WIXI
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WIXI
| logo = File:WIXI AM1360 logo.png
| area = Birmingham, Alabama
| airdate = November 2, 1946
| frequency = 1360 kHz
| translator = {{Radio Relay|103.3|W277DM|Jasper}}
| format = Rhythmic Oldies, Blues, Gospel and Talk radio
| power = 12,000 watts day
42 watts night
| class = D
| facility_id = 60508
| coordinates = {{coord|33|49|12|N|87|16|26|W|region:US-AL_type:landmark}}
| callsign_meaning =
| former_callsigns = WWWB (1946–1988)
WZPQ (1988–2005)
| owner = Gary Richardson
| licensee = Richardson Broadcasting Corporation
| sister_stations = WJLD
| webcast =
| website = http://www.wixi1360.com
| licensing_authority= FCC
}}
WIXI (1360 AM) is a radio station licensed to serve the community of Jasper, Alabama, United States. The station, established in 1946 as WWWB, is currently owned and operated by Gary Richardson, through licensee Richardson Broadcasting Corporation.
Programming
WIXI airs a mix of Rhythmic Oldies, Blues, Talk radio and Gospel to the greater Birmingham, Alabama, area.{{cite web|title=Station Information Profile |work=Arbitron |url=http://www.arbitron.com/ |access-date=December 1, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301134627/http://www.arbitron.com/ |archive-date=March 1, 2010 }}
History
=As WWWB=
This station began licensed broadcasting with 250 watts of power on 1240 kHz on November 2, 1946, as WWWB.{{cite book |title=Broadcasting-Telecasting 1949 Yearbook |date=1949 |page=70 |chapter=Directory of Standard (AM) Broadcasting Stations of the United States |publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc. |location=Washington, D.C.}} Under the ownership of Bankhead Broadcasting Company, Inc., WWWB was the first radio station licensed to Jasper, Alabama. The station's call letters were chosen to match the initials of Bankhead Broadcasting Company owner W.W. Bankhead.
In 1955, the station got a construction permit from the FCC that allowed then to move to the current 1360 kHz broadcast frequency and increase signal power to 1,000 watts.{{cite book |title=1956 Broadcasting Yearbook-Marketbook |date=1956 |page=53 |chapter=Directory of AM and FM stations and Market Data of the United States |publisher=Broadcasting Publications, Inc. |location=Washington, D.C.}}
In 1975, the station moved its studios to a house at 409 Ninth Avenue in Jasper that had been owned by auto dealer George Vines during the 1950s.{{cite book |first=Alan |last=Brown |title=Stories from the Haunted South |chapter=Radio Station WZPQ - Jasper |publisher=University Press of Mississippi |location=Jackson, MS |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ffXf-VnSlTsC&q=WZPQ&pg=PA19 |pages=19–22 |date=2004 |isbn=978-1-57806-661-2}} According to station personnel, Vines' ghost haunted the station for most of the three decades it occupied the house.{{cite news |work=The Daily Home (Talladega, AL) |title=Alabama's haunted places have a history all their own |date=June 21, 2003 |first=Denise |last=Sinclair}}
In March 1986, Tri-W Broadcasting, Inc., reached an agreement to sell WWWB, to SIS Sound, Inc. The deal was approved by the Federal Communications Commission on June 4, 1986, and the transaction was consummated on October 28, 1986.{{cite web |work=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-19860304EE) |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=86253 |date=October 28, 1986}}
=As WZPQ=
The station, previously known as WWWB, was assigned new call letters WZPQ by the FCC on October 10, 1988.{{cite web |title=Call Sign History |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=60508&Callsign=WIXI |work=FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database}}
On November 15, 1997, William A. Grant Jr., the owner of WZPQ license holder SIS Sound, Inc., died.{{cite web |url=http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi |work=Social Security Death Index |title=Search Results |access-date=2008-11-03}} In March 1998, control of the company passed involuntarily to his sons William A. Grant III and Walter B. Grant.{{cite web |work=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BTC-19980306GN) |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=263192 |date=May 21, 1998}} The transfer of control was approved by the FCC on May 21, 1998, and the transaction was consummated on the same day.
In July 1999, SIS Sound, Inc., reached an agreement to sell WZPQ to James T. Lee for a reported sale price of $100,000.{{cite news |date=July 26, 1999 |work=Broadcasting & Cable |title=Changing Hands - 7/26/1999}} The deal was approved by the FCC on August 24, 1999, and the transaction was consummated on September 1, 1999.{{cite web |work=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-19990701GL) |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=286672 |date=September 1, 1999}}
=As WIXI=
The station was assigned the current WIXI call letters by the FCC on June 6, 2005.
In October 2006, James T. Lee reached an agreement to sell WIXI to Walker Broadcasting Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on November 14, 2006, and the transaction was consummated on December 1, 2006.{{cite web |work=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-20060929AEI) |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1153806 |date=December 1, 2006}}
In June 2008, Walker Broadcasting Inc. reached an agreement to transfer WIXI back to James T. Lee in exchange for the forgiveness of an unspecified debt.{{cite news |work=Radio Business Report |title=Transactions |date=July 29, 2008 |issue=147 |url=http://www.rbr.com/epaper/issue148-08-art.html}} The deal was approved by the FCC on July 28, 2008, and the transaction was consummated on September 3, 2008.{{cite web |work=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-20080612ACW) |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1249876 |date=September 3, 2008}}
On September 9, 2008, James T. Lee reached an agreement to sell WIXI to Snavely Broadcasting Company LLC (David Snavely, managing member) for a reported $199,500.{{cite news |date=October 6, 2008 |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6601849.html |work=Broadcasting & Cable |title=Deals - 10/6/2008}}{{cite news |work=Radio Business Report |title=Transactions |date=October 8, 2008 |issue=197 |url=http://www.rbr.com/epaper/issue148-08-art.html}} The deal was approved by the FCC on October 27, 2008, and consummation of the transaction occurred December 9, 2008.{{cite web |work=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-20080911ABC) |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1265219 |date=December 9, 2008}}
=Power increase=
In January 2010, acting on engineering data filed with the FCC, WIXI increased its daytime power to 12,000 watts. It began using the slogan, "Walker County's Most Powerful Radio Station." WIXI carried locally produced shows, "The People's Viewpoint," a politically oriented talk show, and "Talking Walker County," a Jasper-area current and civic variety show. These programs were produced by Bishop Media. The station acquired broadcast rights for the Auburn Tigers in 2010, and was the flagship station for the local Cordova Blue Devils.
The station was sold from Snavely Broadcasting to Rivera Broadcasting in November 2012, and dropped its longtime Classic Country format for its current programming in January 2013. The station was again sold, this time to Gary Richardson's Richardson Broadcasting Corporation, in exchange for WAYE; Rivera Broadcasting also included $275,000 in the transaction, which was consummated on April 11, 2014. After the sale was approved, the format changed from Regional Mexican to a mix of Rhythmic Oldies, Blues, Talk and Gospel.
External links
{{AM station data|60508|WIXI}}