WMBZ (FM)
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WMBZ
| logo = 92.5 Buzz Country Logo.png
| city = West Bend, Wisconsin
| country = US
| area = Northern Milwaukee suburbs
| branding = 92.5 Buzz Country
| frequency = {{Frequency|92.5|MHz}}
| airdate = {{Start date and age|1958|9}} (as WBKV-FM)
| format = Country
| language =
| erp = 17,500 watts
| haat = {{convert|164|m|sp=us}}
| class = B
| facility_id = 71542
| licensing_authority = FCC
| coordinates = {{coord|43.429|N|88.301|W|type:landmark_region:US-WI_source:FCC|display=inline,title}}
| callsign_meaning = "Buzz"
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WBKV-FM (1958–1988)|WBWI-FM (1988–2015)|WZRK (2015)|WBWI-FM (2015)}}
| former_frequencies =
| affiliations = Westwood One
| owner = David Magnum
| licensee = Magnum Communications, Inc.
| sister_stations = WRYU, WVTY
| webcast = {{listenlive|https://player.amperwave.net/2796}}
| website = {{URL|https://buzzcountry.com}}
}}
WMBZ (92.5 MHz "Buzz Country 92.5") is a commercial FM radio station in West Bend, Wisconsin, serving Milwaukee's northern suburbs. WMBZ and sister station WVTY, which serves Milwaukee's southern suburbs, are co-programmed and air a country music radio format. They are owned by David Magnum, through licensee Magnum Communications, Inc., along with sister WRYU in West Bend.
WMBZ is a Class B FM station, with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 18,000 watts. The transmitter tower is on Wisconsin Highway 33 at Aurora Road in Addison.[https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?sr=Y&s=C&call=Wmbz&nav=home Radio-Locator.com/WMBZ]
History
The station signed on the air in September 1958 as WBKV-FM, co-owned with WBKV (1470 AM). WBKV-FM was an easy listening station, playing quarter-hour sweeps of soft instrumentals and mellow vocals. WBKV-FM was later known as "V92" and featured an automated mix of adult contemporary and country music.
On September 16, 1988, the station picked up the WBWI-FM call sign. WBWI-FM flipped to its current country format in late 1989/early 1990. For a few years it was known as "92 Country Rock" then "92 Country" before it was renamed to "Pure Country". In 2004, the station rebranded to simply "92.5 WBWI".
On June 25, 2014, Bliss Communications announced that it would sell WBWI-FM and WBKV, along with WRJN and WVTY (then WEZY) in Racine. The buyer was David Magnum's Magnum Communications, Inc. Bliss had owned WBWI and WBKV since 1970 (when WBWI was still WBKV-FM).{{cite news|title=Bliss Communications to sell West Bend, Racine radio stations|url=http://www.gazettextra.com/20140625/bliss_communications_to_sell_west_bend_racine_radio_stations|access-date=June 26, 2014|work=The Janesville Gazette|date=June 25, 2014}} The sale, at a price of $2.25 million, was consummated on October 31, 2014.
On February 9, 2015, WBWI-FM rebranded as "Buzz Country".[http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/91935/wbwi-relaunches-as-buzz-country/ WBWI Relaunches as Buzz Country] On February 18, 2015, WBWI-FM’s callsign was changed to WMBZ. WMBZ and co-owned 92.1 WVTY air separate commercials and on-air playlists, share staff and DJs and have a common playlist. In the past as its own operation, station has not served as a direct competitor of Milwaukee's main country station, WMIL-FM (106.1), but with the early 21st century growth of Washington County and WMIL now carrying out-of-market voicetracked hosts outside mornings, WMBZ and WVTY have seen listener growth as an alternative in the Milwaukee market.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://buzzcountry.com/ WMBZ Website]
- {{FM station data|71542|WMBZ}}
{{Milwaukee Radio}}
{{Country Radio Stations in Wisconsin}}
Category:Radio stations established in 1958
Category:1958 establishments in Wisconsin