 | |
| Broadcast area | Columbus metro area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 106.7MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 106.7 The Beat |
| Programming | |
| Format | Mainstream urban |
| Subchannels | HD2: Throwback 105.3 (Classic hip hop) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WCOL-FM,WODC,WNCI,WTVN,WXZX,WYTS | |
| History | |
First air date | April 1953 (1953-04) |
Former call signs | WMRN-FM (1953–2007) WRXS (2007–10) WCGX (2010–14) |
Former frequencies | 106.9 MHz (1979–2007) |
Call sign meaning | Columbus Beat |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 40170 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 3,000watts |
| HAAT | 144 meters (472 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 40°09′32″N82°55′23″W / 40.159°N 82.923°W /40.159; -82.923 |
| Translator | HD2: 105.3 W287CP (Columbus) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live (viaiHeartRadio) HD2:Listen live (viaiHeartRadio) |
| Website | thebeat1067 HD2:throwback1053 |
WZCB (106.7FM) – branded106.7 The Beat – is a commercialmainstream urbanradio station licensed toDublin,Ohio, serving theColumbus metro area. Owned byiHeartMedia, the WZCB studios are located inDowntown Columbus, while its transmitter resides nearColumbus' northeast side. In addition to a standardanalog transmission, WZCB broadcasts over twoHD Radio channels, and streams online viaiHeartRadio.[2]
WMRN-FM had gone on the air on 106.9 MHz inMarion, Ohio, in April 1953,[3] more than seven years after receiving its original construction permit.
In the 1970s, it was a beautiful music station; later, it became country "Buckeye Country 107".
On December 1, 2007, the station was relicensed toDublin, Ohio and began targeting theColumbus radio market; the station frequency also had moved to 106.7 MHz. Prior to the announced launch,iHeartMedia (then known as Clear Channel Communications) registered a large number of web domains with various formats and brandings to throw off competitors from switching to null the impact of their launch.Stunting on-air consisted of television theme songs as "TV 106.7". The former country format moved to Marion's other station, 94.3 WDIF-FM, which became the newWMRN-FM in January 2008.
On December 13, 2007 at noon, the new WRXS officially unveiled its true format, modern rock, as "Radio 106-7".[4] The first song played on Radio 106.7 was "Radio, Radio" byElvis Costello andthe Attractions.
When Radio 106-7 first started in 2007, presentation heavily centered on modern rock music from the 1990s, as well as featuring selected songs from the mid-1970s through the end of the 1980s as well as current product. Overall, the station came across as "lighter" than typical Modern Rock radio stations. This type of presentation is highly similar to those at several other Clear Channel operations inPhiladelphia,Grand Rapids, MI, andHartford, CT. On May 2, 2009, the station tweaked its format by dropping the lighter alternative music and adding more hard rock to its rotation to compete with independentWWCD. On January 7, 2010 the station addedRover's Morning Glory to its morning lineup.
On June 28, 2010, the station switched to a '90s pop/rock centered format as Gen-X Radio", and changed their call letters to WCGX;Rover's Morning Glory was removed from the schedule. The first song played in the new format was "Get Ready For This" by2 Unlimited.
As of October 2011, WCGX shifted from '90s hits to amodern AC direction, phasing out all rhythmic product. The alternative product remained, and it has increased the amount of currents from the genre.
On December 19, 2011, at 6 PM, WCGX officially dropped the "Gen" from their name, calling themselves "X106-7" and officially shifted tomodern rock. X106-7 positioned as "Columbus' Alternative Station." This put them in competition with not only WWCD, butWRKZ. As a result, ratings were in the middle of the pack for most of X's tenure. The "X" format moved toWBWR-HD2, and eventually to the main signal105.7 FM itself that December.
On September 19, 2014, at Noon, after playing "Closing Time" bySemisonic, WCGX switched to an urban format as "106.7 The Beat". The first song on "The Beat" was "Studio" bySchoolboy Q featuringBJ the Chicago Kid.[5] The station picked upThe Breakfast Club morning show, and currently competes withRadio One'sWCKX. On September 26, 2014, WCGX changed call letters to WZCB to match the "Beat" branding.