WKZV (102.1

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that one h ...

) is a non-commercial

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radi ...

licensed A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...

Tybee Island, Georgia Tybee Island is a city and a barrier island located in Chatham County, Georgia, 18 miles (29 km) east of Savannah, United States. Though the name "Tybee Island" is used for both the island and the city, geographically they are not identical ...

. The station is owned by the

Educational Media Foundation Educational Media Foundation (formerly EMF Broadcasting, abbreviated EMF) is an American nonprofit Christian media ministry based in Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville. EMF is the parent company of K-LOVE and Air1—the world's large ...

, and serves the Savannah metropolitan area. Its

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is located west of the city in unincorporated Chatham County.

History

On October 20, 1971, WZAT

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. It was a completely

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Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or "conte ...

/ CHR station except for the locally popular "Breakfast With Burl" program, which was live. Airstaff was gradually added the rest of the day. Between a strong AM station, AM 1400 WSGA, and a slightly lighter top 40 station, FM 95.5 WSGF, a real format war ensued. By 1986, 95SGF had become AOR/ CR outlet WIXV, and in 1982, AM 1400 moved out of the format as younger listeners preferred FM radio. In the 1980s to early-1990s, "Z102" was the dominant (and often only) Top 40 station in Savannah. Stations like 99.7 WHTK, Kiss 98.7, Wave 97, and Blu 92 all tried and (mostly) failed in taking on the popular Z102. In 1993, the station was sold and flipped to

modern rock Modern rock is an umbrella term used to describe rock music that is found on college rock radio stations. Some radio stations use this term to distinguish themselves from classic rock, which is based in 1960s–1980s rock music. Radio format Mod ...

as "WZAT (or later, Z102) - Savannah's Rock and Roll Radio." Phoenix Media Partners sold the station to Cumulus in 1997. Upon the sale to Cumulus, the station repositioned as Top 40. The station has since been Top 40 and Top 40/Hot AC hybrid twice since then. It flipped to Hot AC on March 11, 2008. The next day, the station revealed its new name and positioner, which was "Mix 102-1 - The Best Mix of Music." On October 1, 2010 WZAT began stunting with sports highlights in preparation of a new format. On October 4, 2010, 102.1 became a

sports talk Sports radio (or sports talk radio) is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sport, sporting events. A widespread programming genre that has a narrow audience appeal, sports radio is characterized by an often-low comedy ...

station carrying

ESPN Radio ESPN Radio, which is alternately platform-agnostically branded as ESPN Audio, is an American sports radio network and extension of the ESPN television network. It was launched on January 1, 1992, under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN" ...

. On January 2, 2013, 102.1 switched to

CBS Sports Radio CBS Sports Radio is a sports radio network that debuted with hourly sports news updates on September 4, 2012, and with 24/7 programming on January 2, 2013. CBS Sports Radio is owned by Paramount Global and distributed by Westwood One. Programmin ...

, since Cumulus owns an interest in the network. On August 15, 2014, WZAT flipped to a

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, o ...

format branded as ''Nash Icon 102.1''. As part of the company's

Nash FM Nash or NASH may refer to: Places United Kingdom *Nash, Buckinghamshire * Nash, London, a hamlet near Keston in the London Borough of Bromley *Nash, Newport, Wales * Nash, south Shropshire, a small village and parish in southern Shropshire * Nash, ...

brand, the Nash Icon format is designed to be a slightly older country sound, with an emphasis on music by veteran country acts alongside newer hit songs. WZAT was, along with co-owned W255CJ

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,71 ...

, one of the first two stations to adopt the format. On March 24, 2017, after stunting with songs with the word "sound" in their names, WZAT returned to Hot AC as "102.1 The Sound". Positioning itself between

WAEV WAEV (97.3 FM, "97.3 Kiss FM") is a commercial radio station licensed to Savannah, Georgia. Owned by iHeartMedia, it broadcasts a contemporary hit radio format. WAEV's transmitter is located near Bloomingdale, Georgia, and shares studios with ...

and

WYKZ WYKZ (98.7 FM) is an adult contemporary radio station owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and licensed to Beaufort, South Carolina, with the branding "98.7 The River - The Best Variety Of Yesterday & Today!" The station's studio is located on Alfred St. i ...

, the move brings the frequency close to its longtime heritage as Z102. The

syndicated Syndication may refer to: * Broadcast syndication, where individual stations buy programs outside the network system * Print syndication, where individual newspapers or magazines license news articles, columns, or comic strips * Web syndication, ...

"Bert Show" was added for morning & "The Adam Bomb Show" for afternoons

drive time Drive time is the daypart in which radio broadcasters can reach the most people who listen to car radios while driving, usually to and from work, or on public transportation. Drive-time periods are when the number of radio listeners in this cla ...

. On February 13, 2019, Cumulus Media announced it would sell six stations, including WZAT, to the Educational Media Foundation for $103.5 million. Following the consummation of the sale on May 31, 2019, the station flipped to their K-Love network. With the change, WZAT changed its call letters to WKZV on June 5, 2019.

Former logo

References

External links

* {{coord, 32.058, N, 81.338, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title KZV (FM) Radio stations established in 1972 1972 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Educational Media Foundation radio stations K-Love radio stations KZV