| City of license | Union Grove, Alabama |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Huntsville, Alabama |
| Branding | 97.7 The Zone |
| Slogan | "The Rocket City's Sports Authority" |
| Frequency | 97.7 MHz |
| First air date | 1968 |
| Format | Sports |
| ERP | 950 watts |
| HAAT | 251 meters |
| Class | A |
| Facility ID | 5885 |
| Callsign meaning | ZZN = "Zone" |
| Former callsigns | WKLD-FM (1968-1981) WKLD (1981-2009) |
| Owner | Great South Wireless, LLC |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 977thezone.com |
WZZN (97.7 FM, "97.7 The Zone") is a radio station licensed to serve Union Grove, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Great South Wireless LLC. Previously licensed to Union Grove, Alabama, the station began licensed operation from Union Grove site in December 2009. The move was made so the station may serve the Huntsville, Alabama, area.[1][2] The station went on the air in July 2010 with a sports talk format as "97.7 The Zone".Sports Director Steve Moulton was named the Large Market Sportscaster of the Year by the Alabama Broadcasters Association on March 26,2011. On Air Staff includes former Auburn Football Player Cole Cubelic and PGA Golfer Spike McRoy.
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The "LD" in the original WKLD call letters stand for the station's founder, former owner and on-air host, Luther Daniel "L.D." Bentley. For the first few decades of its existence, the station was a multi-format station featuring a wide-ranging selection of music, talk and entertainment programs. In November 2002, control of Blount County Broadcasting Service legally passed from Luther Daniel Bentley Jr. to Luther Daniel Bentley III.[3]
In April 2008, Blount County Broadcasting Service, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to Great South Wireless LLC for a reported sale price of $1.1 million.[4][5] The deal was approved by the FCC on June 10, 2008, and the transaction was consummated on September 16, 2008.[6] At the time of the sale, WKLD broadcast a country music format branded as "K97.7".[4]
Atlanta's (WABE) City Cafe host John Lemley began his radio career at WKLD at the age of 16. For a brief time in 1984, he hosted the afternoon drive (adult contemporary) music program.
One of the most popular WKLD programs was its early morning talk and music program Early Riser hosted by the brother and sister team of Danny Bentley and Terri (Bentley) Lowry. After the sale, they moved to former sister station WCRL.[1]
On August 4, 2008, WKLD received a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) construction permit to move the station's broadcast tower to a new city of license location of Union Grove, Alabama. The move would mean the station's signal would serve the Huntsville, Alabama area.[1][7] This permit is scheduled to expire on August 4, 2011.[7] Multiple listeners in the area report the station went silent shortly after midnight on January 10, 2009.[8] The last song played was reportedly "When Will I See You Again" by The Three Degrees.
The station was assigned call sign WZZN by the FCC on August 27, 2009.[9]
WZZN began licensed operation with Union Grove as the city of license on December 24, 2009. Four days later, the station applied for a new special temporary authority to remain silent for technical reasons, citing their inability to "maintain an adequate studio/transmitter link". This authority was granted by the FCC on March 22, 2010, with a scheduled September 19, 2010, expiration. The station returned to the air in July 2010 with a sports talk format.
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