WLVZ

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WLVZ
CityCollins, Mississippi
Broadcast areaHattiesburg, Mississippi
Frequency107.1 MHz
BrandingK-Love
Programming
NetworkK-Love
Ownership
OwnerEducational Media Foundation
History
First air date
August 15, 1978; 43 years ago (1978-08-15)
Former call signs
WKNZ (1978–2007)
Former frequencies
101.7 MHz (1978–1994)
Technical information
Facility ID63847
ERP4,100 watts
HAAT155 meters
Transmitter coordinates
31°30′4.6″N 89°28′32.8″W / 31.501278°N 89.475778°W / 31.501278; -89.475778Coordinates: 31°30′4.6″N 89°28′32.8″W / 31.501278°N 89.475778°W / 31.501278; -89.475778

WLVZ is a radio station on 107.1 FM in Collins, Mississippi, US serving the Hattiesburg, Mississippi, area. The station serves as the Hattiesburg-area transmitter for the K-Love Christian radio network.

History[]

On January 10, 1977, Covington County Broadcasters, Inc., filed for a new FM radio station on 101.7 MHz in Collins. The Federal Communications Commission granted the construction permit on February 13, 1978.[1] The station went on air that August 15[2] and immediately adopted a format including country music during the day and adult contemporary in the afternoon and at night.[2] Covington County Broadcasters was owned by Ottis Wolverton and operated by the Blakeney brothers.[2] By 1984, however, WKNZ had gone all-country.[3] Wolverton acquired WBKH in Hattiesburg in 1988.[4] Both stations were sold the next year to Southern Air Communications, owned by Bruce Easterling, in a $648,000 transaction;[5] the new owners flipped WKNZ to oldies.[clarification needed][6]

Financial problems grounded Southern Air in 1993. The Associated Press sued Southern Air that year for unpaid wire service bills in 1990.[7] By that time, however, WKNZ's ownership was already in the process of changing, as Wolverton repurchased the FM outlet.[8] Southern Air owed Covington County Broadcasters, the former licensee, $423,000.[9]

As part of a reassignment of FM allotments in several Mississippi communities approved in 1991, WKNZ had been relocated to 107.1 MHz;[10] the frequency change came into effect on August 26, 1994, by which time WKNZ was again a country music outlet.[11]

After being purchased by Thomas F. McDaniels under the name Sunbelt Broadcasting Corporation, WKNZ switched to classic rock "Zoo 107" on December 29, 1994.[12] The station became a partner of the Hattiesburg Zoo, which was its new namesake;[12] it sponsored the zoo's name-a-zebra contest in 1996.[13]

Radio Broadcasters, controlled by Ken Rainey and owners of WMXI, acquired WKNZ and WXHB in 2000 for $690,000.[14] The station's format remained unchanged until the station was sold in 2005 to the Educational Media Foundation and converted into a K-Love transmitter. The station immediately dropped its programming, including sports programming, on April 1, 2005.[15]

References[]

  1. ^ FCC History Cards for WLVZ
  2. ^ a b c Hilliard, Laurence (June 20, 1982). "Brothers' love for radio shows in work". Hattiesburg American. p. 4A. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  3. ^ "South Mississippi's 24 Hour Country FM 101.7". Magee Courier. October 18, 1984. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  4. ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. February 15, 1988. p. 146. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  5. ^ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 30, 1989. p. 56. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  6. ^ "WHER-FM going country in November". Hattiesburg American. October 21, 1990. p. 6B. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  7. ^ "AP sues Southern Air over contract dispute". Hattiesburg American. June 18, 1993. p. 7A. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  8. ^ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. May 31, 1993. pp. 51–52. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  9. ^ "Transactions" (PDF). Radio & Records. May 28, 1993. p. 6. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  10. ^ "Allocations" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 21, 1991. p. 66. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  11. ^ "Country radio station to change frequency". Hattiesburg American. August 25, 1994. p. 2B. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  12. ^ a b Travis, Scott (January 5, 1995). "Radio station retunes country format to classic rock". Hattiesburg American. p. 3B. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  13. ^ Brooks, Courtney (July 11, 1996). "A name for true beauty". Hattiesburg American. p. 5A. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  14. ^ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. October 16, 2000. p. 35. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  15. ^ "Eagles return to C-USA play". Hattiesburg American. April 1, 2005. p. 1B. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
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