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WZKX (107.9 FM, "Kicker 108") is a commercial radio station licensed to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and serving the Gulfport–Biloxi-Pascagoula radio market. Due to its 100,000 watt power, the station is also heard all throughout the metro New Orleans radio market. It broadcasts a country music format and is owned by Coast Radio Group. Its studios are on Lorraine Road in Gulfport.

WZKX is a Class C FM station. It has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, the maximum for most FM stations. The transmitter tower is located on City Bridge Road in Perkinston and at 1,680 feet above sea level, is taller than the Empire State Building today. WZKX broadcasts using HD Radio technology. The HD2 digital subchannel carries a classic rock format, known as "The Quake." The HD3 subchannel plays rhythmic adult contemporary music, known as "The Hype."

History

The station signed on the air on February 14, 1966; 58 years ago (1966-02-14). Its original call sign was WRPM-FM, the sister station of WRPM 1530 AM (now silent). WRPM-AM-FM had their city of license in Poplarville. They were owned by Ben O. Griffin and largely simulcast their programming. Even though WRPM-FM was powered at the maximum 100,000 watts, its signal was limited by its short antenna height of only 175 feet (53 m).

In the late 1970s, WRPM-FM split its programming from the AM station. It was one of the only album rock radio stations on the Gulf Coast. The studios were located in Orange Grove just north of Gulfport. Rock 107 played harder-edged rock acts, from Boston to Rush. A "Power Rock Song" was heard at the beginning of each hour and the disc jockeys were free to play the rock albums they wanted.

Similar to the plot in the 1978 movie, FM, management decided in 1982 to end the free form format and go with a playlist of airing only the best selling albums. Some DJs, like late night host Jeff Davis, left the station, though Mark "In the Middle" McGraw remained.

In 1982, the station relocated to a tower taller than the Empire State Building. The power and antenna height allowed the station to reach east to Mobile, west to New Orleans and north to Laurel. It became a Top 40 station branded as Power 108 . The original Power 108 airstaff was Bryan Rhodes in mornings, with the late Dave Melton, Sr. doing news, Mark McGraw hosting middays (Mark in the Middle), P.D. The Real Rick James doing afternoons, Mark ("The Top Gun") Gunn heard in the evening and Reverend Red (Collins Powell) covering late nights.

In September 1994, the station flipped to country and branded as Kicker 108. As of March 1, 2023, WZKX broadcasts using HD radio technology with three HD digital subchannels.

References

1. "Facility Technical Data for WZKX". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. FCC.gov/WZKX
3. Radio-Locator.com/WZKX
4. Broadcasting Yearbook 1969 page B-96. Retrieved October 19, 2023.

External links

• Kicker 108 WZKX official website
• 107.9 HD3 The Hype official website
• Facility details for Facility ID 17477 (WZKX) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• WZKX in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

30°45′07″N 89°03′25″W / 30.752°N 89.057°W / 30.752; -89.057

• HD Radio stations
• Radio stations in Mississippi
• Country radio stations in the United States
• Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
• 1966 establishments in Mississippi
• Radio stations established in 1966