WRBA
| File:WRBA ClassicRock95.9 logo.png | |
| Broadcast area | Panama City, Florida |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 95.9 MHz |
| Branding | Classic Rock 95.9 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic rock |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Gulf Coast Broadcasting LLC |
| WASJ, WKNK | |
| History | |
First air date | 1986 |
Former call signs | WVBM (1986-1987, CP) |
Call sign meaning | We aRe BAy 96 |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 63584 |
| Class | C2 |
| ERP | 50,000 watts |
| HAAT | 86 meters (282 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | type:city 30°12′12.00″N 85°36′57.00″W / 30.2033333°N 85.6158333°W |
| Links | |
| Website | 959online |
WRBA (95.9 FM), branded as both "The Rock 95.9" and "Classic Rock 95.9", is a classic rock-formatted radio station licensed to Springfield, Florida and serving the Panama City market. The station is owned and operated by Gulf Coast Broadcasting. WRBA is the market's home of the syndicated John Boy and Billy show. Core artists include AC/DC, Mötley Crüe, Poison, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Whitesnake, Deep Purple and Metallica.
History
The station began broadcast in 1986 as WVBM, which was the area's first and only African-American O&O radio station.
At noon on November 14, 1987, after the call sign was changed to WRBA, the station's format shifted to easy listening and oldies under the name "Bay 96 FM". In a News-Herald interview, then-owner Peter Bardach described its format as being "halfway between WGNE (AM) and Sunny 98 (FM)" and that it was targeted toward adults between 25 and 54. Over time, the format changed to a mix of modern rock and adult contemporary.
In October 1994, WRBA did away with the adult contemporary, and "Arrow 95.9" debuted. The "Arrow" originally stood for "All Rock & Roll Oldies", and to begin with, solely played rock from the seventies. Over its 18-year history, Arrow 95.9 kept its classic rock format, but expanded it to other decades (namely the 1960s through 1990s).
In 2012, the station was renamed "Classic Rock 95.9", but kept the same format.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, Powell Broadcasting announced that it would cease operation of its Panama City stations, leaving the future of its licenses in the market in limbo.[1]
On February 18, 2019, the station returned to the air under ownership of Gulf Coast Broadcasting.[2] For around two weeks, the station was just used as a simulcast of WCCN-FM, but soon had its own original identity starting in mid-March.
References
- ^ "Powell Broadcasting Pulling Plug On Panama City Cluster After Storm", All Access Music Group. October 15, 2018. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
- ^ https://radioinsight.com/headlines/172514/powell-sells-silent-panama-city-trio/ Radio Insight - Panama City
External links
- Classic Rock 95.9 Facebook
- Facility details for Facility ID WRBA ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
30°12′14″N 85°36′58″W / 30.204°N 85.616°W
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