WAFX is a Classic Hits formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Suffolk, Virginia, serving Hampton Roads and Southeastern Virginia. WAFX is owned and operated by Saga Communications, Inc.
[edit] History
WAFX first took its callsign, WTID, on July 24, 1981, and officially launched in 1983, at first running all Christmas music , and later with an automated Country format, branded as "Kix 106", broadcasting out of its transmitter location in Windsor Va .
In 1986, the station was sold and on January 1, 1987, WTID changed calls to WSKX , moved the studio to nearby Norfolk, and began using local DJs with their live and local Country format. This was an attempt to topple then country giant WCMS. When this proved unsuccessful, WSKX became WAFX on February 27, 1989, and changed the format to Classic rock a month later in March 1989, beginning with a tracking of all the Beatles albums.
The Fox was an instant success, debuting at #1 in the Arbitron ratings, a virtually unprecedented achievement for a Classic rock station in a medium-sized market. However, by 1993 the station's ratings had slipped and WAFX was acquired by Saga Communications, which owns rival rock station WNOR. In February 1994, Saga moved the station in with WNOR, and dropped the "Fox" logo and began calling itself "Classic Hits 106.9" and adding some crossover pop and cutting back on the harder rock. In late September 2004, the station reinstituted the Classic rock format and brought back the "Fox" logo.
The Fox's most notable personality is Mike Arlo, who joined the station after spending over 20 years on the air at WNOR. He is best known for his vast rock knowledge, and the "Electric Lunch" at noon each weekday.
The station made the local news in August 2008 when it cut loose the year old Morning Team of John & Nikki and expanded Arlo's shift from 6 am to 1 pm (partially recorded from 9 am to 12 noon). Ironically, the duo had its best performance during its final ratings period (Summer of '08), when John and Nikki ranked 5th in their time slot in the coveted 25-54 demographic, beating (by 1/10 of a point) the Tommy & Rumble morning show at sister station WNOR. The final numbers came out a month after John & Nikki were dismissed. On the morning of September 2, 2008, the station reinstituted the Classic Hits format, branded as "Classic Hits 106.9, The Fox"[2]
[edit] Transmission
Due to the location of WAFX's tower and its 100,000 watt signal, WAFX can be clearly heard in Northeastern North Carolina and Richmond, some 90 miles away and has appeared in local ratings books.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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See also: adult contemporary, classic hits, college, country, news/talk, NPR, oldies, religious, rock, sports, top 40, urban, and other radio stations in Virginia
Also see: Oldies and Classic Hits.
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1 Saga Communications operates these stations owned by Surtsey Media.
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The Fox branded radio stations in the United States
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WXFX ( Montgomery, Alabama) · KBFX ( Anchorage, Alaska) · KDFO ( Bakersfield, California) · KJFX ( Fresno, California) · KXFM ( Santa Maria, California) · KIXA ( Victorville, California) · KRFX ( Denver, Colorado) · KKRQ ( Iowa City, Iowa) · KLKK ( Mason City, Iowa) · KFXJ ( Wichita, Kansas) · KFXZ ( Lafayette, Louisiana) · WBFX ( Grand Rapids, Michigan) · WFFX ( Hattiesburg, Mississippi) · KCFX ( Kansas City, Missouri) · WQFX-FM ( Jamestown, New York) · WFXF ( Rochester, New York) · WRFX ( Charlotte, North Carolina) · KBYZ ( Bismarck, North Dakota) · KPFX ( Fargo, North Dakota) · KQHT ( Grand Forks, North Dakota) · KZPR ( Minot, North Dakota) · WFXN/WXXF ( Ashland, Ohio/ Mansfield, Ohio) · WFXJ-FM ( Ashtabula, Ohio) · WOFX-FM ( Cincinnati, Ohio) · WMFX-FM ( Columbia, South Carolina) · KFXS ( Rapid City, South Dakota) · KNFX-FM ( Bryan, Texas) · KLFX ( Killeen, Texas) · WAFX ( Hampton Roads, Virginia) · WFQX ( Winchester, Virginia) · WWWX ( Oshkosh, Wisconsin) · WEFX ( Henderson, New York)
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