| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Greater Birmingham |
| Frequency | 1320kHz |
| Branding | Star 92 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic hits |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WAGG,WBHJ,WBHK,WBPT,WZZK-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | 1950 (1950) (as WEZB) |
Former call signs |
|
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 6411 |
| Class | D |
| Power |
|
Transmitter coordinates | 33°33′41″N86°51′37″W / 33.56139°N 86.86028°W /33.56139; -86.86028 |
| Translator | 92.3 W222BK (Chelsea) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | star92fm.com |
WENN (1320kHz) is acommercialAMradio station licensed toBirmingham, Alabama. It airs aclassic hits format and is owned bySummitMedia, which also owns six other Birmingham stations, and all sharestudios and offices in the Cahaba neighborhood in southeast Birmingham, but is not related to the fictional radio WENN in theAmerican Movie Classics sitcomRemember WENN, which ran from 1996 to 1998.
By day, WENN broadcasts at 5,000watts. To avoid interfering with other stations on 1320 AM, it reduces power to 111 watts at night. Thetransmitter is inHopper City on the city's northside.
The station that now broadcasts at 1320 AM in Birmingham started in 1950 as WEZB, aneasy listening music station licensed toHomewood, Alabama. When WEZB changed frequencies, moving to 1220 AM in 1959, it was replaced by WENN, playingR&B andblack gospel music that targeted Birmingham'sAfrican-American community. During the turbulent 1960s, the new WENN was one of two stations that served black listeners; the other wasWJLD. Because ofFCC restrictions, WENN was adaytimer, broadcasting only from sunrise until sunset. Still, it enjoyed dominance over its main rival, WJLD. In 1969, WENN launched an FM companion station on107.7 FM. The new WENN-FM was the first FM station in Birmingham aimed at the listening tastes of the community's African-American population.
The popularity of FM radio in Birmingham greatly increased during the late 1970s and early 1980s. WENN-FM's audience growth in particular led the station management to seek a separate identity for the AM 1320. In 1983, the AM station changed itscall sign toWAGG, and it became anurban gospel music station.[1] This change in programming proved to be successful, and by the end of the 1980s, WAGG was one of the highest-rated AM stations in Birmingham.
In 1998, Cox Radio, which already owned WZZK-FM, WODL-FM and WEZN, bought WAGG. One year later, WEZN, at the time anadult standards-formatted station, and WAGG swapped dial positions in order for WAGG to take advantage of the superior nighttime signal on 610 AM. As a result, 610 would be the new station for gospel music, while 1320 would be the new home for adult standards.
After WAGG and WEZN swapped dial positions, the 1320 AM frequency has changed both its call sign and its programming format several times. In 2000, the adult standards programming was dropped, and the station was relaunched as WRJS ("Rejoice 1320"), another urban gospel station. In 2002, the station changed formats again, becoming aregional Mexican music station known on the air as "La Favorita." In 2003, the station was reincarnated as WZZK (the call sign of610 AM from 1985–1998), playingclassic country music.
The station became WPSB in February 2006, with an urban talk format under the moniker "The People's Station of Birmingham."[3]
On January 29, 2007, the station beganstunting with a loop of "Oye Como Va" bySantana. On February 1, the station was officially relaunched as aRegional Mexican music station branded as "Radio Centro Birmingham".[4] The station was run out of Cox Radio's Birmingham facilities but was operated under alocal marketing agreement by KPI Latino.[4][5]
On March 15, 2009, the legacy WENN call sign was returned to this station.[1] At about the same time, the station dropped the Regional Mexican music format and reverted to urban-oriented talk programming.
On February 16, 2010, WENN changed its format toneo soul/urban AC, branded as "WENN 101.9, Birmingham's Neo Soul Station", with AM 1320 simulcasting on W270BW (101.9 FM). After approved modifications, W270BW now broadcasts at 102.1 FM (as W271BN), and could be received over most of downtown Birmingham.
On December 12, 2011, WENN/W271BN flipped to old-school hip-hop and R&B, branded as "Power 102.1." It carried the syndicated Birmingham native comedianRickey Smiley in morning drive.
On August 30, 2012, WENN changed formats again. The old-school music previously played on 1320 AM moved toWZNN-HD2, and WENN became asports radio station as a full-timenetwork affiliate ofESPN Radio. At the same time, the station's programming began simulcasting on a new FM translator, W297BF (107.3 FM).
On July 20, 2012, Cox Radio, Inc. announced the sale of WENN and 22 other stations to Summit Media LLC for $66.25 million. The sale was consummated on May 3, 2013.[6][7]
On July 2, 2013, Summit Media announced a format change for 107.3 FM/97.3 HD-2. At Noon that day, the frequency became the over-the-air station for Birmingham Mountain Radio, a formerlyinternet-only radio station that had been receiving accolades in the market since its inception in 2010.[8] On that same day, WENN reverted to their simulcast of W271BN.
On November 15, 2013, WENN and W271BN changed the format toadult hits, simulcastingWZNN, branded as "102.1 Y'all FM".[9] The simulcast lasted until November 21, 2013, at midnight; at that time, the former WZNN becamesoft adult contemporaryWEZZ, "Easy 97.3".
On October 3, 2014, WENN went silent, with W271BN switching to a simulcast of gospel-formatted sister stationWAGG.[10]
In November 2014, WENN returned to the air, simulcastingWEZZ-FM's soft adult contemporary format.
In April 2015, WENN changed its format back to adult hits. The following month, WENN went silent, though it would later be reported to come back on air the following month with the same adult hits format, and would begin simulcasting on new FM translator W261BX (100.1 FM).
On September 25, 2015, WENN/W261BX beganstunting withChristmas music, becoming the first station to change over for the season. The station was not selling any commercials during the stunt.[11]
On December 28, 2015, WENN changed its format tohot adult contemporary, branded as "All the Hits 100.1".
On March 14, 2016, WENN changed their format to soft AC, branded as "Easy 102.1", and switched translators to W271BN (102.1 FM).[12]
After the sale of its translator to theEducational Media Foundation, WENN wentdark in April 2017.[13]
On May 4, 2017, WENN returned to the air with soft AC, branded as "Easy 1320".
In July 2017, WENN switched to a simulcast ofurban adult contemporary-formattedWBHK. That simulcast gave way back to a simulcast ofWAGG sometime later.
On November 23, 2024, WENN returned to the air with a beautiful music format, branded as "Beautiful 1320".[14]
On October 1, 2025, WENN changed their format from beautiful music to classic hits, branded as "Star 92", targeting Shelby County.[15]
