WZAP

WZAP
City Bristol, Virginia
Broadcast area Tri-Cities
Branding "WZAP 690 Radio"
Slogan "The One to Turn to"
Frequency 690 kHz
First air date 1946
Format Religious
Southern Gospel
Power 10,000 Watts daytime
14 Watts nighttime
Class D
Facility ID 55004
Transmitter coordinates 36°37′51.0″N 82°9′53.0″W / 36.630833°N 82.164722°W / 36.630833; -82.164722
Former callsigns WCYB
Owner RAM Communications, Inc.
Website WZAP Online

WZAP is a Religious and Southern Gospel formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Bristol, Virginia, serving the Tri-Cities area. WZAP is owned and operated by RAM Communications, Inc.[1]

History

The station was founded by Appalachian Broadcasting, a consortium of local businessmen, in December 1946 under the call sign WCYB. The station's initial format was country music, including such notable acts as the Stanley Brothers.[2] Appalachian Broadcasting signed on WCYB-TV in 1956. In 1969, Appalachian's owners decided to retire. The FCC had by this time barred common ownership of television and radio stations, so the radio station was sold to another local businessman, James Ayers, who changed the call letters to WZAP. Ayers died in 1975, and in 1976 his estate sold the station to general manager Al Morris and his company, RAM Communications. The station switched to its current Southern gospel format in 1982.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "WZAP Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  2. ↑ "The WCYB Radio Tapes". Johnson City: East Tennessee State University. 2002. Retrieved 2009-06-06.
  3. ↑ "History of WZAP - 1946 to 2009". 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-06.
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