WMBZ (FM)
WMBZ (Buzz Country 92.5) is a country music-formatted radio station in West Bend, Wisconsin. It serves the greater Milwaukee area, mainly the city's northern suburbs. WMBZ is owned by Wisconsin-based David Magnum, through licensee Magnum Communications, Inc., along with sister WIBD and Racine-based WRJN and WVTY. Its studios are in West Bend and the transmitter site is in Addison.
City | West Bend, Wisconsin |
---|---|
Broadcast area | West Bend/Northern Milwaukee area |
Frequency | 92.5 MHz |
Branding | 92.5 Buzz Country |
Slogan | Wisconsin's Best Country |
Programming | |
Format | Country |
Ownership | |
Owner | David Magnum (Magnum Communications, Inc.) |
Sister stations | WIBD, WRJN, WVTY |
History | |
First air date | September 1958 (as WBKV-FM) |
Former call signs | WBKV-FM (1958-1988) WBWI-FM (1988-2015) WZRK (2/6/2015-2/9/2015) WBWI-FM (2/9/2015-2/18/2015) |
Call sign meaning | W M BuzZ |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 71542 |
Class | B |
ERP | 17,500 watts |
HAAT | 164 meters (538 ft) |
Links | |
Website | buzzcountry.com |
History
The station was originally WBKV-FM, an easy listening station. It was later known as "V92" and featured an automated adult contemporary and country format. On September 16, 1988, the station picked up the WBWI-FM call letters. 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", a name they kept until 2004, when 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, to David Magnum's Magnum Communications, Inc. Bliss had owned WBWI and WBKV since 1970 (when WBWI was still WBKV-FM).[1] 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".[2] On February 18, 2015, WBWI-FM changed their call letters to WMBZ.
Previous logo
References
- "Bliss Communications to sell West Bend, Racine radio stations". The Janesville Gazette. June 25, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
- WBWI Relaunches as Buzz Country
External links
- WMBZ Website
- WMBZ in the FCC's FM station database
- WMBZ on Radio-Locator
- WMBZ in Nielsen Audio's FM station database