WZBA

WZBA (100.7 FM, "100.7 The Bay") is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Westminster, Maryland. The station is owned by Times-Shamrock Communications and broadcasts a classic rock format. Its studios are in Hunt Valley and its broadcast tower is located near Owings Mills at (39°26′49.9″N 76°46′47.2″W).[1]

WZBA
Broadcast areaBaltimore metropolitan area
Frequency100.7 MHz
Branding100.7 The Bay
Programming
FormatClassic rock
Ownership
OwnerTimes-Shamrock Communications
History
First air date
November 1, 1959 (as WTTR-FM)
Former call signs
WTTR-FM (1959-1984)
WGRX (1984-1999)
Call sign meaning
W Z BAy
Technical information
Facility ID59985
ClassB
ERP25,000 watts
HAAT210 meters (690 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
39°26′50.4″N 76°46′46.9″W
Translator(s)See § Translators
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitewww.thebayonline.com

The station's service contour covers the Baltimore metropolitan area and southern portions of South Central Pennsylvania.[2] The station markets itself as the only station in the Baltimore market dedicated to the classic rock format.

History

Engineer Russ Morgan signed on the station for the first time on November 1, 1959 as WTTR-FM.[3][4]

Shamrock Communications purchased the station on April 7, 1981 and changed the format to easy listening. The station's call sign was changed to WGRX in 1984, with a format change to "Eclectic Oriented Rock",[4] a hybrid format created by Radio Consultant John Sebastian.[5] The format changed to classic rock in May 1987.[4]

WGRX changed its format to modern rock on December 2, 1994, branded as The X.[6] In April 1996, the station fired its program director and six DJs,[7] then aired a weekend-long stunt of disco music as "Polyester 101"[8] before switching to a country music format on May 6, 1996,[9][10] branded as "Froggy 100.7". The station later rebranded as "New Country 100.7".[11]

On December 1, 1999, due to declining ratings, the station switched its call sign to WZBA, rebranded as 100.7 The Bay and changed formats to "Rock AC" (Rock Adult Contemporary), similar to WMMO in Orlando[12] with the slogan "Rock Without the Hard Edge".[13]

In 2001, WZBA relocated its transmitter closer to Baltimore.[13]

The station changed its format to classic rock[13] when WXFB changed formats from classic rock to smooth jazz on September 5, 2003.

Jefferson Ward, the station's general manager, retired in 2021.[14]

Signal note

WZBA is short-spaced to two other Class B stations operating on 100.7 MHz: WLEV 100.7 WLEV (licensed to serve Allentown, Pennsylvania) and WZXL 100.7 ZXL (licensed to serve Wildwood, New Jersey). The distance between WZBA's transmitter and WLEV's transmitter is only 105 miles (169 km), while the distance between WZBA's transmitter and WZXL's transmitter is only 110 miles (180 km), as determined by FCC rules.[15] The minimum distance between two Class B stations operating on the same channel according to current FCC rules is 150 miles.[16]

Translators

WZBA programming is broadcast on the following translator:[17]

Call signFrequencyCity of licenseFIDERP (W)HAATClassTransmitter coordinatesFCC info
W261CD 100.1 FMBaltimore, Maryland59981293 m (305 ft)D39°17′12.3″N 76°36′30.8″WLMS

References
  1. "FM Query Results for WZBA". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  2. "54 dBu Service Contour for WZBA, 100.7 MHz, Westminster, MD". bing.com. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  3. Rollye James (Borenstein) (1989). Mediatrix Market Profile (PDF) (Report). Mediatrix, Inc. p. 15. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  4. Rollye James (Borenstein) (1989). Mediatrix Market Profile (PDF) (Report). Mediatrix, Inc. p. 56. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  5. Cosper, Alex (2015-06-22). "Interview with Radio Consultant John Sebastian". playlistresearch.com. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  6. McKerrow, Steve (1994-12-17). "2 rock stations seek same audience in format changes". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  7. Kaltenbach, Chris (1996-04-27). "WGRX, switching formats, fires DJs". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  8. Norton, Kristin. "22 Things You'll Never See In Baltimore Again". movoto.com. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  9. "Baltimore's WGRX Leaps To Country" (PDF). R&R The Industry's Newspaper. No. 1145. 1996-05-10. p. 3. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  10. Kaltenbach, Chris (1996-05-18). "WGRX-FM goes country". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  11. West, Steve (1999-07-19). "Danny Carlisle & Roy Sampson, New Country 100.7 WGRX Westminster/Baltimore July 19, 1999". airchexx.com. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  12. Lance. "COUNTRY 100.7 WGRX BECOMES ROCK AC "THE BAY" WZBA". formatchange.com. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  13. "Baltimore Radio". centrevillemaryland.us. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  14. Ink, Radio (2021-09-15). "Jefferson Ward WZBA GM Retiring". Radio Ink. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  15. "Reference points and distance computations. 47 CFR § 73.208". Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  16. "Minimum distance separation between stations. 47 CFR § 73.207 (1)" (PDF). Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  17. "Station Search Details, W261CD". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
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