WAPI-AM
WAPI-AM (called Alabama's Big Talker 1070) is a talk radio format AM station broadcasting at 1070 KHz. The station is licensed to Birmingham and broadcast at 50 KW (day)/5 KW (night) from an pair of directional towers near Sandusky north of Birmingham (map). The station's daytime coverage area includes most of the state from Montgomery north and stretching toward Rome, Goergia and Tupelo, Mississippi. The low-power evening range is confined to the Birmingham Area with a small directional transmitter aimed into Walker County and the larger one coving Birmingham, Bessemer and Hoover, ectending as far as Clanton and Talladega. The station's studios are located in Citadel's local headquarters at 244 Goodwin Crest Drive on Red Mountain. The station's general manager is Dale Daniels, and Frank Giardina is program director.
History
The call letters "WRAX" (meaning "rock alternative, the X") originated in 1996 when Dick Broadcasting bought a 6 KW station in Trussville called WWBR (105.9 FM, "The Bear"). Dick changed format from album-oriented rock/active rock to modern rock/alternative rock, and called the new format "106 the X".
In 1998, WRAX switched frequencies with another Dick station, the 100 KW WENN (107.7 FM "107-7 the X"). Morning radio team Beaner and Ken debuted on the X that year and became one of the most popular morning teams in the Birmingham market. They duo split in summer 2001, with "Beaner" (Guy Patten) moving to a station in Washington D.C.
A new morning duo, Tuttle and Kline, debuted in early 2002.
During the height of its popularity, the X was the second-highest rated station in Birmingham and one of the highest-rated alternative stations in the United States. DJ Scott Register's "Reg's Coffee House" program on Sundays introduced Birmingham listeners to hundreds of new artists, many of which then made program director Rossi's regular rotation. Several regional and national bands, such as Matchbox Twenty, Train, Creed, Sister Hazel, Vertical Horizon and John Mayer were boosted by the X's promotional efforts.
From 1998 to 2004 the station released a series of seven albums featuring live performances under the name Live in the X Lounge. Profits from the hot-selling CDs benefited United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham.
In March 2005, Citadel changed the station's frequency again, moving to 100.5, the former home of WANZ, which had been competing as an alternative rock station until it was acquired from Apex Broadcasting by Citadel. Among the changes were the hiring of Ken Wall as program director. He made clear in a now-infamous memo to the staff that "We are not in the business of breaking new music." (Geiss - 2006)
WANZ, meanwhile, had reintroduced the Beaner and Ken show in 2004. Patten moved to Syracuse, New York the following year, but continued to collaborate with Ken long-distance for airing in both markets. After Citadel moved the X to 100.5, they took over the syndication of Beaner and Ken, returning the show to the Birmingham market. Tuttle and Kline relocated to a Texas sation. The power and range of the 100.5 signal was much less than 107.7 and the X's ratings took an immediate hit from which it never recovered.
Various format tweaks were tried before Citadel brought in Robison, most recently from Houston's KTBZ-FM. On Tuesday November 28, station employees were informed that the X was ceasing operations and that WJOX, an AM sports talk station, would be using the 100.5 frequency.
| Preceded by: WWBR (album rock) |
FM 105.9/FM 105.5 1996 - 1997 |
Succeeded by: WENN (urban music) |
| Preceded by: WENN (urban music) |
FM 107.7 1998 - 2005 |
Succeeded by: WUHT (urban adult contemporary) |
| Preceded by: WANZ (modern rock) |
FM 100.5 2005 - 2006 |
Succeeded by: WJOX (sports talk) |
Programming
- Weekday mornings: Dixon & Willoughby (through December 8, 2006)
- Weekday midmornings: Neal Boortz (Atlanta)
- Weekday afternoons: Steve Robison
- Weekday/Saturday evenings: Amber
- Sunday late-mornings: Reg's Coffee House
- Saturday mid-day: Geno
- Sunday evenings: Coyote J.
- Weekends: Michael Vance
References
- "WAPI (AM)." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 26 Nov 2006, 08:55 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 30 Nov 2006 [1].
External links
- WAPI-AM website
- WAPI-AM history at wapi1070.com