| City of license | WFXN-FM: Galion, Ohio WXXF: Loudonville, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Ashland, Ohio Mansfield, Ohio Mount Vernon, Ohio |
| Branding | 102.3 The Fox |
| Slogan | The Fox Rocks. |
| Frequency | WFXN-FM: 102.3 (MHz) WXXF: 107.7 (MHz) |
| First air date | October 2005 |
| Format | Classic rock |
| ERP | WFXN-FM: 3,500 watts WXXF: 6,000 watts |
| HAAT | WFXN-FM: 131 meters WXXF: 100 meters |
| Class | WFXN-FM: A WXXF: A |
| Facility ID | WFXN-FM: 39730 WXXF: 33066 |
| Callsign meaning | WFXN-FM: "FoX Radio Network" WXXF: "FoXX" ("Foxx" in reverse) |
| Owner | Clear Channel Communications |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | wfxnthefox.com |
WFXN-FM (102.3 FM) and WXXF (107.7 FM) — together branded 102.3 The Fox — are two separate commercial radio stations, simulcasting a classic rock format, and serving the Mid-Ohio communities of Ashland, Mansfield and Mount Vernon. WFXN-FM is currently licensed to the city of Galion, while WXXF is licensed to Loudonville.
Prior to January 2010, WXXR simulcasted WFXN-FM at 98.3 FM (it then began simulcasting WSWR (100.1 FM)'s classic hits format, and now carries WMAN (1400 AM)'s news/talk format as WWMM). The three area stations — WFXN-FM, WXXF and WXXR — formed the area multicast known as The Fox Radio Network.
WXXF and WXXR previously operated as a CHR duo under the KISS-FM banner and the WWBK/WBZW call signs. Prior to the CHR format, WWBK/WBZW had a "new country" format almost entirely from the ABC Radio Network country channel (as then-and-current sister station WNCO-FM has an all-local country format). Prior to that, WBZW was operated as a smooth jazz outlet ("The Breeze") targeting nearby Wooster, Ohio. WFXN-FM was previously WGLN, and simulcast WNCO-AM's adult standards format. For the current WBZW AM station, please see WBZW in Altamonte Springs, Florida
The "flagship" station of the trimulcast, WFXN-FM, originated as WGLN. WGLN-FM was paired with "Z-Rock" WYXZ in Crestline, and operated that way until being acquired by Ohio Radio Group in 1996. Headed by W. Marten and K. Schoolbrook, Ohio Radio Group already owned WQIO and WMVO in Mount Vernon and WNCO AM/FM in Ashland.
Later that fall, the group purchased the duopoly of WWBK in Fredericktown and WBZW in Loudonville, which they turned Country. In 1997 the purchase of WMRN-A/WMRN-F was completed making Ohio Radio Group the largest owner and operator of radio stations in the entire state. Then after three months, the company purchased WMAN-A/WSWR-F/WYHT-F from Regent Broadcasting who only owned the properties for 6 months. Making their ownership include in 1997:
In 2001 Ohio Radio Group was purchased by Clear Channel in the sole purpose to move WMRN-FM to Columbus and trade WBZW Loudonville for Dix Broadcasting's WQKT-FM Wooster which they would move to Barberton to replace WKDD.
Clear Channel couldn't take all the stations, so they had to sell off WBCO-AM/WQEL-FM to Scantland Communications of Columbus. Also that year WYXZ put the cluster over the limit and it was sold to Elyria-Lorain Broadcasting Co. (WYXZ was sold off by Elyria-Lorain in 2005 to EMF Broadcasting, which operates it today as K-Love outlet WYKL.) The swap for WQKT/WBZW also never took place.
Clear Channel's newly realigned cluster in 2001 looked like:
A series of transactions in 2005 culminated in the creation of the "Fox Radio Network." Clear Channel sold off WQIO and WMVO to BAS Broadcasting, and decided to pair up WWBK and WBZW - which were originally in the WQIO/WMVO cluster - with WFXN-FM. The Top 40 format on WWBK/WBZW was dropped, with WYHT picking up the CHR format. Likewise, WWBK/WBZW received the WXXR/WXXF calls at the same time.
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