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{{short description|Radio station in Indiantown–West Palm Beach, Florida}}
{{for|the television station in West Palm Beach, Florida, that operated from 1953 to 1956|WIRK-TV}}
{{Infobox radio station
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WIRK
| name = WIRK
| image = WIRK1031.png
| logo = WIRK1031.png
| city = [[Indiantown, Florida]]
| logo_size = 150px
| area = West Palm Beach-Stuart
| city = [[Indiantown, Florida]]
| branding = ''New Country 103.1''
| area = [[The Palm Beaches]]
| slogan =
| branding = ''New Country 103.1''
| frequency = 103.1 [[MHz]] {{HD Radio}}
| frequency = {{frequency|103.1|[[Hertz#SI multiples|MHz]]}} {{HD Radio}}
| repeater =
| translator =
| airdate = August 1, 1965 (as WPBF at 107.9)
| airdate = 1966
| format = [[Country music]]<br>HD2: [[Modern Rock]] "The Buzz"
| format = [[Country music|Country]]
| subchannels = {{ubl|HD2: [[WMEN]] [[simulcast]] ([[Sports radio|Sports]])}}
| power =
| erp = 90,000 [[watt]]s
| erp = 90,000 [[watt]]s
| haat = 297 meters
| haat = {{convert|297|meters}}
| class = C1
| class = C1
| facility_id = 1246
| facility_id = 1246
| licensing_authority = [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
| coordinates = {{coord|27|01|32.00|N| 80|10|43.00|W|region:US_type:city}}
| coordinates = {{coord|27|01|32.00|N| 80|10|43.00|W|region:US_type:city}}
| callsign_meaning = Play on the word "Work"
| callsign_meaning = Play on the word "Work"
| former_callsigns = WPBF (1965-1972)<br>WIRK-FM (1972–2012)
| former_callsigns = WLMC (1966–87)<br>WOKC-FM (1987–94)<br>WPBZ (1994–2012)
| former_frequencies = 107.9 MHz (1965-2012)
| affiliations =
| affiliations =
| owner = [[Hubbard Broadcasting]]
| owner = [[Hubbard Broadcasting]]
| licensee = WPB FCC License Sub, LLC
| licensee = WPB FCC License Sub, LLC
| sister_stations = [[WEAT]], [[WMBX]], [[WRMF]], [[WFTL]], [[WMEN]]
| sister_stations = [[WEAT]], [[WMBX]], [[WRMF]], [[WFTL]], [[WMEN]]
| webcast = {{listenlive|https://live.newcountry1031.com/listen}}
| webcast = [http://player.streamtheworld.com/liveplayer.php?CALLSIGN=WIRK_FM Listen Live]<br>[http://player.streamtheworld.com/_players/palmbeach/index.php?callsign=WIRK_HD2 Listen Live (HD2)]
| website = [https://www.newcountry1031.com/ newcountry1031.com]<br>{{URL|http://buzz103.com}} (HD2)
| website = {{url|https://newcountry1031.com}}
}}
}}


'''WIRK''' (103.1 [[FM broadcasting|FM]]) is a [[radio station]] broadcasting a [[country music]] format. Licensed to [[Indiantown, Florida]], the station serves the [[Treasure Coast]] and [[Palm Beach County, Florida|Palm Beach County]] area. The station is owned by [[Alpha Media]], through licensee Alpha Media Licensee LLC.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WIRK |title=WIRK Facility Record |work=United States [[Federal Communications Commission]], audio division }}</ref> The station has broadcast a country format since September 9, 1973, originally on 107.9 FM.<ref>{{cite news| title = WIRK-FM, WBZT-AM Won't Change Format, Buyer Says | newspaper = Palm Beach Post | date = June 14, 1994 | author = Mitch McKinney }}</ref> Its studios are in West Palm Beach and its antenna is located on the west side of [[Jonathan Dickinson State Park]] in [[Hobe Sound, Florida]].
'''WIRK''' (103.1 [[FM broadcasting|FM]]) is a [[radio station]] broadcasting a [[country music]] format. Licensed to [[Indiantown, Florida]], the station serves the [[Treasure Coast]] and [[Palm Beach County, Florida|Palm Beach County]] area. The station is owned by [[Hubbard Broadcasting]], through licensee WPB FCC License Sub, LLC.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WIRK |title=WIRK Facility Record |work=United States [[Federal Communications Commission]], audio division }}</ref> Its studios are in West Palm Beach and its antenna is located on the west side of [[Jonathan Dickinson State Park]] in [[Hobe Sound, Florida]].


==History==
==History==
{{for|information on WPBF/WIRK-FM at 107.9 MHz from 1965 to 2012|WEAT}}
⚫
[[File:Buzzlogo.jpg|thumb|Logo as ''103.1 The Buzz''.]]
103.1 FM used to be '''WPBZ''', which got its callsign because it was an affiliate of the "[[Z Rock]]" radio network. It became "103.1 The Buzz" on July 3, 1995.<ref>http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1995/RR-1995-07-14.pdf</ref>


===WLMC/WOKC-FM Okeechobee and move-in to West Palm Beach===
⚫
On December 5, 2011, WPBZ changed its format to [[adult top 40]], branded as ''Now 103.1''. The ''Buzz'' active rock format moved to the HD2 subchannel, replacing the alternative-formatted ''Buzz Lite''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/54644/wpbz-gets-into-the-now/|title=WPBZ Gets Into The Now|date=2011-12-05|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-22}}</ref> It was the second hot AC station under CBS Radio using the ''Now FM'' branding, the first being on [[Sacramento, California]]'s [[KZZO]]. It was reported as a [[contemporary hit radio|CHR]] by [[CBS Radio]], but due to most of the rap being on sister [[rhythmic contemporary]] station [[WMBX]].
The 103.1 frequency began in [[Okeechobee, Florida|Okeechobee]] in mid-1966 as WLMC, the FM counterpart to the town's established AM station, [[WOKC]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41719674/|date=July 26, 1966|work=Tampa Tribune|title=Okeechobee Radio Station on Air|access-date=January 5, 2020|page=2-B}}</ref> The station was a Class A outlet, covering largely Okeechobee and the immediate area.<ref>{{FCC letter|letterid=81861|callsign=WIRK|hcards=yes}}</ref> On New Year's Day 1987, WLMC became WOKC-FM. The station aired a country format.


In 1992, Okeechobee Broadcasters was approved to move the station to its present tower near Hobe Sound, changing the city of license to Indiantown and making WOKC-FM a move-in into the West Palm Beach market; previously, the WOKC stations did not meet requirements to be reported by [[Arbitron]] in the West Palm Beach or Fort Pierce markets. Even before the move was completed, it immediately attracted a buyer: the Amaturo Group of [[Fort Lauderdale]], owners of [[WKGR]] (98.7 FM) in Fort Pierce.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1993/RR-1993-09-17.pdf|work=Radio & Records|access-date=January 5, 2020|title=WOKC-AM & FM/Okeechobee|page=8|date=September 17, 1993}}</ref> While initial rumors had the station remaining country as "The Frog" to complement WKGR's "Gator" imaging,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41719791/|work=Palm Beach Post|date=April 4, 1994|title=Swamp themed radio in the air|page=1D|first=Thom|last=Smith|access-date=January 5, 2020}}</ref> Amaturo completed the move-in and relaunched 103.1 as WPBZ, named for (and using) the [[Z Rock]] syndicated service from [[Satellite Music Networks]].{{r|z}}
On April 10, 2012, CBS Radio announced that it was selling WPBZ and its sister stations to Dean Goodman's Palm Beach Broadcasting for $50 million, pending FCC approval.<ref>[http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/104667/cbs-sells-west-palm-beach-cluster "CBS Sells West Palm Beach Cluster"]</ref> On June 1, 2012, the [[Country music|country]] radio station WIRK relocated to the 103.1 frequency, replacing the ill-fated ''Now'' format.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/104667/cbs-sells-west-palm-beach-cluster|title=CBS Sells West Palm Beach Cluster|website=All Access|language=en|access-date=2019-07-22}}</ref>


In 1995, [[American Radio Systems]] (ARS), which already owned [[WEAT|WIRK-FM]] 107.9 and [[WJNO|WBZT]] 1290 in West Palm Beach, acquired the Amaturo Group stations; as FCC rules of the time prohibited a company from owning more than two FM stations, American assigned the rights to buy the station, for $10 million, to Palm Beach Radio Broadcasting, whose principal was ''[[National Enquirer]]'' publisher Peter Callahan.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1995/RR-1995-03-24.pdf|date=March 24, 1995|access-date=January 5, 2020|page=6|title=Transactions|work=Radio & Records}}</ref> Callahan's involvement came about because [[Steve Dodge]], the chairman of American Radio Systems, was a director of the parent company of the ''Enquirer''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1995/RR-1995-03-31.pdf|date=March 31, 1995|access-date=January 5, 2020|title=Street Talk|page=18}}</ref>
⚫
Later in 2013, Palm Beach Broadcasting and its sister company [[GoodRadio.TV]] was merged into Goodman's larger holding company Digity, LLC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/85356/dean-goodman-acquires-nextmedia/|title=Digity Acquires NextMedia|date=2013-10-28|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-22}}</ref> Digity was in turn acquired by [[Alpha Media]] in February 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioink.com/2016/02/25/alpha-closes-digity-deal/|title=Larry Wilson's Alpha Now 4th Largest Radio Company|last=Ink|first=Radio|date=2016-02-25|website=Radio Ink|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-22}}</ref>


===The Buzz===
⚫
On September 27, 2018, Alpha Media announced the sale of its West Palm Beach stations to [[Hubbard Broadcasting]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/170841/hubbard-to-acquire-alpha-media-west-palm-beach/|title=Hubbard/Alpha Media West Palm Beach Purchase Price Revealed|date=2018-11-15|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-22}}</ref> WIRK rebranded as ''New Country 103.1'' in July 2019, with no change in format.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/179095/wirk-rebrands-as-new-country-103-1/|title=WIRK Rebrands As New Country 103.1|date=2019-07-22|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-22}}</ref>
⚫
[[File:Buzzlogo.jpg|thumb|Logo as ''103.1 The Buzz''.]]
On July 3, 1995, WPBZ flipped to alternative as "The Buzz".<ref name="z">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41719746/|date=July 4, 1995|first=Scott|last=Benarde|work=Palm Beach Post|title=WPBZ turns to alternative rock format|page=2B|access-date=January 5, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1995/RR-1995-07-14.pdf|date=July 14, 1995|title=WPBZ/West Palm Beach Leaves Z-Rock For 'The Buzz' Of Alternative|page=10|work=Radio & Records|access-date=January 5, 2020}}</ref> It was the fourth station to flip to alternative in south Florida in 1995, but the only one in West Palm Beach.<ref>{{cite news|title=Radio's Rock of Ages|first=Scott|last=Benarde|work=Palm Beach Post|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41719755/|date=July 18, 1995|pages=1D, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41739142/ 4D]|access-date=January 5, 2020}}</ref> Later in the year, Palm Beach Radio Broadcasting bought two stations in [[Martin County, Florida|Martin County]], again using financing from American Radio Systems.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41719761/|work=Palm Beach Post|first=Mitch|last=McKenney|title=2 Martin AM radio stations sold|date=September 12, 1995|access-date=January 5, 2020|page=11B}}</ref>


The Buzz was an immediate success with younger audiences: a year after launching, it was the second radio station in the market among the 18-34 audience, only losing to [[WRMF]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41739512/|title=What's all The Buzz about?|date=July 3, 1996|first=Charles|last=Passy|access-date=January 5, 2020|work=Palm Beach Post|pages=1D, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41739463/ 3D]}}</ref> ARS dissolved its joint sales agreement to operate WPBZ on October 31, 1996, citing a "changing regulatory climate".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1996/R&R-1996-11-08.pdf|date=November 8, 1996|work=Radio & Records|page=12|title=ARS Ups Strasser To Market GM In WPB|access-date=January 5, 2020}}</ref> WPBZ was cited in 1998 as "a highly successful model" for the alternative format.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1998/RR-1998-09-04.pdf|work=Radio & Records|date=September 4, 1998|title=Plugging West Palm Beach's CHR Hole|pages=96, 98|access-date=January 5, 2020}}</ref>
⚫
==Programming==
⚫
As WPBZ, the station had a morning show called ''The Morning Buzz''. The station also [[radio syndication|syndicated]] ''[[The Howard Stern Show]]'', ''[[The David Lee Roth Show]]'', and the ''[[Opie and Anthony|Opie & Anthony Show]]'' until October 29, 2007. The original program director for The Buzz was Amy Doyle, now of [[MTV]]. John O'Connell had been the Program Director/Operations Manager since 1996.


Palm Beach Radio sold its cluster, along with a station in [[Buffalo, New York]], to [[Infinity Broadcasting]], later known as [[CBS Radio]], in 2000 for $4 million and assumption of liabilities.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2000/RR-2000-03-10.pdf|access-date=January 5, 2020|date=March 10, 2000|title=Transactions|work=Radio & Records|page=8}}</ref> The move made WPBZ the sister station to [[WSFS (FM)|WEAT]] and [[WEAT|WIRK]]. WPBZ aired [[The Howard Stern Show]] from 2004<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41740630/|title=Stern's show set for return to S. Florida|first=Tom|last=Jicha|work=Sun Sentinel|access-date=January 5, 2020|date=July 1, 2004|pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41740744/ 2B]}}</ref> to 2005, when he was replaced by [[David Lee Roth]] amid Stern's move to satellite radio.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41740926/|date=October 26, 2005|agency=Associated Press|work=Pensacola News Journal|access-date=January 5, 2020|page=6B|title=Replacing Howard Stern is a task for many mouths}}</ref>
⚫
Specialty music shows included ''Buzz Junior'', which aired Sunday nights at 10:00pm with host Jeremy Steve Clark and featured new music, unsigned local bands, indie bands, and classic songs; and ''Rock Hard Buzz'', which aired Saturday nights at 11:00pm with host Metal Mick and featured mostly heavy metal.


===Now 103.1 and the move of WIRK to 103.1===
==Buzz Bake Sale==
⚫
On December 5, 2011, WPBZ changed its format to [[adult top 40]], branded as ''Now 103.1''. The ''Buzz'' active rock format moved to the HD2 subchannel, replacing the alternative-formatted ''Buzz Lite''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/54644/wpbz-gets-into-the-now/|title=WPBZ Gets Into The Now|date=2011-12-05|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US|access-date=July 22, 2019}}</ref>
⚫
The Buzz hosted an all-day music festival each year called the "Buzz Bake Sale" which was one of the largest annual music festivals in South Florida. It was usually held on the first Saturday in December in West Palm Beach. The show was always held at the [[Cruzan Amphitheatre]]. The name was chosen because the first two years featured 13 bands (a "[[baker's dozen]]" of bands).


In 2012, CBS Radio, citing a desire to focus on larger markets, sold its entire cluster in West Palm Beach to Palm Beach Broadcasting for $50 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41716162/|access-date=January 5, 2020|date=April 12, 2012|title=Deal calls for sale of 3 local radio stations|first=Marcia|last=Heroux Pounds|work=Sun-Sentinel|page=3D}}</ref> The sale included the intellectual unit of adult contemporary [[WSFS (FM)|WEAT]] (104.3 FM), but as Palm Beach already owned one FM station (WRMF), it had to divest two of CBS's stations to other buyers. Because the 104.3 FM facility could be moved into the Miami market, it was tagged for sale. On June 1, 2012, Sunny and the WEAT call letters moved from 104.3 (which became [[WSFS (FM)|WMSF]]) to [[WEAT|107.9]], while WIRK and its long-running country format moved to 103.1&nbsp;MHz, marking the end for the Now format.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41716276/|date=June 1, 2012|first=Dennis|last=Glade|work=Palm Beach Post|title=Changing Frequencies|page=1B|access-date=January 5, 2020}}</ref>
===Band lineups ===
'''1996''': [[Black River Circus]], [[Local H]], [[Muzzle (band)|Muzzle]], [[Orange 9mm]], [[Patti Rothberg]], [[Pluto (rock band)|Pluto]], [[Howlin' Maggie]], [[Primitive Radio Gods]], [[Velocity Girl]] (their farewell show), [[Evan Dando]] (of [[The Lemonheads]], acoustic), [[Soul Coughing]], [[Butthole Surfers]], and [[The Mighty Mighty Bosstones]].


⚫
Later in 2013, Palm Beach Broadcasting and its sister company [[GoodRadio.TV]] was merged into Goodman's larger holding company Digity, LLC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/85356/dean-goodman-acquires-nextmedia/|title=Digity Acquires NextMedia|date=October 28, 2013|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US|access-date=July 22, 2019}}</ref> Digity was in turn acquired by [[Alpha Media]] in February 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioink.com/2016/02/25/alpha-closes-digity-deal/|title=Larry Wilson's Alpha Now 4th Largest Radio Company|last=Ink|first=Radio|date=February 25, 2016|website=Radio Ink|language=en-US|access-date=July 22, 2019}}</ref>
'''1997''': [[Wobble (band)|Wobble]], [[Jimmie's Chicken Shack]], [[Superdrag]], [[Marcy Playground]], [[Lazlo Bane]], [[The Honeyrods]], [[Save Ferris]], [[Echo & the Bunnymen]], [[Dance Hall Crashers]], [[Less Than Jake]], [[MxPx]], [[Goldfinger (band)|Goldfinger]], and [[Green Day]].


⚫
On September 27, 2018, Alpha Media announced the sale of its West Palm Beach stations to [[Hubbard Broadcasting]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/170841/hubbard-to-acquire-alpha-media-west-palm-beach/|title=Hubbard/Alpha Media West Palm Beach Purchase Price Revealed|date=November 15, 2018|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US|access-date=July 22, 2019}}</ref> The sale was consummated on January 23, 2019 at a purchase price of $88 million. WIRK rebranded as ''New Country 103.1'' on July 22, 2019, with no change in format.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/179095/wirk-rebrands-as-new-country-103-1/|title=WIRK Rebrands As New Country 103.1|date=July 22, 2019|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US|access-date=July 22, 2019}}</ref>
'''1998''': [[Athenaeum (band)|Athenaeum]], [[The Amazing Royal Crowns]], [[Alien Fashion Show]], [[Sprung Monkey]], [[Shawn Mullins]], [[Possum Dixon]], [[The Urge]], [[Reel Big Fish]], [[Gravity Kills]], [[Soul Coughing]], [[Seven Mary Three]], [[Dishwalla]], [[Better Than Ezra]], [[Fuel (band)|Fuel]], and [[Goo Goo Dolls]].


⚫
==Programming==
'''1999''': [[Bolt Upright]], [[Showoff (band)|Showoff]], [[The Sheila Divine]], [[Pennywise (band)|Pennywise]], [[Staind]], [[Local H]], [[Joydrop]], [[Stroke 9]], [[Citizen King]], [[Marvelous 3]], [[Powerman 5000]], [[Jimmie's Chicken Shack]], [[Guster]], [[Kottonmouth Kings]], and [[Kid Rock]].
⚫
As The Buzz, the station had a morning show called ''The Morning Buzz''. The station also [[radio syndication|syndicated]] ''[[The Howard Stern Show]]'', ''[[The David Lee Roth Show]]'', and the ''[[Opie and Anthony|Opie & Anthony Show]]'' until October 29, 2007. The original program director for The Buzz was Amy Doyle, now of [[MTV]].{{r|z}} John O'Connell had been the program director/operations manager since 1996.


⚫
Specialty music shows included ''Buzz Junior'', which aired Sunday nights at 10:00pm with host Jeremy Steve Clark and featured new music, unsigned local bands, indie bands, and classic songs; and ''Rock Hard Buzz'', which aired Saturday nights at 11:00pm with host Metal Mick and featured mostly heavy metal.
'''2000''': [[Orbit (band)|Orbit]], [[8Stops7]], [[Wheatus]], [[Veruca Salt (band)|Veruca Salt]], [[6Gig]], [[The Union Underground]], [[Harvey Danger]], [[U.P.O.]], [[Local H]], [[Our Lady Peace]], [[Fuel (band)|Fuel]], [[Eve 6]], [[The Mighty Mighty Bosstones]], [[Everclear (band)|Everclear]], and [[Foo Fighters]]. [[MxPx]] was scheduled to play but canceled. [[The Mighty Mighty Bosstones]] ended up playing two sets.

'''2001''': [[Handsome Devil (band)|Handsome Devil]], [[New Found Glory]], [[Reveille (band)|Reveille]], [[Sugarcult]], [[Alien Ant Farm]], [[Jimmy Eat World]], [[Stroke 9]], [[Sum 41]], M.A.S.K., [[Adema]], [[Drowning Pool]], [[Tantric (band)|Tantric]], [[Lit (band)|Lit]], [[Static-X]], [[Disturbed (band)|Disturbed]], and [[Staind]].

'''2002''': [[Marc Copely]], [[Socialburn]], [[OK Go]], [[Seether]], [[Blindside (band)|Blindside]], [[SR-71 (band)|SR-71]], [[Authority Zero]], [[Bowling for Soup]], [[N*E*R*D]], [[Earshot]], [[Nonpoint]], [[Our Lady Peace]], [[Everclear (band)|Everclear]], [[Unwritten Law]], [[Good Charlotte]], [[Hoobastank]], and [[Cypress Hill]].

'''2003''': M.A.S.K., [[The Ataris]], [[Switchfoot]], [[Something Corporate]], [[Yellowcard]], [[Fuel (band)|Fuel]], [[Sevendust]], [[Alien Ant Farm]], [[Jet (band)|Jet]], [[Hoobastank]], [[One (rock band)|One]], [[Trapt]], [[Eve 6]], [[Smile Empty Soul]], [[Less Than Jake]], and [[Die Trying (band)|Die Trying]].

'''2004''': [[Lit (band)|Lit]], [[Taking Back Sunday]], [[The Explosion]], [[Presidents of the United States of America (band)|The Presidents of the United States of America]], [[One (rock band)|One]], [[Muse (band)|Muse]], [[Lostprophets]], [[Sevendust]], [[Kottonmouth Kings]], [[The Music]], [[Story of the Year]], [[Nonpoint]], [[Skindred]], [[New Found Glory]], [[The Used]], and [[Korn]].

'''2005''': [[Morningwood]], [[On Watership Down]], [[Sunny Ledfurd]], [[The Fray (band)|The Fray]], [[Pepper (band)|Pepper]], [[Art of Dying (band)|Art of Dying]], [[Thirty Seconds to Mars]], [[Socialburn]], [[Taproot (band)|Taproot]], [[Nonpoint]], [[One (rock band)|One]], [[Hot Hot Heat]], [[Local H]], [[Story of the Year]], [[Trapt]], [[Our Lady Peace]], [[My Chemical Romance]], and [[Staind]].

'''2006''': [[Cartel (band)|Cartel]], [[Kill Hannah]], [[One (rock band)|One]], [[The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus]], [[Flyleaf (band)|Flyleaf]], [[Sugarcult]], [[Reel Big Fish]], [[Anberlin]], [[Buckcherry]], [[Hawthorne Heights]], [[Thirty Seconds to Mars]], [[Three Days Grace]], [[Taking Back Sunday]], [[Papa Roach]], and [[My Chemical Romance]].

'''2007''': [[Sick Puppies]], [[Fiction Plane]], [[The Starting Line]], [[The Almost]], [[Saosin]], [[Silversun Pickups]], [[Against Me!]], [[Chevelle (band)|Chevelle]], [[Nonpoint]], [[Coheed and Cambria]], [[Paramore]], [[The Used]], [[Rise Against]], [[Three Days Grace]], and [[Papa Roach]].

'''2008''': [[Sponge (band)|Sponge]], [[Anberlin]], [[Jack's Mannequin]], [[The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus]], [[Flogging Molly]], [[Saving Abel]], [[Mayday Parade]], [[Pepper (band)|Pepper]], [[Flobots]], [[Skindred]], [[Hawthorne Heights]], [[Reel Big Fish]], [[Saliva (band)|Saliva]], [[Atreyu (band)|Atreyu]], [[Shinedown]], and [[Avenged Sevenfold]].<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-10-06|url=http://imgsrv.buzz103.com/image/wpbz/UserFiles/Image/bbs08pre.gif|title=BBS08FULL}}</ref>

'''2009''': Ladies and Gentlemen, [[Halestorm]], [[After Midnight Project]], Fall of Envy, Transmit Now, [[Metric (band)|Metric]], [[Say Anything (band)|Say Anything]], Dharmata, [[Manchester Orchestra]], [[Sick Puppies]], [[Anberlin]], The Mission Veo, [[Our Lady Peace]], [[Cage the Elephant]], Atom Smash, [[Panic! at the Disco]], [[Skindred]], [[The Used]], [[Matisyahu]], [[Chevelle (band)|Chevelle]], and [[Thirty Seconds to Mars]].

'''2010''': Stellar Revival, D.V.N.O., Hollywood Love Scene, [[A Silent Film]], [[American Bang]], [[New Politics (band)|New Politics]], [[Hawthorne Heights]], [[A Day to Remember]], [[Paper Tongues]], Fall of Envy, [[Against Me!]], Leading the Heroes, [[Sick Puppies]], [[Anberlin]], Atom Smash, [[Switchfoot]], [[Pepper (band)|Pepper]], [[The Dirty Heads]] (featuring [[Rome Ramirez]]), [[Chevelle (band)|Chevelle]], [[The Mighty Mighty Bosstones]], and [[Finger Eleven]].


⚫
The Buzz hosted an all-day music festival each year called the "Buzz Bake Sale" which was one of the largest annual music festivals in South Florida. It was usually held on the first Saturday in December in West Palm Beach. The show was always held at the [[Cruzan Amphitheatre]]. The name was chosen because the first two years featured 13 bands (a "[[baker's dozen]]" of bands).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41741800/|title=Recipe for fun|work=Sun Sentinel|date=November 6, 2000|pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41741857/ 2B]|access-date=January 5, 2020|first=Scott|last=Travis}}</ref>
'''2011''': [[Falling in Reverse]], One:, [[Middle Class Rut]], [[Everlast (musician)|Everlast]], [[Art of Dying (band)|Art of Dying]], [[Hinder]], Behold the Wolf, [[Adelitas Way]], [[Chevelle (band)|Chevelle]], Dharmata, Fallen From The Sky, [[Seether]], and [[Awolnation]]. (Staind was the original headliner)


==References==
==References==
Line 87: Line 70:
==External links==
==External links==
*{{Official website|https://www.newcountry1031.com/}}
*{{Official website|https://www.newcountry1031.com/}}
*{{FM station data|WIRK}}
*{{FM station data|1246|WIRK}}
*{{FCC-LMS-Facility|85933|W240CI}}
*{{FXL|W240CI}}
*{{FCC-LMS-Facility|85968|W295BJ}}
*{{FXL|W295BJ}}


{{West Palm Beach Radio}}
{{West Palm Beach Radio}}
Line 94: Line 81:


[[Category:Radio stations in Florida|IRK]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Florida|IRK]]
[[Category:1965 establishments in Florida]]
[[Category:1966 establishments in Florida]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1965]]
[[Category:Country radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1966]]
[[Category:Hubbard Broadcasting]]

Latest revision as of 11:56, 9 November 2024

For the television station in West Palm Beach, Florida, that operated from 1953 to 1956, see WIRK-TV.
WIRK
Broadcast areaThe Palm Beaches
Frequency103.1 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingNew Country 103.1
Programming
FormatCountry
Subchannels
Ownership
Owner
WEAT, WMBX, WRMF, WFTL, WMEN
History
First air date
1966
Former call signs
WLMC (1966–87)
WOKC-FM (1987–94)
WPBZ (1994–2012)
Call sign meaning
Play on the word "Work"
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID1246
ClassC1
ERP90,000 watts
HAAT297 meters (974 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
27°01′32.00″N 80°10′43.00″W / 27.0255556°N 80.1786111°W / 27.0255556; -80.1786111
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live
Websitenewcountry1031.com

WIRK (103.1 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Indiantown, Florida, the station serves the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach County area. The station is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, through licensee WPB FCC License Sub, LLC.[2] Its studios are in West Palm Beach and its antenna is located on the west side of Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound, Florida.

History

[edit]
For information on WPBF/WIRK-FM at 107.9 MHz from 1965 to 2012, see WEAT.

WLMC/WOKC-FM Okeechobee and move-in to West Palm Beach

[edit]

The 103.1 frequency began in Okeechobee in mid-1966 as WLMC, the FM counterpart to the town's established AM station, WOKC.[3] The station was a Class A outlet, covering largely Okeechobee and the immediate area.[4] On New Year's Day 1987, WLMC became WOKC-FM. The station aired a country format.

In 1992, Okeechobee Broadcasters was approved to move the station to its present tower near Hobe Sound, changing the city of license to Indiantown and making WOKC-FM a move-in into the West Palm Beach market; previously, the WOKC stations did not meet requirements to be reported by Arbitron in the West Palm Beach or Fort Pierce markets. Even before the move was completed, it immediately attracted a buyer: the Amaturo Group of Fort Lauderdale, owners of WKGR (98.7 FM) in Fort Pierce.[5] While initial rumors had the station remaining country as "The Frog" to complement WKGR's "Gator" imaging,[6] Amaturo completed the move-in and relaunched 103.1 as WPBZ, named for (and using) the Z Rock syndicated service from Satellite Music Networks.[7]

In 1995, American Radio Systems (ARS), which already owned WIRK-FM 107.9 and WBZT 1290 in West Palm Beach, acquired the Amaturo Group stations; as FCC rules of the time prohibited a company from owning more than two FM stations, American assigned the rights to buy the station, for $10 million, to Palm Beach Radio Broadcasting, whose principal was National Enquirer publisher Peter Callahan.[8] Callahan's involvement came about because Steve Dodge, the chairman of American Radio Systems, was a director of the parent company of the Enquirer.[9]

The Buzz

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Logo as 103.1 The Buzz.

On July 3, 1995, WPBZ flipped to alternative as "The Buzz".[7][10] It was the fourth station to flip to alternative in south Florida in 1995, but the only one in West Palm Beach.[11] Later in the year, Palm Beach Radio Broadcasting bought two stations in Martin County, again using financing from American Radio Systems.[12]

The Buzz was an immediate success with younger audiences: a year after launching, it was the second radio station in the market among the 18-34 audience, only losing to WRMF.[13] ARS dissolved its joint sales agreement to operate WPBZ on October 31, 1996, citing a "changing regulatory climate".[14] WPBZ was cited in 1998 as "a highly successful model" for the alternative format.[15]

Palm Beach Radio sold its cluster, along with a station in Buffalo, New York, to Infinity Broadcasting, later known as CBS Radio, in 2000 for $4 million and assumption of liabilities.[16] The move made WPBZ the sister station to WEAT and WIRK. WPBZ aired The Howard Stern Show from 2004[17] to 2005, when he was replaced by David Lee Roth amid Stern's move to satellite radio.[18]

Now 103.1 and the move of WIRK to 103.1

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On December 5, 2011, WPBZ changed its format to adult top 40, branded as Now 103.1. The Buzz active rock format moved to the HD2 subchannel, replacing the alternative-formatted Buzz Lite.[19]

In 2012, CBS Radio, citing a desire to focus on larger markets, sold its entire cluster in West Palm Beach to Palm Beach Broadcasting for $50 million.[20] The sale included the intellectual unit of adult contemporary WEAT (104.3 FM), but as Palm Beach already owned one FM station (WRMF), it had to divest two of CBS's stations to other buyers. Because the 104.3 FM facility could be moved into the Miami market, it was tagged for sale. On June 1, 2012, Sunny and the WEAT call letters moved from 104.3 (which became WMSF) to 107.9, while WIRK and its long-running country format moved to 103.1 MHz, marking the end for the Now format.[21]

Later in 2013, Palm Beach Broadcasting and its sister company GoodRadio.TV was merged into Goodman's larger holding company Digity, LLC.[22] Digity was in turn acquired by Alpha Media in February 2016.[23]

On September 27, 2018, Alpha Media announced the sale of its West Palm Beach stations to Hubbard Broadcasting.[24] The sale was consummated on January 23, 2019 at a purchase price of $88 million. WIRK rebranded as New Country 103.1 on July 22, 2019, with no change in format.[25]

Programming

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As The Buzz, the station had a morning show called The Morning Buzz. The station also syndicated The Howard Stern Show, The David Lee Roth Show, and the Opie & Anthony Show until October 29, 2007. The original program director for The Buzz was Amy Doyle, now of MTV.[7] John O'Connell had been the program director/operations manager since 1996.

Specialty music shows included Buzz Junior, which aired Sunday nights at 10:00pm with host Jeremy Steve Clark and featured new music, unsigned local bands, indie bands, and classic songs; and Rock Hard Buzz, which aired Saturday nights at 11:00pm with host Metal Mick and featured mostly heavy metal.

The Buzz hosted an all-day music festival each year called the "Buzz Bake Sale" which was one of the largest annual music festivals in South Florida. It was usually held on the first Saturday in December in West Palm Beach. The show was always held at the Cruzan Amphitheatre. The name was chosen because the first two years featured 13 bands (a "baker's dozen" of bands).[26]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WIRK". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "WIRK Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. ^ "Okeechobee Radio Station on Air". Tampa Tribune. July 26, 1966. p. 2-B. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  4. ^ FCC History Cards for WIRK
  5. ^ "WOKC-AM & FM/Okeechobee" (PDF). Radio & Records. September 17, 1993. p. 8. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  6. ^ Smith, Thom (April 4, 1994). "Swamp themed radio in the air". Palm Beach Post. p. 1D. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c Benarde, Scott (July 4, 1995). "WPBZ turns to alternative rock format". Palm Beach Post. p. 2B. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  8. ^ "Transactions" (PDF). Radio & Records. March 24, 1995. p. 6. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  9. ^ "Street Talk" (PDF). March 31, 1995. p. 18. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  10. ^ "WPBZ/West Palm Beach Leaves Z-Rock For 'The Buzz' Of Alternative" (PDF). Radio & Records. July 14, 1995. p. 10. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  11. ^ Benarde, Scott (July 18, 1995). "Radio's Rock of Ages". Palm Beach Post. pp. 1D, 4D. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  12. ^ McKenney, Mitch (September 12, 1995). "2 Martin AM radio stations sold". Palm Beach Post. p. 11B. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  13. ^ Passy, Charles (July 3, 1996). "What's all The Buzz about?". Palm Beach Post. pp. 1D, 3D. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  14. ^ "ARS Ups Strasser To Market GM In WPB" (PDF). Radio & Records. November 8, 1996. p. 12. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  15. ^ "Plugging West Palm Beach's CHR Hole" (PDF). Radio & Records. September 4, 1998. pp. 96, 98. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  16. ^ "Transactions" (PDF). Radio & Records. March 10, 2000. p. 8. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  17. ^ Jicha, Tom (July 1, 2004). "Stern's show set for return to S. Florida". Sun Sentinel. pp. 1B, 2B. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  18. ^ "Replacing Howard Stern is a task for many mouths". Pensacola News Journal. Associated Press. October 26, 2005. p. 6B. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  19. ^ "WPBZ Gets Into The Now". RadioInsight. 2011-12-05. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  20. ^ Heroux Pounds, Marcia (April 12, 2012). "Deal calls for sale of 3 local radio stations". Sun-Sentinel. p. 3D. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  21. ^ Glade, Dennis (June 1, 2012). "Changing Frequencies". Palm Beach Post. p. 1B. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  22. ^ "Digity Acquires NextMedia". RadioInsight. October 28, 2013. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  23. ^ Ink, Radio (February 25, 2016). "Larry Wilson's Alpha Now 4th Largest Radio Company". Radio Ink. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  24. ^ "Hubbard/Alpha Media West Palm Beach Purchase Price Revealed". RadioInsight. November 15, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  25. ^ "WIRK Rebrands As New Country 103.1". RadioInsight. July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  26. ^ Travis, Scott (November 6, 2000). "Recipe for fun". Sun Sentinel. pp. 1B, 2B. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
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