W250BC
Encyclopedia
W250BC FM
97.9 is a radio station
located in Atlanta, Georgia
, and has Riverdale, Georgia
(a southern suburb
) as its city of license
. Although license
d as a broadcast translator prohibited from carrying its own programming, it broadcasts under a legal loophole
allowed by the Federal Communications Commission
, by simulcast
ing on HD Radio
channel
3 of WWWQ
FM 99.7, allowing such stations to sidestep the restriction on translators, as well as regulation
s regarding the excessive concentration of media ownership
by a single company in a given media market
.
It has a power
of 250 watts but at great height, and is transmitted from a major broadcast tower near North Druid Hills along with several other FM and TV stations. It has a broadcast range of approximately 20–25 mi (32.2–40.2 km), depending on how weather
and other factors affect radio propagation
conditions of other distant stations that can cause interference.
FM 91.9 at Clark Atlanta University
, which sold it to another company, which in turn traded it for WZBN
FM in south Georgia. It is still licensed to serve Riverdale, although that city has never been within its legally-defined broadcast range. Although identified as "WWWQ HD3" (and previously HD2), the FCC still lists W250BC as rebroadcasting parent station WNNX
FM ("Rock 100.5" in analog and HD1, previously no HD2). That station forced two other LPFM stations (like W250BC) permanently off-air
when it moved to Atlanta as WWWQ in 2001: WGHR
at Southern Polytechnic State University
, and W264AE from Georgia Public Broadcasting
.
When purchased by Cumulus Broadcasting, the station was changed from a true translator to be the new home for legendary 99X, which had previously been removed from WNNX FM 99.7 (now WWWQ) to make room for Q100's move from WWWQ FM 100.5 (now WNNX
, "Rock 100.5"). In the meantime, 99X had gone to being on Internet radio
only, returning to FM broadcasting
in 2009 on April 17 at 9:09 AM on W250BC. Despite the mismatch between the old moniker and the new frequency
numbers, the station continued to carry 99X for just over two years, identified on air
as "WWWQ HD2" but listed as having WNNX FM 100.5 as its parent station. In spring 2011, Cumulus bought noncommercial W205CI FM 88.9 (later W258BU on 99.5) and made an identical move as it had with W250BC. It was changed to 99.1 (FM channel 256), and the supposed "translator" station was moved to the same broadcast tower as its parent station. Its broadcast callsign became W256BO, with the last two serial letters being assigned once its construction permit
became a broadcast license
.) It was under program test authority
until then, running at 50% power due to legal
requirements to ensure proper engineering
and installation of its slightly directional antenna
.
On June 10, 99X began simulcasting on both 97.9 and 99.1 until June 15. The station had dead air
all night (possibly unintentionally, due to severe thunderstorms in the evening), then began stunting in the morning of the 16th with an hour-long loop of clips of various genres of music
, from smooth jazz
to dance
to country
. It also included a segment of tribute
to Michael Jackson
, snippet
s of Casey Kasem
describing the then-new Compact Disc
technology
from a 1980s
American Top 40
, and even old aircheck
s of bumpers from 99X (from its days on WNNX FM 99.7) and predecessor Power 99 (WAPW FM 99.7), as well as WQXI
.
At exactly noon on the 17th, the station began airing its new format
as "Journey 97-9", with a three-minute introduction at the top of each hour, and a short promo by Randy Jackson
, former bass
player for 1980s rock
band Journey
, followed by their song "Don't Stop Believin'
". The format is promoted as a "journey" through 1980s and 1990s popular music, similar to another Journey-branded station Cumulus launched in Cincinnati the month before. The playlist
is similar to both B98.5 (WSB-FM
) and Star 94 (WSTR
FM). Radio Insight confirmed that Rick Dees
will be the network
-fed DJ
on the station as it is at the Cincinnati station. The station is initially running without radio commercial
s, and it is unclear if local DJs will be heard or whether it will be only broadcast automation
.
At 250 watts, W250BC has a broadcast range only slightly larger than 99-watt W256BO, however it also does not suffer from the co-channel RF interference that 99.1 has. Both stations are predicted to cover the core area of metro Atlanta
, but the weak signal strength
in the exurbs often causes the signal there to be choppy on 97.9. and more so on 99.1 (which is at 50% power temporarily, dropping signal strength by 30%). Both are at 303.3 metres (995 ft) above average terrain
at exactly the same coordinates, indicating their transmitters likely share the same radio antenna through a diplexer
. Both are also licensed as class D, meaning they must accept interference from all full-power stations. When Cumulus brought 100.5 in from northeast Alabama
in 2001, it was this FCC rule that was used to put WGHR and W264AE off the air.
From September 2010 to February 2011, Cumulus also owned W229AG FM 93.7, which broadcasts WCNN
AM 680 "The Fan" (originally KAWZ under Calvary Chapel
). This was previously carried on WWWQ's HD3 channel, and also transmits FM from the WWWQ tower at the same height, and likely the same antenna as W250BC. It was sold to WCNN owner Dickey Broadcasting by Cumulus, whose CEO is Lew Dickey.
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
97.9 is a radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
located in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, and has Riverdale, Georgia
Riverdale, Georgia
Riverdale is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 12,478 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Riverdale is located at .-Demographics:...
(a southern suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
) as its city of license
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
. Although license
Broadcast license
A broadcast license or broadcast license is a specific type of spectrum license that grants the licensee the privilege to use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum in a given geographical area for broadcasting purposes. The licenses are generally straddled with additional restrictions that...
d as a broadcast translator prohibited from carrying its own programming, it broadcasts under a legal loophole
Loophole
A loophole is a weakness that allows a system to be circumvented.Loophole may also refer to:*Arrowslit, a slit in a castle wall*Loophole , a short science fiction story by Arthur C...
allowed by the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
, by simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
ing on HD Radio
HD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
channel
Digital subchannel
In broadcasting, digital subchannels are a means to transmit more than one independent program at the same time from the same digital radio or digital television station on the same radio frequency channel. This is done by using data compression techniques to reduce the size of each individual...
3 of WWWQ
WWWQ (FM)
WNNX is an Atlanta radio station that is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. The station broadcasts from the same building as its other Cumulus Atlanta sister stations WWWQ FM 99.7 and 99X...
FM 99.7, allowing such stations to sidestep the restriction on translators, as well as regulation
Regulation
Regulation is administrative legislation that constitutes or constrains rights and allocates responsibilities. It can be distinguished from primary legislation on the one hand and judge-made law on the other...
s regarding the excessive concentration of media ownership
Concentration of media ownership
Concentration of media ownership refers to a process whereby progressively fewer individuals or organizations control increasing shares of the mass media...
by a single company in a given media market
Media market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content...
.
It has a power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
of 250 watts but at great height, and is transmitted from a major broadcast tower near North Druid Hills along with several other FM and TV stations. It has a broadcast range of approximately 20–25 mi (32.2–40.2 km), depending on how weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
and other factors affect radio propagation
Radio propagation
Radio propagation is the behavior of radio waves when they are transmitted, or propagated from one point on the Earth to another, or into various parts of the atmosphere...
conditions of other distant stations that can cause interference.
History
It was originally a 6-watt translator for WCLKWCLK (FM)
WCLK FM 91.9 is a radio station licensed to Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and serves the core area of metro Atlanta. The station is owned and operated as a public radio station by Clark Atlanta University...
FM 91.9 at Clark Atlanta University
Clark Atlanta University
Clark Atlanta University is a private, historically black university in Atlanta, Georgia. It was formed in 1988 with the consolidation of Clark College and Atlanta University...
, which sold it to another company, which in turn traded it for WZBN
WZBN (FM)
WZBN is a radio station serving Albany, Georgia and surrounding areas with a Holy Hip Hop and Contemporary Gospel music format. This station is under ownership of Light Media, OTC: LGMH...
FM in south Georgia. It is still licensed to serve Riverdale, although that city has never been within its legally-defined broadcast range. Although identified as "WWWQ HD3" (and previously HD2), the FCC still lists W250BC as rebroadcasting parent station WNNX
WNNX (FM)
WWWQ FM 99.7, known as "Q100", is an Atlanta radio station airing a top-40 contemporary hit radio format. It is owned and operated by Cumulus Media from the same building as its other co-owned sister stations WNNX FM "Rock 100.5", W258BU FM 99.1 "99X", and W250BC FM 97.9 "Journey 97-9"...
FM ("Rock 100.5" in analog and HD1, previously no HD2). That station forced two other LPFM stations (like W250BC) permanently off-air
Dark (broadcasting)
In the broadcasting industry, dark is a term used to describe a radio station or television station that has gone off-the-air for an indefinite period of time, or as defined by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission , a "silent" station...
when it moved to Atlanta as WWWQ in 2001: WGHR
WGHR
WGHR is a noncommercial radio station operated solely by the students of Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, Georgia, USA. The station is student- and listener-supported, with diverse programming from a wide variety of genres.-History:...
at Southern Polytechnic State University
Southern Polytechnic State University
Southern Polytechnic State University is a public, co-educational state university located in Marietta, Georgia, USA just northwest of Atlanta...
, and W264AE from Georgia Public Broadcasting
Georgia Public Broadcasting
Georgia Public Broadcasting is the public broadcasting radio and television state network in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is operated by the Georgia Public Telecommunications Commission....
.
When purchased by Cumulus Broadcasting, the station was changed from a true translator to be the new home for legendary 99X, which had previously been removed from WNNX FM 99.7 (now WWWQ) to make room for Q100's move from WWWQ FM 100.5 (now WNNX
WNNX (FM)
WWWQ FM 99.7, known as "Q100", is an Atlanta radio station airing a top-40 contemporary hit radio format. It is owned and operated by Cumulus Media from the same building as its other co-owned sister stations WNNX FM "Rock 100.5", W258BU FM 99.1 "99X", and W250BC FM 97.9 "Journey 97-9"...
, "Rock 100.5"). In the meantime, 99X had gone to being on Internet radio
Internet radio
Internet radio is an audio service transmitted via the Internet...
only, returning to FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
in 2009 on April 17 at 9:09 AM on W250BC. Despite the mismatch between the old moniker and the new frequency
Frequency
Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit time. It is also referred to as temporal frequency.The period is the duration of one cycle in a repeating event, so the period is the reciprocal of the frequency...
numbers, the station continued to carry 99X for just over two years, identified on air
Station identification
Station identification is the practice of radio or television stations or networks identifying themselves on air, typically by means of a call sign or brand name...
as "WWWQ HD2" but listed as having WNNX FM 100.5 as its parent station. In spring 2011, Cumulus bought noncommercial W205CI FM 88.9 (later W258BU on 99.5) and made an identical move as it had with W250BC. It was changed to 99.1 (FM channel 256), and the supposed "translator" station was moved to the same broadcast tower as its parent station. Its broadcast callsign became W256BO, with the last two serial letters being assigned once its construction permit
Construction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
became a broadcast license
Broadcast license
A broadcast license or broadcast license is a specific type of spectrum license that grants the licensee the privilege to use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum in a given geographical area for broadcasting purposes. The licenses are generally straddled with additional restrictions that...
.) It was under program test authority
Program test authority
In broadcasting, program test authority is an authorization to conduct on-air testing of broadcast station facilities authorized to be built under a construction permit...
until then, running at 50% power due to legal
Broadcast law
Broadcast law is the field of law which pertains to broadcasting. These laws and regulations pertain to radio stations and TV stations, and are also considered to include closely related services like cable TV and cable radio, as well as satellite TV and satellite radio...
requirements to ensure proper engineering
Broadcast engineering
Broadcast engineering is the field of electrical engineering, and now to some extent computer engineering and information technology, which deals with radio and television broadcasting...
and installation of its slightly directional antenna
Directional antenna
A directional antenna or beam antenna is an antenna which radiates greater power in one or more directions allowing for increased performance on transmit and receive and reduced interference from unwanted sources....
.
On June 10, 99X began simulcasting on both 97.9 and 99.1 until June 15. The station had dead air
Dead air
Dead air is an unintended interruption in a radio broadcast during which no sound is transmitted.The term is most often used in cases where program material comes to an unexpected halt, either through operator error or for technical reasons, although it is also used in cases where a broadcaster...
all night (possibly unintentionally, due to severe thunderstorms in the evening), then began stunting in the morning of the 16th with an hour-long loop of clips of various genres of music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, from smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
to dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
to country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
. It also included a segment of tribute
Tribute
A tribute is wealth, often in kind, that one party gives to another as a sign of respect or, as was often the case in historical contexts, of submission or allegiance. Various ancient states, which could be called suzerains, exacted tribute from areas they had conquered or threatened to conquer...
to Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, snippet
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
s of Casey Kasem
Casey Kasem
Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem is an American radio personality and voice actor who is best known for being the host of the nationally syndicated Top 40 countdown show American Top 40, and for voicing Shaggy in the popular Saturday morning cartoon franchise Scooby-Doo.Kasem, along with Don Bustany and...
describing the then-new Compact Disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
from a 1980s
1980s in music
For music from a year in the 1980s, go to 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89For a history of music in all times, see Timeline of musical events....
American Top 40
American Top 40
American Top 40 is an internationally syndicated, independent radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds and Ron Jacobs. Originally a production of Watermark Inc...
, and even old aircheck
Aircheck
In the radio industry, an aircheck is generally a demonstration recording, often intended to show off the talent of an announcer or programmer to a prospective employer, but mainly intended for legal archiving purposes...
s of bumpers from 99X (from its days on WNNX FM 99.7) and predecessor Power 99 (WAPW FM 99.7), as well as WQXI
WQXI (AM)
WQXI, "790 The Zone", is a radio station licensed to the city of Atlanta broadcasting at a frequency of 790 kHz. The station has a power of 28,000 watts in the daytime, and 1,000 watts at night. WQXI's signal is non-directional during the daytime, and directional at night...
.
At exactly noon on the 17th, the station began airing its new format
Radio format
A radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
as "Journey 97-9", with a three-minute introduction at the top of each hour, and a short promo by Randy Jackson
Randy Jackson
Randall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...
, former bass
Bass (instrument)
Bass describes musical instruments that produce tones in the low-pitched range. They belong to different families of instruments and can cover a wide range of musical roles...
player for 1980s rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
, followed by their song "Don't Stop Believin'
Don't Stop Believin'
"Don't Stop Believin is a popular song by the American rock band Journey, originally released as a single from their 1981 album Escape, which became a #9 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 on its original release. It re-entered the UK Singles Chart in 2009 as a result of increased prominence of digital...
". The format is promoted as a "journey" through 1980s and 1990s popular music, similar to another Journey-branded station Cumulus launched in Cincinnati the month before. The playlist
Playlist
In its most general form, a playlist is simply a list of songs. They can be played in sequential or shuffled order. The term has several specialized meanings in the realms of radio broadcasting and personal computers.-In radio:...
is similar to both B98.5 (WSB-FM
WSB-FM
WSB-FM is an Atlanta radio station. Along with several other Atlanta radio stations, WSB-FM is owned by Cox Enterprises' Cox Media Group subsidiary, and is the group's flagship FM station...
) and Star 94 (WSTR
WSTR (FM)
WSTR is an Atlanta FM radio station airing an Hot Adult Contemporary format during the week and a 1990's pop music format on weekends. It is owned by Lincoln Financial Media, and has Smyrna, Georgia as its city of license.-History:...
FM). Radio Insight confirmed that Rick Dees
Rick Dees
Rigdon Osmond "Rick" Dees III is an American comedic performer, entertainer, and radio personality, best known for his internationally syndicated radio show The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Countdown and for the novelty song "Disco Duck." He is a People's Choice Award recipient, a Grammy-nominated...
will be the network
Radio network
There are two types of radio networks currently in use around the world: the one-to-many broadcast type commonly used for public information and mass media entertainment; and the two-way type used more commonly for public safety and public services such as police, fire, taxicabs, and delivery...
-fed DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
on the station as it is at the Cincinnati station. The station is initially running without radio commercial
Radio commercial
Commercial radio stations make most of their revenue selling “airtime” to advertisers. Of total media expenditures, radio accounts for 6.9%. Radio advertisements or “spots” are available when a business or service provides valuable consideration, usually cash, in exchange for the station airing...
s, and it is unclear if local DJs will be heard or whether it will be only broadcast automation
Broadcast automation
Broadcast automation incorporates the use of broadcast programming technology to automate broadcasting operations. Used either at a broadcast network, radio station or a television station, it can run a facility in the absence of a human operator...
.
At 250 watts, W250BC has a broadcast range only slightly larger than 99-watt W256BO, however it also does not suffer from the co-channel RF interference that 99.1 has. Both stations are predicted to cover the core area of metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta
The Atlanta metropolitan area or metro Atlanta, officially designated by the US Census Bureau as the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta Metropolitan Statistical Area, is the most populous metro area in the U.S. state of Georgia and the ninth-largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States...
, but the weak signal strength
Signal strength
In telecommunications, particularly in radio, signal strength refers to the magnitude of the electric field at a reference point that is a significant distance from the transmitting antenna. It may also be referred to as received signal level or field strength. Typically, it is expressed in...
in the exurbs often causes the signal there to be choppy on 97.9. and more so on 99.1 (which is at 50% power temporarily, dropping signal strength by 30%). Both are at 303.3 metres (995 ft) above average terrain
Height above average terrain
Height above average terrain is used extensively in FM radio and television, as it is actually much more important than effective radiated power in determining the range of broadcasts...
at exactly the same coordinates, indicating their transmitters likely share the same radio antenna through a diplexer
Diplexer
A diplexer is a passive device that implements frequency domain multiplexing. Two ports are multiplexed onto a third port . The signals on ports L and H occupy disjoint frequency bands...
. Both are also licensed as class D, meaning they must accept interference from all full-power stations. When Cumulus brought 100.5 in from northeast Alabama
Northeast Alabama
Northeast Alabama includes the cities of Anniston, Gadsden, Talladega, and their surrounding areas in the state of Alabama. The county inclusion varies, usually only consisting of the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Area and Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in 2001, it was this FCC rule that was used to put WGHR and W264AE off the air.
From September 2010 to February 2011, Cumulus also owned W229AG FM 93.7, which broadcasts WCNN
WCNN (AM)
WCNN is an AM station broadcasting on a frequency of 680 kHz and serving the Atlanta-area radio market with a sports radio format. The station is commonly known by the on-air branding as "680 the Fan"...
AM 680 "The Fan" (originally KAWZ under Calvary Chapel
Calvary Chapel
Calvary Chapel is an evangelical association of Christian churches with over one thousand congregations worldwide. Calvary Chapel also maintains a number of radio stations around the world and operates many local Calvary Chapel Bible College programs. It presents itself as a "fellowship of...
). This was previously carried on WWWQ's HD3 channel, and also transmits FM from the WWWQ tower at the same height, and likely the same antenna as W250BC. It was sold to WCNN owner Dickey Broadcasting by Cumulus, whose CEO is Lew Dickey.