WCFB
Encyclopedia
WCFB is an Urban Adult Contemporary
radio station that is licensed
to Daytona Beach, Florida
that serves the Greater Orlando area. Its signal can be heard as
far west as Inverness
and as far north as Gainesville
. Coverage area unheard of of most other area stations.
, "B94.5", in 1992. In 1995, it was purchased by New City Communications, and changed formats to Rhythmic AC, later evolving to Urban Adult Contemporary
as "Star 94.5". This makes WCFB the first urban radio station in years in Orlando to challenge longtime WJHM
(which switched formats from rhythmic contemporary
to urban contemporary
by that time), although WCFB has always stayed in its own lane with its audience rather than try to compete fiercely for listeners.
WCFB was purchased by Cox Communications
in 1997.
A tornado on February 2, 2007 knocked Star's signal off the air for a brief period, as it destroyed the transmitter site and a nearby building, near Paisley
. The station returned to the air broadcasting from a temporary transmitter located at another Cox owned tower in Christmas
for a short period of time before the station's temporary transmitter
site moved to high power facilities at a tower in Orange City
off of Miller Rd. The replacement tower in Paisley was finished in mid-November 2007. As of October 24, 2008 it appears that WCFB has moved back to the Paisley site.
Urban Adult Contemporary
Urban adult contemporary is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have rap music on their playlists. The format was designed by Barry Mayo when he, Lee S. Simonson and Bill Pearson organized Broadcast...
radio station that is licensed
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....
to Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
that serves the Greater Orlando area. Its signal can be heard as
far west as Inverness
Inverness, Florida
Inverness is a city in Citrus County, Florida, United States. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 7,210. It is the county seat of Citrus County.-Geography:...
and as far north as Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
. Coverage area unheard of of most other area stations.
History
The station began in March 1947 and was owned by Daytona Beach News Journal. In 1991, the station became a soft adult contemporary as WWLV, "Love 94.5". The calls and format changed to WCFB country musicCountry 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...
, "B94.5", in 1992. In 1995, it was purchased by New City Communications, and changed formats to Rhythmic AC, later evolving to Urban Adult Contemporary
Urban Adult Contemporary
Urban adult contemporary is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have rap music on their playlists. The format was designed by Barry Mayo when he, Lee S. Simonson and Bill Pearson organized Broadcast...
as "Star 94.5". This makes WCFB the first urban radio station in years in Orlando to challenge longtime WJHM
WJHM
WJHM is a radio station that is licensed to Daytona Beach but primarily serves the Orlando and Space Coast areas of Central Florida. It is owned by CBS Radio. It was a urban-leaning rhythmic contemporary hit station with a playlist consisting of a heavy-emphasis on hip-hop and R&B...
(which switched formats from rhythmic contemporary
Rhythmic Contemporary
Rhythmic contemporary, also known as rhythmic top 40, rhythmic contemporary hit radio or rhythmic crossover, is a music radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip-hop and R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary rarely uses rock music or country music in its airplay, but it may...
to urban contemporary
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
by that time), although WCFB has always stayed in its own lane with its audience rather than try to compete fiercely for listeners.
WCFB was purchased by Cox Communications
Cox Communications
Cox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television, telecommunications and wireless services in the United States...
in 1997.
A tornado on February 2, 2007 knocked Star's signal off the air for a brief period, as it destroyed the transmitter site and a nearby building, near Paisley
Paisley, Florida
Paisley is a census-designated place in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 734 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The station returned to the air broadcasting from a temporary transmitter located at another Cox owned tower in Christmas
Christmas, Florida
Christmas is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Orange County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,162 at the 2000 census. Christmas is home to the world's largest alligator shaped building,...
for a short period of time before the station's temporary transmitter
Transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an electronic device which, with the aid of an antenna, produces radio waves. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating...
site moved to high power facilities at a tower in Orange City
Orange City, Florida
Orange City is a city located in Volusia County, Florida. In the 2000 census the city had a total population of 6,604. In 2004 the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 7,172.-Geography:Orange City is located at ....
off of Miller Rd. The replacement tower in Paisley was finished in mid-November 2007. As of October 24, 2008 it appears that WCFB has moved back to the Paisley site.
Station Management
- Program Director Kevin Gardner
- Music Director Kevin Gardner
- News/Community Affairs Director Monica May