Across from Nikki's
West Restaurant on Finley Blvd.
Power (ERP):
1,000 watts day / 147
watts night
Antenna:
Omnidirectional
Other Information:
Stereo
Owned by Birmingham
Ebony
Transmitter site is
being moved because the old tower on Finley Blvd is too old to climb.
The station currently
has a construction permit for 850 watt days and 158 watt nights. Click
here for a street level map of the new transmitter site.
History:
For many years, was
a classy sounding easy listening station, with CBS affiliation. The calls
were WLBS, and the studio may have been in the old Cabana Motel. Had no
real ratings to speak of. Calls changed to WATV at one point... In the
mid 70's, it was "taken over" by the general manager and staff of WENN's
AM outlet and switched to the black format. (The white GM of WENN (Joe
Lackey) was fired by it's new black owners and the entire staff walked
out with him, going to WATV.) Up to that time, the WENN DJs had developed
quite a following in the community and was a dominant market force. That
popularity went to WATV, which became a high rated station (unheard of
for a daytimer!) and remained so until FM took over. The station, now owned
by local man Shelly Stewart, plays a mix of black oldies and black adult
contemporary, in stereo. Shelly was a WENN DJ whose on air name was "Shelly
the Playboy".
Early in 2000 the station
recieved a permit to move to a new transmitter site, about 2 miles west
of their current location on Finley Blvd. The old transmitter tower has
deteriorated beyond repair. It will come down once the new site is running.
Current transmitter location. Click to interact.
New transmitter location. Click to interact.