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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Zpb52 (talk | contribs) at 00:52, 18 May 2006 (→Prior formats: WHIN-FM). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

WGFX
File:WGFX.gif
Broadcast areaNashville, Tennessee
Frequency104.5 (MHz)
Branding104.5 The Zone
Programming
FormatSports Talk
Ownership
OwnerCitadel Broadcasting Company
History
First air date
July 21, 1978
Call sign meaning
Gallatin's FoX (from its former incarnation as Classic rock 104.5 The Fox), also fits well with its current affiliation with Fox Sports Radio
Technical information
ClassC
Power58,000 watts
Links
Websitewww.1045thezone.com

WGFX is a radio station broadcasting on the FM band at 104.5 MHz licensed to the city of Gallatin, Tennessee, but serving the Nashville market as a whole. It is currently branded as 104.5 The Zone, broadcasting a sports talk format. It is owned by Citadel Broadcasting Company and operates out of studios on Second Avenue South in Nashville. Its transmitter is located just north of downtown Nashville.

History

The station signed on as WHIN-FM on July 21, 1978 with a Top-40 format. Just over one month later, the call letters were changed to WWKX using the moniker Kix 104. In the late 70s and early 80s, the station was very popular and featured morning DJ Coyote McCloud. It's 100,000 watt signal broadcasting from Music Mountain north of Gallatin and 30 miles northeast of Nashville boomed far into the rural areas of northern Tennessee and southern Kentucky. By the mid 1980s, Kix 104 was faced with competition from two new area CHRs, 96 Kiss and Y107. Additionally, Coyote McCloud defected to Y107 in 1985 to host their morning show. To try to differentiate itself, WWKX segued into a rock-leaning Top-40 format calling itself "Rock Hits 104, Kix FM". This move proved unfruitful, and the station evolved back to mainstream CHR a year later in 1986. Faced with the success of Y107, this would not last.

In the summer of 1987, WWKX moved their tower from Music Mountain into Nashville and downgraded power, noticeably affecting signal strength in rural areas north of the city. The call letters changed to WGFX on August 13, 1987 and moniker became 104.5 The Fox with a classic rock format. Though the station has changed format and monikers several times since mostly involving variations on 70s music, the call letters have remained the same.

Its current format, 104.5 The Zone (sports talk), began its life on August 11, 2003 after hiring popular personality George Plaster away from WWTN (99.7 FM). The station launched as scheduled, though a court order prevented Plaster from appearing on the newly-christened station for two months.

In the past, WGFX has been the host to popular syndicated morning show personalities John Boy and Billy and Rick and Bubba. It is currently the Nashville affiliate for The Jim Rome Show and Fox Sports Radio.

WGFX was the flagship station for the Tennessee Oilers/Titans of the NFL from 1997 until the completion of the 2001 season, when the rights were shifted to WGFX's more powerful sister station, WKDF. WGFX also aired the franchise's games in 1996, the final year the team was located in Houston.

WGFX is currently the flagship for the Nashville Predators of the NHL, the Nashville Kats of the AFL, and Football and men's basketball broadcasts for Vanderbilt University. It also carries NBA games of the Memphis Grizzlies and Belmont University men's basketball games which do not conflict with the aforementioned teams. As of May 2006, the Nashville Predators contract, which was signed for two seasons but in fact included only one since the season never actually occurred due to the owners' 2004-05 NHL lockout, is up for renewal and the Predators organization has publicly stated that it does not desire any future contract in which the Predators are subject to being "bumped" by collegiate or other sports; during the 2005-06 NHL season 11 Predators contests conflicted with Vanderbilt broadcasts and were bumped to competitor station 560 AM WNSR. One was even bumped to a third station, WGFX's sister station WKDF, because WNSR also had a conflicting event.

Prior formats

  • Rockin' Hits 104.5 WGFX - Classic Hits, 2002-2003
  • The New 104 The Core (briefly known as The New 104—That 70's Station) - Classic Rock, 2000-2002
  • Groovin' Hits 104.5 (briefly known as Hot 104.5 and Jammin' Oldies 104.5) - R&B Oldies, 1998-2000
  • Arrow 104.5 - Classic Hits, 1993-1998
  • 104.5 The Fox - Classic Rock, 1988-1993 (call letters changed to WGFX, which stood for Gallatin's FoX)
  • Kix 104 - Top 40, 1978-1987 (as WHIN-FM and WWKX)

Famous station alumni

See also

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