WMGE
Encyclopedia
WMGE is a radio station
in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale radio market. The station plays a Spanish Top-40 format, mixed with some English top 40 songs, which is a growing trend once again in the United States after several years of decline. Despite the market target, the station's signal is able to reach as far north as Jupiter
and as far south as Key Largo
.
music "from the beautiful Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach." The station was owned by Arthur E. Zucker, hence the "AEZ" in the station's calls. A few years later, it changed its calls to WOCN-FM to reflect its sister station WOCN-AM, which it was now partially simulcasting. It continued to play its format, and even began an attempt at Spanish language romance music. For a brief moment during the mid 70's, they were known as "Stereo 94".
In 1975, it became WINZ-FM under Guy Gannett Broadcasting, and went to a progressive rock
format, with the moniker "Zeta-4" until early 1981, when it flipped to CHR/Pop station "I-95", retaining the WINZ-FM calls. "I-95" provided for a highly competitive ratings battle against Top 40 powerhouse WHYI
during its few years of existence. In early 1986, WINZ-FM transformed from Top-40 to a short-lived Classic Rock/Adult Hits hybrid as "Rockin' With Class....95-INZ". This lasted for about a year until early 1987 when the station flipped to Classic rock
as Zeta, this time with the WZTA call letters. This is where the station would begin a long term commitment as a rocker. In the early-90s, the station was purchased by Paxson Communications and then swallowed up by Clear Channel Communications
in the mid-90's. Under Paxson, the station evolved to an active rock
format, still retaining the WZTA calls. In the early new millennium, Zeta attempted an Alternative rock
format, but quickly switched back to active. With ratings continuing to slump, and Lex and Terry
underperforming, Zeta finally came to an end on February 11, 2005 after 19 years as a rock station.
Mega 94.9 was born, with the new calls WMGE, which previously existed in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale on what is now urban AC WMIB, also under the Clear Channel umbrella. The station was part of Clear Channel's effort to expand its Hispanic radio efforts, as they were flipping several more stations to Spanish formats the same year. Coincidentally, with no more active rock stations in the market, Cox Radio
flipped their CHR-dance station Party 93.1 to active rock
er 93Rock, with new calls WHDR, on February 14, 2005. Like other Hispanic Urban formatted stations, Mega was a hybrid of both English and Spanish language.
The new Mega 94.9 however continued to lose a listening base and failed to improve beyond its old rock format after two years on the air, and the station was adjusted to a Hispanic top 40 format in 2007. The station still uses the Mega brand name and has only made changes to its playlist.
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...
in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale radio market. The station plays a Spanish Top-40 format, mixed with some English top 40 songs, which is a growing trend once again in the United States after several years of decline. Despite the market target, the station's signal is able to reach as far north as Jupiter
Jupiter, Florida
Jupiter is a town located in Palm Beach County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 39,328. The estimate population for 2009 is 50,606. As of 2006, the population had grown to 50,028, according to the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research....
and as far south as Key Largo
Key Largo, Florida
Key Largo is a census-designated place in Monroe County, Florida, United States, located on the island of Key Largo in the upper Florida Keys. The population was 11,886 at the 2000 census. The name comes from the Spanish Cayo Largo, or "long key"...
.
History
The station signed on in 1962, with 81,000 watts under the WAEZ calls. It was the first station in Miami to broadcast continuously in stereo. It played easy listeningEasy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
music "from the beautiful Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach." The station was owned by Arthur E. Zucker, hence the "AEZ" in the station's calls. A few years later, it changed its calls to WOCN-FM to reflect its sister station WOCN-AM, which it was now partially simulcasting. It continued to play its format, and even began an attempt at Spanish language romance music. For a brief moment during the mid 70's, they were known as "Stereo 94".
In 1975, it became WINZ-FM under Guy Gannett Broadcasting, and went to a progressive rock
Progressive rock (radio format)
Progressive rock is a radio station programming format that prospered in the late 1960s and 1970s, in which the disc jockeys are given wide latitude in what they may play, similar to the freeform format but with the proviso that some kind of rock music is almost always what is played...
format, with the moniker "Zeta-4" until early 1981, when it flipped to CHR/Pop station "I-95", retaining the WINZ-FM calls. "I-95" provided for a highly competitive ratings battle against Top 40 powerhouse WHYI
WHYI
WHYI-FM, better known as Y-100, is a heritage FM Top 40 contemporary hit radio station that broadcasts at 100.7 MHz. Its city of license is Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Y-100 broadcasts at an effective radiated power of 98,000 watts from its 1,005 foot transmitter, which is located on the...
during its few years of existence. In early 1986, WINZ-FM transformed from Top-40 to a short-lived Classic Rock/Adult Hits hybrid as "Rockin' With Class....95-INZ". This lasted for about a year until early 1987 when the station flipped to Classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
as Zeta, this time with the WZTA call letters. This is where the station would begin a long term commitment as a rocker. In the early-90s, the station was purchased by Paxson Communications and then swallowed up by Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
in the mid-90's. Under Paxson, the station evolved to an 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:...
format, still retaining the WZTA calls. In the early new millennium, Zeta attempted an Alternative rock
Alternative 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...
format, but quickly switched back to active. With ratings continuing to slump, and Lex and Terry
Lex and Terry
Lex and Terry is a syndicated morning radio hosted by Lex Staley and Terry Jaymes. Currently based in Dallas, Texas, the show is distributed by United Stations Radio Networks. It is heard during weekday mornings on 30 radio stations in the U.S. and on XM 165....
underperforming, Zeta finally came to an end on February 11, 2005 after 19 years as a rock station.
Mega 94.9 was born, with the new calls WMGE, which previously existed in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale on what is now urban AC WMIB, also under the Clear Channel umbrella. The station was part of Clear Channel's effort to expand its Hispanic radio efforts, as they were flipping several more stations to Spanish formats the same year. Coincidentally, with no more active rock stations in the market, Cox Radio
Cox Radio
Cox Radio, Inc. is a division of Cox Enterprises that holds a number of radio stations. Cox Radio is headquartered at 6205 Peachtree Dunwoody Road in Sandy Springs, Georgia....
flipped their CHR-dance station Party 93.1 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:...
er 93Rock, with new calls WHDR, on February 14, 2005. Like other Hispanic Urban formatted stations, Mega was a hybrid of both English and Spanish language.