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WVLZ (850 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Maryville, Tennessee, and serving the Knoxville metropolitan area. It is owned by Loud Media.

By day, WVLZ is powered at 1,000 watts non-directional. Because 850 AM is a United States clear-channel frequency, WVLZ is a daytimer station, and must leave the air from sunset to sunrise to avoid interference with the skywave signal of the Class A station on 850 AM, KOA in Denver. WVLZ programming is also heard around the clock on FM translator W229DO at 93.7 MHz in Maryville.

History

WKVL, WIVK and WUTK (1953–2013)

The station signed on the air on March 23, 1953, as WKVL, which stood for its city of license, Knoxville. Over time, it was allowed to boost its power to the maximum for commercial AM stations, 50,000 watts. Because it shared its frequency with KOA in Denver, a Class A station, WKVL could not broadcast after sunset.

In the 1970s, it played country music as WIVK, simulcasting co-owned WIVK-FM. In the mid-1980s, 850 AM was adult contemporary WHIG but later returned to the WIVK simulcast. For a time, it had a public radio news and information format as WUTK, owned by the University of Tennessee. It was a member station of National Public Radio.

On July 2, 2010, the classic country music returned to 850 AM. The station targeted country hits from the 1950s through the 1980s. The local lineup included Bob Lewellyn, Eddie Beacon, Tee Blackman and newcomer Tim Byrd.

Blount Media’s ownership (2013–2022)

In May 2013, Blount Broadcasting Corporation, owner of WKVL and WLOD, entered into a time brokerage agreement. The deal was made with Oak Ridge FM. The station's Talk format moved from WNOX, which the company had recently sold.

WKVL for a time simulcast with WLOD. On March 31, 2014, WKVL changed formats to classic country.

On December 15, 2014, WKVL went silent. On December 14, 2015, WKVL returned to the air with classic country. On June 1, 2018, WKVL changed formats from classic country to sports radio, branded as "Rocky Top Sports". Effective December 11, 2018, WKVL was given permission to moved its city of license from Knoxville to Maryville. That was combined with a reduction in power from 50,000 watts to 1,000 watts.

Loud Media (2022–present)

On April 15, 2022, the Blount Broadcasting Corporation announced it had come to an agreement to sell WKVL, its sister station WGAP, and two FM translators to Loud Media. The sale, at a price of $175,000, was consummated on August 17, 2022.

On August 21, 2022, at midnight, WKVL changed formats from sports to variety hits, branded as "Random Music Radio". The first song on “Random Music Radio” was “Mr. Jones” by Counting Crows. On November 24, 2022, WKVL flipped to a simulcast of sister station WPLA 104.9 FM, airing its classic hits music.

On September 20, 2023, WKVL dropped its simulcast with WPLA and began stunting and applied for a new WSMM call sign; the call sign was changed on September 22. It later returned to variety hits with "Random Music Radio" branding. In December, the station began simulcasting on new translator W229DO (93.7 FM), and also began stunting with Christmas music as "Santa 93.7".

On October 21, 2024, WSMM ended Christmas music stunting and launched an active rock format, branded as "93.7 WVLZ", under new WVLZ call letters. The active rock format and WVLZ call sign moved from 106.1 FM.

References

1. "Facility Technical Data for WVLZ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. "Knoxville's WKVL Goes Classic Country". Radio-Info.com. July 1, 2010. Archived from the original on September 16, 2010. Retrieved May 27, 2011.
3. "WKVL Goes Country". AllAccess.com.
4. "The End of an Era for Knoxville News/Talk; Country to Take Over 100.3 Frequency". Talkers. May 1, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
5. WKVL Returns to Classic Country
6. Rocky Top Sports Debuts in Knoxville Radioinsight - June 1, 2018
7. "Loud Media Expands In Knoxville". Radio Insight. April 15, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
8. WGAP/WKVL Go Random Radioinsight - August 22, 2022
9. Loud Media Begins Knoxville Revamp With Fun 105.9 Launch Radioinsight - September 20, 2023
10. Santa Arrives in Knoxville, Wichita Falls, and Southwest Minnesota
11. WVLZ on the Move Radioinsight - October 21, 2024

External links

• Facility details for Facility ID 66618 (WVLZ) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• WVLZ in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
• Facility details for Facility ID 144875 (W229DO) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• W229DO at FCCdata.org

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• Radio stations in Tennessee
• Radio stations established in 1953
• 1953 establishments in Tennessee
• Daytime-only radio stations in Tennessee
• Maryville, Tennessee
• Active rock radio stations in the United States
• Tennessee radio station stubs