WHMA-FM
{{short description|Radio station in Alexandria, Alabama}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WHMA-FM
| logo = WHMA-FM logo.png
| logo_size = 150px
| city = Alexandria, Alabama
| country = US
| area = Anniston-Oxford metropolitan area
| branding = The Big 95
| frequency = 95.3 MHz
| airdate = {{Start date and age|1984|p=fy}} (as WASZ at 95.5)
| format = Country
| erp = 400 watts
| haat = {{convert|332|m|ft|sp=us}}
| class = A
| facility_id = 52320
| coordinates = {{coord|33|37|38.4|N|85|53|24.9|W|type:landmark_region:US-AL|display=inline,title}}
| callsign_meaning = Harry M. Ayers
| former_callsigns = WASZ (1984–2004)
| former_frequencies = 95.5 MHz (1984–2019)
| affiliations = Fox News Radio
| owner = Williams Communications, Inc.
| licensee =
| sister_stations = WHMA (AM)
| webcast = {{listenlive|url=https://content.streamhoster.com/preview/lv_wwhosting/lv_wwhosting--whmafm?autoPlay=1&isAudio=1}}
| website =
| licensing_authority= FCC
}}
WHMA-FM (95.3 FM, "The Big 95") is a radio station broadcasting a country music format.{{cite web |title=Station Information Profile |work=Arbitron |url=http://www.arbitron.com/}} Licensed to Alexandria, Alabama, United States, it serves the Anniston-Oxford metropolitan area. The station is owned by Williams Communications, Inc.
History
The station was originally applied-for by Perry Communications in 1979, with Ashland, Alabama, as its city of license. After being approved in 1980, it was granted two extensions to the original 18 months before its construction permit expired in 1981. After later being granted a new CP in 1983, it finally went on the air and was given a license to cover in 1984. During this process, the city of license was changed from Ashland-Lineville, Alabama, to Hobson City. The station was WASZ until mid-December 2004.{{cite web |title=Call Sign History |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=52320&Callsign=WHMA-FM |work=FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database}}
The WHMA-FM callsign and radio format were previously on 100.5, which moved from Anniston to metro Atlanta to become WWWQ (now WNNX) in January 2001. The present WHMA-FM signed on the air January 2005, replacing WASZ on 95.5; as with the original WHMA-FM, it is the FM sister station to WHMA (1390 AM). WHMA-FM on 100.5 played a country music format from March 1985 to January 2001; the current WHMA-FM also plays a country format.
WHMA-FM filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission to change its frequency down by one channel, from 95.5 to 95.3 FM. The station changed its city of license again to Alexandria, Alabama, in conjunction with this change. The station would have the same transmitter location and height, but dropped its power in the maximum direction from 530 watts to 400. A different directional antenna would also be used, shifting the southern end of its coverage area further west. A license to cover with the new facilities was granted in April 2019.[https://www.almediapage.info Alabama Broadcast Media Page]
History of call letters
The call letters WHMA-FM were earlier assigned to another station in Anniston. It began broadcasting November 10, 1947, on 100.5 MHz. Studios were in the Radio Building in Anniston. The station was licensed to Anniston Broadcasting Company, which also had the license for WHMA (AM).{{cite news|title=WHMA-FM Launched|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1947/1947-11-24-BC.pdf|access-date=24 October 2014|agency=Broadcasting|date=November 24, 1947}} Both stations were owned by Consolidated Publishing which printed The Anniston Star newspaper. This WHMA-FM, which was a class C 100,000 watt FM, moved from Anniston to metro Atlanta to become WWWQ (now WNNX) in January 2001.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{FM station data|52320|WHMA}}
{{Anniston Radio}}
{{Country Radio Stations in Alabama}}
Category:Country radio stations in the United States
Category:Radio stations established in 1984