WCHZ
Encyclopedia
WGAC-FM is a radio station located in Augusta, Georgia
. The station is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) to the town of Harlem
and broadcast on 95.1 FM with a effective radiated power
(ERP) of 5.7 kW. It simulcast a news/talk format with WGAC
580.
outlet named "Channel Z 95.1", giving the area its first station playing that type of music. Although the station had a small but loyal audience, it was handicapped with a signal that covered 2/3 of the Augusta/Aiken
market. It was nominated in 1996 for "Small Market Station Of The Year" as well as then-Music Director Johnny Cage for "Music Director Of The Year" by Billboard Radio Monitor
and was voted "Best Radio Station" in 1995 and 1996 by readers of "Augusta Magazine".
The station signed a local marketing agreement
on December 10, 1996 with Beasley Broadcasting (who later purchased it) and the format was flipped to 1970s oldies as "Z95". After about a year with mostly dismal ratings, the station flipped to active rock
as "95 Rock" in 1998.
On August 10, 2011, WCHZ's rock format moved to 93.1 FM WGAC-FM
, a much lower powered signal licensed to Warrenton, GA, moving the FM simulcast of the talk format from 93.1 WGAC-FM to the stronger 95.1 WCHZ. Five days later, the stations also swapped call signs
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
. The station is licensed 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...
(FCC) to the town of Harlem
Harlem, Georgia
Harlem is a city in Columbia County, Georgia and is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area. The population was 1,814 at the 2000 census...
and broadcast on 95.1 FM with a effective radiated 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...
(ERP) of 5.7 kW. It simulcast a news/talk format with WGAC
WGAC (AM)
WGAC is a radio station broadcasting a news radio format. Licensed to Augusta, Georgia, United States, the station is currently owned by Beasley Broadcast Group. WGAC broadcasts games of the Augusta GreenJackets, the local minor league team....
580.
History
WGAC-FM signed on in November 1992 as an alternative rockAlternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
outlet named "Channel Z 95.1", giving the area its first station playing that type of music. Although the station had a small but loyal audience, it was handicapped with a signal that covered 2/3 of the Augusta/Aiken
Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken is a city in and the county seat of Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. With Augusta, Georgia, it is one of the two largest cities of the Central Savannah River Area. It is part of the Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area. Aiken is home to the University of South...
market. It was nominated in 1996 for "Small Market Station Of The Year" as well as then-Music Director Johnny Cage for "Music Director Of The Year" by Billboard Radio Monitor
Billboard Radio Monitor
Billboard Radio Monitor was a weekly music trade publication that followed the radio industry and tracked the monitoring of current songs by format, station and audience cumes. The magazine was a spinoff of Billboard magazine and was mostly available through subscription to people who work in the...
and was voted "Best Radio Station" in 1995 and 1996 by readers of "Augusta Magazine".
The station signed a local marketing agreement
Local marketing agreement
In U.S. and Canadian broadcasting, a local marketing agreement is an agreement in which one company agrees to operate a radio or television station owned by another licensee...
on December 10, 1996 with Beasley Broadcasting (who later purchased it) and the format was flipped to 1970s oldies as "Z95". After about a year with mostly dismal ratings, the station flipped to active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
as "95 Rock" in 1998.
On August 10, 2011, WCHZ's rock format moved to 93.1 FM WGAC-FM
WCHZ
WGAC-FM is a radio station located in Augusta, Georgia. The station is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to the town of Harlem and broadcast on 95.1 FM with a effective radiated power of 5.7 kW...
, a much lower powered signal licensed to Warrenton, GA, moving the FM simulcast of the talk format from 93.1 WGAC-FM to the stronger 95.1 WCHZ. Five days later, the stations also swapped call signs