WZYP
Encyclopedia
WZYP is an adult-oriented Top 40 (CHR)
music-formatted radio station
licensed
to serve Athens, Alabama
, and broadcasting in the Huntsville, Alabama
, area. The station is owned by Cumulus Media
. The broadcast signal can be heard throughout all of northern Alabama and much of southern central Tennessee
.
(which remains its city of license), this was originally named WJOF. Prior to 1978, WJOF featured a mixture of beautiful music
and, at night, country music
.
On June 10, 1980, the call letters were switched to the current WZYP. Through most of the 1980s, WZYP was northern Alabama's top-rated station, dethroned only by WDRM
when country experienced a resurge in popularity among young people in the late 1980s and 1990s. Nonetheless, it has remained among the Huntsville market's most-listened to stations through the mid-2000s.
On April 1, 2003, WZYP 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. WZYP remains co-owned with former Dunnavant stations WVNN and WUMP
, in addition to WHRP
and WWFF-FM
.
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...
music-formatted radio station
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 Athens, Alabama
Athens, Alabama
Athens is a city in Limestone County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 18,967. According to the 2009 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 24,234...
, and broadcasting in 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....
, area. 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...
. The broadcast signal can be heard throughout all of northern Alabama and much of southern central 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...
.
History
Originally founded by the Dunnavant family of Athens, AlabamaAthens, Alabama
Athens is a city in Limestone County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 18,967. According to the 2009 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 24,234...
(which remains its city of license), this was originally named WJOF. Prior to 1978, WJOF featured a mixture of beautiful music
Easy 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...
and, at night, country music
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...
.
On June 10, 1980, the call letters were switched to the current WZYP. Through most of the 1980s, WZYP was northern Alabama's top-rated station, dethroned only by WDRM
WDRM
WDRM is a country music formatted radio station licensed to Decatur, Alabama, and owned by Clear Channel Communications. It serves the Huntsville, Alabama, area....
when country experienced a resurge in popularity among young people in the late 1980s and 1990s. Nonetheless, it has remained among the Huntsville market's most-listened to stations through the mid-2000s.
Ownership
WZYP was sold by the Dunnavant family to Cumulus Media in 2003. This ended a 55-year presence in the market by Athens Broadcasting, founded in 1948 by Homer Felix "Pap" Dunnavant.On April 1, 2003, WZYP 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. WZYP remains co-owned with former Dunnavant stations WVNN and WUMP
WUMP
WUMP is a Sports/Talk formatted radio station licensed to Madison, Alabama. WUMP primarily serves the Huntsville, Alabama, market, though its studios are located in Athens. The station is owned by Cumulus Media, based in Atlanta, Georgia.-Sports:WUMP currently carries Alabama Vipers games...
, in addition to 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:...
and WWFF-FM
WWFF-FM
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...
.