WIMZ-FM
Encyclopedia
WIMZ-FM is a classic rock
radio station
based in Knoxville, Tennessee
at 103.5 FM
. Its broadcast area reaches into southeastern Kentucky
, southwestern Virginia
, western North Carolina
, north Georgia
and far northwest South Carolina
.
.
Originally, the tower was used for television broadcasts by WBIR, but it was shielded by mountains from some audiences in Knoxville, especially those in the western towns of Farragut
, Oak Ridge
, and Lenoir City
. WBIR relocated to Sharp's Ridge
near downtown Knoxville in the 1970s, and the tower is now home to radio station WIMZ. Due to Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) regulations, the antenna itself is located 1570 ft (479 m) AGL, about 180 ft (55 m) below the top of the tower.
Originally before the tall WBIR-TV mast was built in 1963, the owner of the TV station had planned the tower to be built on nearby House Mountain, the tallest point in Knox County, Tennessee. But WBIR's main competitor WATE-TV
squashed that idea. See the article House Mountain for details.
format, switching to album-oriented rock
in 1979. Not long after the format switch it changed its call letters to the current WIMZ, and used the slogan "Rock 104". At the start of 1983 it altered its format somewhat to add more current new wave
and heavy metal
acts and curtail much of the 1970s vintage classic rock; at that time it also dropped the Rock 104 moniker and identified as "103.5 WIMZ", with a new logo loosely modeled after that of MTV
.
In 1982, WHEL
on AM
1240 (formerly with a big band
format) began simulcast
ing WIMZ-FM's programming, and became WIMZ-AM. This simulcast on AM continued for much of the 1980s. WIMZ-AM was later sports talk.
Currently, the morning time slot carries the John Boy and Billy
show (John Boy having been a popular local radio personality in the late 1970s on WRJZ
), a syndicated show which is on many stations throughout the southeastern United States. In recent years, the station's format has consisted of late 1960s through early 1990s hard rock
, excluding grunge
and punk
and focusing on 1970s metal
and 1980s hair metal. Their slogan has remained "Classic rock
that really rocks" for more than a decade.
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
based in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
at 103.5 FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
. Its broadcast area reaches into southeastern Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, southwestern Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, western North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, north Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and far northwest South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
.
Tower
The WIMZ FM-Tower (also called the WBIR TV-mast) is a 534.01 meter high guy-wired aerial mast for the transmission of FM and TV programs in Knoxville, Tennessee (Geographical coordinates: 36°08′06"N 83°43′29"W). The tower was completed in September 1963 and at the time was the tallest structure in the world. It is currently owned by South Central CommunicationsSouth Central Communications
South Central Communications is a privately owned media company based in Evansville, Indiana, and owned and operated by the Engelbrecht family: John D. Engelbrecht , JP Engelbrecht , and Bettie G...
.
Originally, the tower was used for television broadcasts by WBIR, but it was shielded by mountains from some audiences in Knoxville, especially those in the western towns of Farragut
Farragut, Tennessee
Farragut is a town in Knox and Loudon counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, and is generally a suburb of nearby Knoxville. Farragut's population was 20,689 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area...
, Oak Ridge
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge is a city in Anderson and Roane counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, about west of Knoxville. Oak Ridge's population was 27,387 at the 2000 census...
, and Lenoir City
Lenoir City, Tennessee
Lenoir City is a city in Loudon County, Tennessee, United States. Its population was 8,642 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area....
. WBIR relocated to Sharp's Ridge
Sharp's Ridge
Sharp's Ridge is a steep limestone ridge in Knoxville, Tennessee, north of the city's downtown. A area of the ridge is maintained as Sharp's Ridge Memorial Park, a city park dedicated to the honor of the area's war dead. The ridge also is the site of a transmitting antenna farm that serves most...
near downtown Knoxville in the 1970s, and the tower is now home to radio station WIMZ. Due to Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) regulations, the antenna itself is located 1570 ft (479 m) AGL, about 180 ft (55 m) below the top of the tower.
Originally before the tall WBIR-TV mast was built in 1963, the owner of the TV station had planned the tower to be built on nearby House Mountain, the tallest point in Knox County, Tennessee. But WBIR's main competitor WATE-TV
WATE-TV
WATE-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Eastern Tennessee licensed to Knoxville. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 26 from a transmitter on Sharp's Ridge in North Knoxville. The station can also be seen on Charter channel 6 as well as Comcast and Knology...
squashed that idea. See the article House Mountain for details.
Format history
Originally known as WBIR-FM, the station had a country musicCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format, switching to album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
in 1979. Not long after the format switch it changed its call letters to the current WIMZ, and used the slogan "Rock 104". At the start of 1983 it altered its format somewhat to add more current new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
and heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
acts and curtail much of the 1970s vintage classic rock; at that time it also dropped the Rock 104 moniker and identified as "103.5 WIMZ", with a new logo loosely modeled after that of MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
.
In 1982, WHEL
WIFA
WIFA is a radio station broadcasting a Contemporary Christian music format. Licensed to Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, the station serves the Knoxville area. The station is currently owned by Progressive Media, Inc. and features programing from Salem Radio Network....
on AM
Amplitude modulation
Amplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent...
1240 (formerly with a big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
format) began simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
ing WIMZ-FM's programming, and became WIMZ-AM. This simulcast on AM continued for much of the 1980s. WIMZ-AM was later sports talk.
Currently, the morning time slot carries the John Boy and Billy
John Boy and Billy
John Isley and Billy James, known as John Boy & Billy, named after "John-Boy Harris and brother Bross Harris", are American radio hosts based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Their comedic morning program The John Boy & Billy Big Show broadcasts from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m...
show (John Boy having been a popular local radio personality in the late 1970s on WRJZ
WRJZ
WRJZ is a Christian talk radio station in Knoxville, TN that broadcasts on 620 AM. It is owned by Tennessee Media Associates.-Programming:Bob Bell hosts the morning show...
), a syndicated show which is on many stations throughout the southeastern United States. In recent years, the station's format has consisted of late 1960s through early 1990s hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
, excluding grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
and punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and focusing on 1970s metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
and 1980s hair metal. Their slogan has remained "Classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
that really rocks" for more than a decade.