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WROX-FM

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WROX-FM
Broadcast areaHampton Roads
Eastern Shore of Virginia
Frequency96.1 MHz
Branding96X
Programming
FormatAlternative rock[1]
Ownership
OwnerSinclair Telecable, Inc.
WNIS, WNOB, WTAR, WUSH
History
First air date
1986; 38 years ago (1986)[2]
Former call signs
  • WIAV (1986–1988)
  • WKSV (1988–1991)
  • WMYA (1991–1993)[3]
Call sign meaning
"Rocks"
Technical information[4]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID60479
ClassB
ERP23,000 watts
HAAT220 meters (720 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
37°15′45.0″N 76°0′45.0″W / 37.262500°N 76.012500°W / 37.262500; -76.012500
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live
Websitewww.96x.fm

WROX-FM (96.1 MHz) is an alternative rock formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Exmore, Virginia, serving Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore of Virginia.[1] WROX-FM is owned and operated by Sinclair Telecable, Inc.[5] WROX's studios are located on Waterside Drive in Downtown Norfolk, and its transmitter is located in Cape Charles.

History

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The station signed on in May 1986. Though it initially was planned to be a classical music station as WWGH, it instead signed on as WIAV, "Wave 96", with a Top 40/CHR format. It had been constructed by Elleck Seymour of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, who conceived a network of stations serving mid-Atlantic beach communities. After already dealing with technical problems, a lightning strike caused the station to leave the air in October 1987. The parent company, Resort Broadcasting, then filed for bankruptcy organization in March 1988.[6] It was then co-owned with WVAB (1550 AM).

Bishop L.E. Willis later bought the two stations and then bought 92.1, later spinning off WVAB. It then shifted to a dance-leaning CHR as WKSV, "Kiss 96", in December 1988. Six months later, in May 1989, it flipped to a Christian adult contemporary format after WXRI was sold; the station inherited WXRI's music catalog. The format was tweaked to a more adult contemporary version in March 1990.[7]

WROX on a SPARC HD Radio with RDS.

In May 1991, after several months off air due to storm damage, WKSV returned as urban contemporary "Touch 96";[8] WMYK then flipped to rock in June.[9] It formed a simulcast with a new WMYK on 92.1 MHz.[10]

In October 1993, Willis sold the station to current owner Sinclair Telecable. Shortly after the sale, WMYA left the air for three weeks; it then flipped to its current format and "96X" branding on October 25.[11]

In 1995, in order to fill a coverage gap in the core portion of Hampton Roads, they put their new 250 watt translator at 106.1 MHz (W291AE) on the air; it was best heard in downtown Norfolk to help eliminate signal dropout in the downtown area. The translator existed until 2004, when WUSH was born.[12]

On July 22, 1998, WROX-FM shifted to Top 40/CHR. The station terminated all of their on air personalities.[13] This proved to be extremely unpopular with locals,[14] as the station reverted back to alternative rock one year later on July 16, 1999.[15] The station's call letters did not change during this time.

On June 24, 2019, WROX-FM shifted its format from alternative rock to adult album alternative, still branded as "96X".[16]

On June 29, 2020, 96X quietly changed its format back to alternative rock in the midst of iHeartRadio's abrupt format flip of WNOH, launching an African American-oriented national news radio network.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  2. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 2010 (PDF). ProQuest, LLC/Reed Publishing (Nederland), B.V. 2010. p. D-572. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  3. ^ "Call Sign History". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  4. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WROX-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  5. ^ "WROX Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  6. ^ Warden, Billy (September 9, 1988). "WIAV: to be continued?". Daily Press. p. Splash 15. Retrieved June 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Pryweller, Joseph (March 24, 1990). "Add classic Christian to musical pie". Daily Press. p. D1. Retrieved June 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Pryweller, Joseph (May 4, 1991). "Smokin' and Bandit head for the West". Daily Press. pp. D1, D3. Retrieved June 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Black AC WMYK Now Rock AC WKOS". Radio & Records. June 28, 1991. p. 12. ProQuest 1017247755.
  10. ^ Prywller, Joseph (October 4, 1991). "Radio stations merge for more 'raw power': WKEZ-FM leaves country for rock". Daily Press. p. C2. Retrieved June 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Blade Becomes PD As New Rock WROX/Norfolk Signs On". Radio & Records. October 29, 1993. p. 10. ProQuest 1017266058.
  12. ^ "Home". hamptonroads.vartv.com.
  13. ^ "WROX EJECTS MODERN FORMAT". dailypress.com.
  14. ^ "ALT ROCK FANS ARE FEELING LEFT HIGH AND DRY". dailypress.com.
  15. ^ "96X is ready rock - once again". dailypress.com.
  16. ^ 96X Norfolk Moves Towards AAA Radioinsight - June 25, 2019
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