WZNE

WZNE (94.1 FM) – branded 94.1 The Zone – is a commercial alternative rock radio station licensed to Brighton, New York, serving the Rochester metro area. WZNE is owned by the Stephens Media Group, and serves as the local affiliate for The Jubal Show. Its studios are located in Rochester and its transmitter is located on Pinnacle Hill in Brighton. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WZNE broadcasts over two HD Radio channels, and is available online, but not on the Western half of Monroe County.

History

The 94.1 FM frequency signed on the air in March 1997 under the originally assigned calls of WAQB, and with a stunt of instrumentals of rock songs while testing its signal. At 5:35 p.m. on April 11, 1997, 94.1 would officially launch with its current call letters and a Modern AC format as "94.1 the Zone". The first song on "The Zone" was "Stayin Alive" by Bee Gees. The station was first under the ownership of American Radio Systems, which would be bought out by Infinity Broadcasting in September 1997 (Infinity became CBS Radio in December 2005). Artists featured on the station during its early years included Blues Traveler, Dave Matthews Band, Alanis Morissette, Natalie Merchant, Talking Heads, 10,000 Maniacs, and U2.

In March 2001, WZNE would evolve to its current alternative rock format. In 2006, the station began airing the syndicated Rover's Morning Glory, which it would carry until 2020. The show now airs on WAIO. Starting in November 2020, WZNE began carrying the syndicated Jubal Show.https://radioinsight.com/headlines/201738/jubal-show-debuts-in-sacramento-rochester/

When Entercom Communications closed on its purchase of WZNE and its cluster of sister stations from CBS on November 30, 2007, the company ended up with eight FM radio stations in Rochester, which was three stations over the FCC-mandated single-market ownership limit of five FM radio stations in a medium-to-large radio market. As a result, Entercom put WZNE, along with WFKL and WRMM-FM, back on the market. In early May 2008, the Stephens Media Group of Tulsa, Oklahoma agreed to purchase the three stations, subject to FCC regulatory approval. Shortly after the acquisition was announced, Stephens took over the operation of the three stations through a time-brokerage agreement. The deal closed on July 14, 2008.

Bonzai

Bonzai was the Zone's Annual summer festival Show. The show started in 2009 at The Riverside Festival Grounds in downtown Rochester, where it stayed for two years. In 2011, the show moved to the larger venue of the Monroe County Fairgrounds. In 2012 it was held at the Highland Bowl. In 2013, it was held at the Main Street Armory, with two stages, one indoors and one outside. In 2014, it was held at Sahlen's Stadium. In 2015, it was moved back to the Main Street Armory. For unknown reasons, Bonzai was discontinued after 2015.

Bonzai 2009 Lineup: The Gay Blades, Smile Empty Soul, Sick Puppies, Street Sweeper Social Club, Sevendust, Framing Hanley, and Tantric

Bonzai 2010 Lineup: New Politics, Crash Kings, Flyleaf, Ed Kowalczyck, Sick Puppies, Hollywood Undead, and Cage The Elephant

Bonzai 2011 Lineup: Airborne Toxic Event, Bayside, Bush, Hollywood Undead, Manchester Orchestra, Puddle of Mudd, and Sleeper Agent

Bonzai 2012 Lineup: Oberhofer, Walk the Moon, The Gaslight Anthem, Eve 6, Our Lady Peace, and The Offspring

Bonzai 2013 Lineup: 10 Years, Crash Kings, Diamond Youth, Dropkick Murphys, Family of the Year, IAmDynamite, Panic! At The Disco, Pepper, Sick Puppies, Reel Big Fish

Bonzai 2014 Lineup: Chevelle, A Day To Remember, J Roddy Walston and the Business, Big Data, Tove Lo, and Joywave

Bonzai 2015 Lineup: Rise Against, Meg Myers, Islander, and Night Riots

Rover's Holiday Hangover

The Zone and Rover's Morning Glory's annual winter concert at the Main Street Armory began in 2012.

Rover's Holiday Hangover 2012 Lineup:Everlast, Four Year Strong, New Found Glory, and Young Bloods

Rover's Holiday Hangover 2013 Lineup: Dirty Heads, Hoobastank, New Politics, Twenty One Pilots, Churchill, and 1916

Rover's Holiday Hangover 2014 Lineup: Switchfoot, Manchester Orchestra, Blue October, J Roddy Walston & The Business, and Man Man

Rover's Holiday Hangover 2015 Lineup: WALK THE MOON, Alien Ant Farm, Kongos, My Goodness, New Politics

Rover's Holiday Hangover 2016 Lineup: New Politics, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Joywave, and Coleman Hell

Rover's Holiday Hangover 2017 Lineup: Grouplove, Phantogram, Judah & The Lion, Bleeker

Rover's Holiday Hangover 2018 Lineup: Dashboard Confessional, The Struts, The Glorious Sons, and Welshly Arms

Rover's Holiday Hangover 2019 Lineup: Young The Giant, Lovelytheband, grandson, and The Interrupters

Rover's Holiday Hangover 2020 Lineup: AJR,Kanye West, Joywave, Dreamers, and Sub Urban

See also

*Dalton Castle (wrestler) who worked for the station in 2011

References

External links

*
Corporate List of Stations
*

{{Rochester Radio

ZNE
Modern rock radio stations in the United States
Radio stations established in 1997