WQEN
Encyclopedia
WQEN is a radio station
licensed
to serve Trussville, Alabama
, USA. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications
. Other stations in the Birmingham market owned by Clear Channel include WDXB
(102.5 FM), WERC-FM
(105.5 FM), WERC (960 AM and its FM
translator on 103.1), and WMJJ
(96.5 FM).
It broadcasts a Top 40 music format to Birmingham
and north-central Alabama.
By 1976, the transmitter for WQEN was moved to Steele
, some 15 miles south of Gadsden, and the power of its signal was increased to 100,000 watts. This enabled Q-104 to cover Gadsden, east Alabama, and many areas of the Birmingham
metropolitan area. During this time WQEN was "Super Q-104" and "Q-104 The Southern Super Giant." Except for a brief period in the late '80's when the station was known as "103.7 Q-FM", the station was called Q-104 for over 20 years. Until the mid 1990s, Q-104 was primarily focused on Gadsden
, Anniston
, and eastern Alabama.
In 1998, WQEN began broadcasting from a tower near Springville
, enabling its signal to cover the entire Birmingham market, and began broadcasting from studios in Birmingham. The station was rebranded with its current name, 103-7 the Q, at that time. At about the same time that the station focused on the Birmingham market it began simulcasting on new WQEM (101.5 FM), licensed to Columbiana
. The simulcast continued until 2002, when WQEM was sold to Glen Iris Baptist School in Birmingham, the owners of WGIB
.
WQEN was the first Top 40 station in the Birmingham market since WAPI-FM (I-95) dropped the format in 1994. Ironically, a second station in the market adopted the same format a few months later when WEDA, known on the air as Hot 97.3 signed on. That station changed formats in 2000. The DJ line-up featured Rick and Bubba
in the mornings, Scott Bohannon (formerly of WAPI-FM/I-95
) in middays, and Luka (formerly of WRAX/107-7 the X
) in the afternoons.
In 2005, WQEN was one of several stations in north Alabama
and southern Tennessee
that changed either their city of license, broadcast frequency, or both. As a result, WQEN, now licensed to Trussville, rather than Gadsden, began broadcasting from Red Mountain in Birmingham, greatly improving its signal in Jefferson County
and Shelby County
.
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...
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 serve Trussville, Alabama
Trussville, Alabama
Trussville is a city in Jefferson and St. Clair counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population was 19,933 at the 2010 census. Trussville was ranked as number 56 out of 100 in Money Magazines Best Places to Live 2005.-Geography:...
, USA. The station is owned 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...
. Other stations in the Birmingham market owned by Clear Channel include WDXB
WDXB
WDXB is a Clear Channel Communications-owned country music formatted radio station licensed to Pelham, Alabama, that serves Birmingham and north-central Alabama.-Programming:...
(102.5 FM), WERC-FM
WERC-FM
WERC-FM — branded News Radio 105.5 WERC — is an news/talk radio station licensed to Hoover, Alabama and serving the Birmingham market. It operates at an effective radiated power of 29.5 kilowatts...
(105.5 FM), WERC (960 AM and its FM
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"...
translator on 103.1), and WMJJ
WMJJ
WMJJ , "Magic 96.5") is a Clear Channel-owned Adult contemporary radio station that broadcasts from Birmingham, Alabama. Other stations in the Birmingham market owned by Clear Channel include WDXB-FM , WQEN-FM , WERC-FM , and WERC...
(96.5 FM).
It broadcasts a Top 40 music format to Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
and north-central Alabama.
History
In October 1966, the station that is now WQEN signed on as WLJM-FM, licensed to Gadsden. The call letters stood for Lloyd, John and Mary Faye, the three children of original owner Charlie Boman. In 1974, WJLM was sold to Charles Smithgall and Mike McDougald who operated WAAX, also in Gadsden. In 1975, the FM station took its current call letters. After a brief run as an automated easy listening radio station, WQEN became one of the first FM Top 40 stations in Alabama, known on the air as "Super Q-104" and "Q-104 The Southern Super Giant". For over 30 years, WQEN has been a Top 40 station.By 1976, the transmitter for WQEN was moved to Steele
Steele, Alabama
Steele is a town in northeastern St. Clair County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,093. The town is a part of the Birmingham–Hoover–Cullman Combined Statistical Area.-Geography:Steele is located at ....
, some 15 miles south of Gadsden, and the power of its signal was increased to 100,000 watts. This enabled Q-104 to cover Gadsden, east Alabama, and many areas of the Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
metropolitan area. During this time WQEN was "Super Q-104" and "Q-104 The Southern Super Giant." Except for a brief period in the late '80's when the station was known as "103.7 Q-FM", the station was called Q-104 for over 20 years. Until the mid 1990s, Q-104 was primarily focused on Gadsden
Gadsden, Alabama
The city of Gadsden is the county seat of Etowah County in the U.S. state of Alabama, and it is located about 65 miles northeast of Birmingham, Alabama. It is the primary city of the Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 103,459. Gadsden is closely associated with the...
, Anniston
Anniston, Alabama
Anniston is a city in Calhoun County in the state of Alabama, United States.As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 24,276. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 23,741...
, and eastern Alabama.
In 1998, WQEN began broadcasting from a tower near Springville
Springville, Alabama
Springville is a town in St. Clair County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,521.-Geography:Springville is located at .According to the U.S...
, enabling its signal to cover the entire Birmingham market, and began broadcasting from studios in Birmingham. The station was rebranded with its current name, 103-7 the Q, at that time. At about the same time that the station focused on the Birmingham market it began simulcasting on new WQEM (101.5 FM), licensed to Columbiana
Columbiana, Alabama
Columbiana is a city in Shelby County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 4,197. The city is the county seat of Shelby County.-History:...
. The simulcast continued until 2002, when WQEM was sold to Glen Iris Baptist School in Birmingham, the owners of WGIB
WGIB
-External links:**...
.
WQEN was the first Top 40 station in the Birmingham market since WAPI-FM (I-95) dropped the format in 1994. Ironically, a second station in the market adopted the same format a few months later when WEDA, known on the air as Hot 97.3 signed on. That station changed formats in 2000. The DJ line-up featured Rick and Bubba
Rick and Bubba
Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey are cohosts of The Rick & Bubba Show—a syndicated comedic radio program based in Birmingham, Alabama...
in the mornings, Scott Bohannon (formerly of WAPI-FM/I-95
WJOX
WJOX WJOX WJOX (690 AM, "Jox 94.5" (simulcasting WJOX-FM) is an all-sports radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama, with daytime licensed power of 50,000 Watts and 500 Watts at night. WJOX is the Birmingham affiliate of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide Sports Network (football only),...
) in middays, and Luka (formerly of WRAX/107-7 the X
WUHT
-External links:*...
) in the afternoons.
In 2005, WQEN was one of several stations in north Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
and southern Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
that changed either their city of license, broadcast frequency, or both. As a result, WQEN, now licensed to Trussville, rather than Gadsden, began broadcasting from Red Mountain in Birmingham, greatly improving its signal in Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Alabama
Jefferson County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Alabama, with its county seat being located in Birmingham.As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Jefferson County was 658,466...
and Shelby County
Shelby County, Alabama
Shelby County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama and a part of the Birmingham–Hoover–Cullman Combined Statistical Area. It is named in honor of Isaac Shelby, Governor of Kentucky. The county seat of Shelby County is Columbiana. As of 2010 U.S. Census the population was 195,085. Shelby...
.