WLVZ
{{short description|K-Love radio station in Collins–Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WLVZ
| logo = File:KLOVE 2014.svg
| airdate = {{start date and age|1978|08|15}}
| frequency = 103.7 MHz
| city = Collins, Mississippi
| area = Hattiesburg, Mississippi
| network = K-Love
| branding = K-Love
| owner = Educational Media Foundation
| erp = 6,000 watts
| coordinates = {{coord|31|30|4.50|N|89|28|32.80|W|type:landmark_region:US-MS|display=inline,title}}
| facility_id = 63847
| haat = 113 meters
| class = C3
| former_frequencies = 101.7 MHz (1978–1994)
107.1 MHz (1994-2024)
| former_callsigns = WKNZ (1978–2007)
| licensing_authority= FCC
}}
WLVZ (103.7 FM) is a radio station in Collins, Mississippi, US serving the Hattiesburg, Mississippi, area. The station serves as the Hattiesburg-area transmitter for the K-Love Christian radio network.{{cite web |url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WLVZ |title=WLVZ Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division |accessdate=January 14, 2025}}
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.{{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=81688 |title= History Cards for WLVZ|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} (Guide to reading History Cards) The station went on air that August 15{{r|brothers}} and immediately adopted a format including country music during the day and adult contemporary in the afternoon and at night.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39498304/|work=Hattiesburg American|first=Laurence|last=Hilliard|access-date=November 23, 2019|date=June 20, 1982|title=Brothers' love for radio shows in work|page=4A}} Covington County Broadcasters was owned by Ottis Wolverton and operated by the Blakeney brothers.{{r|brothers}} By 1984, however, WKNZ had gone all-country.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39498576/|title=South Mississippi's 24 Hour Country FM 101.7|work=Magee Courier|date=October 18, 1984|access-date=November 23, 2019}} Wolverton acquired WBKH in Hattiesburg in 1988.{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1988/BC-1988-02-15.pdf|work=Broadcasting|title=For the Record|page=146|date=February 15, 1988|access-date=November 23, 2019}} Both stations were sold the next year to Southern Air Communications, owned by Bruce Easterling, in a $648,000 transaction;{{cite news|url=https://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1989/BC-1989-10-30.pdf|work=Broadcasting|date=October 30, 1989|title=Changing Hands|page=56|access-date=November 23, 2019}} the new owners flipped WKNZ to oldies.{{clarify|date=December 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39499226/|title=WHER-FM going country in November|page=6B|work=Hattiesburg American|date=October 21, 1990|access-date=November 23, 2019}}
Financial problems grounded Southern Air in 1993. The Associated Press sued Southern Air that year for unpaid wire service bills in 1990.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39499404/|title=AP sues Southern Air over contract dispute|work=Hattiesburg American|page=7A|date=June 18, 1993|access-date=November 23, 2019}} By that time, however, WKNZ's ownership was already in the process of changing, as Wolverton repurchased the FM outlet.{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1993/BC-1993-05-31.pdf|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=May 31, 1993|title=Changing Hands|pages=51–52|access-date=November 23, 2019}} Southern Air owed Covington County Broadcasters, the former licensee, $423,000.{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1993/RR-1993-05-28.pdf|date=May 28, 1993|work=Radio & Records|page=6|title=Transactions|access-date=November 23, 2019}}
As part of a reassignment of FM allotments in several Mississippi communities approved in 1991, WKNZ had been relocated to 107.1 MHz;{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1991/BC-1991-10-21.pdf|work=Broadcasting|date=October 21, 1991|access-date=November 23, 2019|page=66|title=Allocations}} the frequency change came into effect on August 26, 1994, by which time WKNZ was again a country music outlet.{{cite news|title=Country radio station to change frequency|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39499646/|work=Hattiesburg American|date=August 25, 1994|page=2B|access-date=November 23, 2019}}
After being purchased by Thomas F. McDaniels under the name Sunbelt Broadcasting Corporation, WKNZ switched to classic rock "Zoo 107" on December 29, 1994.{{cite news|title=Radio station retunes country format to classic rock|first=Scott|last=Travis|date=January 5, 1995|access-date=November 23, 2019|work=Hattiesburg American|page=3B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39499823/}} The station became a partner of the Hattiesburg Zoo, which was its new namesake;{{r|zoo}} it sponsored the zoo's name-a-zebra contest in 1996.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39821306/|date=July 11, 1996|first=Courtney|last=Brooks|page=5A|work=Hattiesburg American|access-date=November 29, 2019|title=A name for true beauty}}
Radio Broadcasters, controlled by Ken Rainey and owners of WMXI, acquired WKNZ and WXHB in 2000 for $690,000.{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-2000/BC-2000-10-16.pdf|page=35|date=October 16, 2000|work=Broadcasting & Cable|title=Changing Hands|access-date=November 23, 2019}} 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.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39501344/|title=Eagles return to C-USA play|date=April 1, 2005|work=Hattiesburg American|page=1B|access-date=November 23, 2019}} The station's call sign was changed to WLVZ in 2007.
WLVZ moved from 107.1 MHz to 103.7 MHz in November 2024 with no change in ERP or HAAT.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Laurel-Hattiesburg Radio}}
{{K-LOVE}}
Category:Radio stations established in 1978
Category:1978 establishments in Mississippi
Category:K-Love radio stations