radio as "105.7 The Zone".[14]
On February 8, 2019, WXZX returned to its previous classic rock format andThe Brew branding.[15] By that July, the station shifted tomainstream rock. On March 16, 2020, WXZX began airingRover's Morning Glory from sister stationWMMS/Cleveland.[16][17]
On November 16, 2020, WXZX returned to modern rock asColumbus Alternative 105.7, returning the format to terrestrial radio afterWWCD flipped toRegional Mexican in early November after being taken over byUrban One.[18][19] On November 21, WWCD returned to terrestrial radio onthe former WMYC, giving Columbus two alternative rock stations.
The station changed its call sign to WWCD on February 12, 2024, and then changed it back to WXZX a week later.
WXZX broadcasts inHD Radio with two subchannels: