WWFF-FM
Encyclopedia
WWFF-FM is an American radio station
licensed to New Market, Alabama
, and serving the Huntsville, Alabama
, market. The station is owned by Cumulus Media
and its broadcast license
is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC. , WWFF-FM is broadcasting a 1980s- and 1990s-centric adult contemporary format.
, in 1973, the station has sported various formats over the years, including CHR (as "Power 93" WKQD), rock (as "The Ugly FM" WKQD), country
(as "Huntsville Country" WHVK, "The Twister" WTZT, and "The Possum" WPZM), and oldies
. After an ownership change in 2003, it switched to an urban format, originally playing hip hop and R&B music as WHRP to compete with heritage urban WEUP-FM
.
In 1987, the transmitter was moved to Elora, Tennessee
, and the station began serving the Huntsville market. In 2008, the station's license was reassigned to New Market, Alabama, and the transmitter was again moved, this time to Drake Mountain in Huntsville.
From April 5, 2006, to January 12, 2008, this station simulcast an urban adult contemporary
music format with co-owned WXQW. On December 21, 2007, WXQW switched to the WHRP call letters of its sister station
and the former WHRP was assigned WWFF-FM. The new WHRP
maintained the Urban AC format while in January 2008 WWFF-FM switched to country music as "93.3 The Wolf".
Following three-and-a-half years of poor ratings as a country outlet, on August 31, 2011, WWFF began stunting with a "wheel of formats" that was predominantly classic country
, oldies
, CHR
, smooth jazz
, urban oldies, and urban AC, as well as playing news and history bits from Huntsville history. It also included a tribute to Michael Jackson
and snippets of Casey Kasem
describing the then-new Compact Disc technology from a 1980s American Top 40
. At exactly 9:33am on the 2nd, the station began airing its new format as "Journey 93-3", with a three-minute introduction, 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 other Journey-branded stations launched by Cumulus in Atlanta
(W250BC
) and Cincinnati
(WNNF
) earlier in the summer of 2011.
(the brother of Wayne Newton
) and started circa 1973. In 1987 the station became WKQD and moved the transmitter to Elora, Tennessee
, which would cover the original city of license (Tullahoma, Tennessee
) along with the Huntsville, Alabama, area. The Dunnavant family LMAed the station in 1991 and eventually purchased the station outright. On April 1, 2003, the then-WUSX was sold by Athens Broadcasting Co. (William E. Dunnavant, president) to Cumulus Broadcasting Inc. as part of a four station deal with a total sale price of $22 million in cash and Cumulus common stock. The acquisition of the stations was completed in July 2003.
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 to New Market, Alabama
New Market, Alabama
New Market is a census-designated place in Madison County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the CDP is 1,864...
, and serving the Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
, market. The station is owned by Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
and its 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...
is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC. , WWFF-FM is broadcasting a 1980s- and 1990s-centric adult contemporary format.
History
From its origins as WBGY-FM ("Boogie 93") in Tullahoma, TennesseeTullahoma, Tennessee
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 18,655 people, 7,717 households, and 5,161 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 88.1% White, 7.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races...
, in 1973, the station has sported various formats over the years, including CHR (as "Power 93" WKQD), rock (as "The Ugly FM" WKQD), 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...
(as "Huntsville Country" WHVK, "The Twister" WTZT, and "The Possum" WPZM), and oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
. After an ownership change in 2003, it switched to an urban format, originally playing hip hop and R&B music as WHRP to compete with heritage urban WEUP-FM
WEUP-FM
-External links:*...
.
In 1987, the transmitter was moved to Elora, Tennessee
Elora, Tennessee
Elora is an unincorporated community in Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States. It lies approximately southeast of Fayetteville and north of the Alabama state line.-Notable people:...
, and the station began serving the Huntsville market. In 2008, the station's license was reassigned to New Market, Alabama, and the transmitter was again moved, this time to Drake Mountain in Huntsville.
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...
music format with co-owned WXQW. On December 21, 2007, WXQW switched to the WHRP call letters of its sister station
Sister station
In broadcasting, sister stations or sister channels are radio and/or television stations operated by the same ownership....
and the former WHRP was assigned WWFF-FM. The new WHRP
WHRP
WHRP is a radio station licensed to serve Gurley, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC.-Programming:...
maintained the Urban AC format while in January 2008 WWFF-FM switched to country music as "93.3 The Wolf".
Following three-and-a-half years of poor ratings as a country outlet, on August 31, 2011, WWFF began stunting with a "wheel of formats" that was predominantly classic country
Classic country
Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country hits from past decades.This genre generally follows one of two formats: those specializing in hits from the 1920s through the early 1970s, and focus primarily on innovators and artists from country music's Golden...
, oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
, CHR
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
, 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 ....
, urban oldies, and urban AC, as well as playing news and history bits from Huntsville history. It also included a tribute 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...
and snippets 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 technology from a 1980s 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...
. At exactly 9:33am on the 2nd, the station began airing its new format as "Journey 93-3", with a three-minute introduction, and a short promo by Randy Jackson, former bass player for 1980s rock 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 other Journey-branded stations launched by Cumulus in Atlanta
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...
(W250BC
W250BC
W250BC FM 97.9 is a radio station located in Atlanta, Georgia, and has Riverdale, Georgia as its city of license. Although licensed as a broadcast translator prohibited from carrying its own programming, it broadcasts under a legal loophole allowed by the Federal Communications Commission, by...
) and Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
(WNNF
WNNF
WNNF is a radio station currently airing an 80's/90's Hits-leaning Hot AC format. Licensed to Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, it serves the Cincinnati area. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Media. Cumulus also owns classic rocker WOFX-FM 92.5 and alternative rocker WFTK 96.5...
) earlier in the summer of 2011.
Ownership
The station was originally owned by Jerry NewtonJerry Newton
Jerry Newton is the older brother of Wayne Newton. He and Wayne performed as the Rascals in Rhythm in Las Vegas as children, as well as later on The Jackie Gleason Show and Ozark Jubilee. In the 1970s, he owned WBGY, an FM radio station in Tullahoma, Tennessee.-External links:...
(the brother of Wayne Newton
Wayne Newton
Wayne Newton is an American singer and entertainer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He performed over 30,000 solo shows in Las Vegas over a period of over 40 years, earning him the nicknames The Midnight Idol, Mr. Las Vegas and Mr. Entertainment...
) and started circa 1973. In 1987 the station became WKQD and moved the transmitter to Elora, Tennessee
Elora, Tennessee
Elora is an unincorporated community in Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States. It lies approximately southeast of Fayetteville and north of the Alabama state line.-Notable people:...
, which would cover the original city of license (Tullahoma, Tennessee
Tullahoma, Tennessee
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 18,655 people, 7,717 households, and 5,161 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 88.1% White, 7.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races...
) along with the Huntsville, Alabama, area. The Dunnavant family LMAed the station in 1991 and eventually purchased the station outright. On April 1, 2003, the then-WUSX was sold by Athens Broadcasting Co. (William E. Dunnavant, president) to Cumulus Broadcasting Inc. as part of a four station deal with a total sale price of $22 million in cash and Cumulus common stock. The acquisition of the stations was completed in July 2003.