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WZDA

Beavercreek, Ohio
Broadcast area	Dayton metro area
Frequency	103.9 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding	Dayton's New Country 103-9
Programming
Format	Country music
Affiliations	Premiere Networks
Ownership
Owner	iHeartMedia, Inc. (iHM Licenses, LLC)
Sister stations	WCHD, WIZE, WMMX, WONE, WTUE
History
First air date	June 18, 1962 (as WHBM)
Former call signs	WHBM (1962–1978) WDJX (1978–1981) WDJX-FM (1981–1983) WYMJ-FM (1983–1994) WRVF (1994–1995) WXEG (1995–2015)
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	67689
Class	A
ERP	2,900 watts
HAAT	146 meters (479 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	39°43′19.00″N 84°12′33.00″W / 39.7219444°N 84.2091667°W / 39.7219444; -84.2091667
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	newcountry1039fm.iheart.com

WZDA (103.9 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Beavercreek, Ohio, serving the Dayton metro area, owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. As of December 27, 2021, it broadcasts country music on its standard analog transmission, using the "New Country 103.9" moniker, after previously being an alternative rock station called "Alt 103.9." The WZDA studios are located in Dayton, while the station transmitter resides in the neighboring suburb of Moraine. Besides a standard analog transmission, WZDA broadcasts in HD Radio, and is available online via iHeartRadio.

History

WHBM (1962–1978)

WZDA began as WHBM on June 18, 1962, under license to Xenia, Ohio; the WHBM call letters stood for "Harry B. Miller", the station's owner and general manager. WHBM was the FM sister station to AM station WELX in Xenia and WERM in Wapakoneta. WELX and WHBM began operations in the late 1960s with a middle of the road format, then switching in the early 1970s to progressive jazz and soul gospel. WHBM_FM, began operations first in 1962 from the second floor above "The Dutch Oven" bakery on North Detroit St., in Xenia. WELX began operations several years later. Both stations eventually operated from the WELX transmitter site adjacent to U.S. Route 35 off June Drive in Xenia. Both stations miraculously survived the April 3, 1974, tornado which ravaged Xenia and nearby Beavercreek. However, a fire destroyed the small studio/transmitter building around 1977, thus WELX and WHBM both went silent.

WDJX (1978–1982)

Both stations along with WERM were sold in 1978 to separate owners with WELX (now southern gospel WGNZ) owned by L&D Broadcasting and WHBM sold to Ohio Broadcast Associates becoming Top-40 formatted WDJX, using the "Xenia/Fairborn/Beavercreek" top of hour ID giving FM competition to Dayton's WING (AM).

WYMJ (1982–1992)

In 1982 WDJX moved its studios (and eventually its city of license) to Beavercreek, later becoming Hot A/C-formatted "Majic 104" WYMJ-FM. In 1989 WYMJ was purchased by Alan Gray's Dayton Radio, Inc and switched to "Oldies 104".

WRVF (1992–1995)

By 1992, the station became WRVF "The River" with a country format before being overshadowed by the former WHIO-FM becoming WHKO "K-99.1 FM",.

WXEG (1995–2015)

In late August 1995, the station became "103.9 The Edge", WXEG introducing the Alternative format to Dayton and moving the studios to Dayton's Historic Oregon District. During this time, WXEG with sister stations WONE (AM) and WTUE (FM) went through several ownerships after being sold by Group One to Stoner Broadcasting, American Radio Systems, Entercom and finally Jacor before its merger with Clear Channel.

On January 1, 1998, "103.9 The Edge" became "103.9 The X", retaining the Alternative format but rebranding due to a dispute with a consultant who owned the trademark of "The Edge."

By 2010, WXEG changed formats to active rock as it was moved to the Mediabase active rock panel, but by 2015, it returned to the Alternative panel after phasing out the harder rock product.

WZDA (2015–present)

On August 28, 2015, WXEG completed the move back to alternative rock, rebranding as "Alt 103-9". The station changed its call sign to the current WZDA on September 28, 2015.

On November 24, 2021, at 6 a.m., after playing a block of "goodbye"-themed songs (specifically "In The End" by Linkin Park, "Closing Time" by Semisonic, and "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" by R.E.M.), WZDA dropped their rock format after 26 years and began stunting with Christmas music as "Christmas 103.9"; a new format is expected after the holidays. The first song on "Christmas" was Frank Sinatra's cover of "Jingle Bells". WZDA replaces former sister WRZX-FM as iHeart's Christmas music brand in the Dayton market, as WRZX-FM was donated from iHeart’s Aloha Stations Trust along with WYDB and flipped to conservative talk in August. The change comes as the now-former "Alt" format had a 2.0 share in the October 2021 Nielsen Audio ratings. On December 27, 2021, at Midnight, WZDA flipped to country as "103.9 The Bull", with the first song being "Buy Dirt" by Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan. On January 14, 2022, WZDA rebranded as "New Country 103.9".

WZDA in HD

The station started broadcasting in HD Radio on February 2, 2006.

• HD1 is a simulcast of its analog audio and
• HD2 broadcasts an adult hits format as "The Lake". The station broadcasts using the MP1 service mode.

Concerts

WXEG held an annual X-Fest every year from 1996 to 2012. The X-Fest was cancelled in 2012 just weeks before the event was to take place and has not taken place since.

References

1. "Facility Technical Data for WZDA". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. 103.9 The Bull Debuts In Dayton
3. "HD Radio Station Guide for Dayton, OH". Archived from the original on 2016-09-14. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
4. "Local HD Radio Stations in San Francisco, CA". Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
5. Radio Guide 1964
6. "Vox Jox". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 38. September 9, 1995. p. 118.
7. WXEG Dayton Rebrands As Alt 103.9
8. Your home for the Holidays, Christmas
9. "Home". christmas1039.iheart.com.
10. Alt 103.9 Dayton Gives Way To Christmas Music
11. "103.9 The Bull Debuts In Dayton". RadioInsight. 27 December 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
12. Dayton’s Bull Quickly Rebrands To New Country 103.9 Radioinsight - January 14, 2022
13. Clear Channel
14. Prepare to be shaken and stirred at X-Fest's '007' concert

External links

• New Country 103.9
• Facility details for Facility ID 67689 (WZDA) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• WZDA in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

• HD Radio stations
• 1962 establishments in Ohio
• Beavercreek, Ohio
• Greene County, Ohio
• IHeartMedia radio stations
• Radio stations established in 1962
• Radio stations in Dayton, Ohio
• Country radio stations in the United States