WRBQ-FM

Infobox Radio station


name = WRBQ-FM
airdate = 1973 "(as WRBQ; actual sign-on as WPKM unknown)"
frequency = 104.7 (MHz)
city = Tampa, Florida
area = Tampa Bay Area
format = Classic Hits
owner = CBS Radio
sister_stations = WLLD, WQYK, WQYK-FM, WSJT, WYUU
"part of CBS Corp. cluster with TV station WTOG"
erp = 100,000 watts
haat = 171 meters
branding = "Tampa Bay's Q105"
slogan =
class = C1
facility_id = 11943
webcast = [http://player.play.it/player/player.html?id=139&onestat=wrbq Listen Live]
website = [http://www.wrbq.fm/ www.wrbq.fm]
callsign_meaning = Ralph Beaver (station engineer)
Q is used in Q105

WRBQ-FM (104.7 FM, "Q105") is a commercial classic hits music formatted radio station in Tampa, Florida.

History

Formerly WPKM and later WEZX, 104.7-FM became Tampa Bay’s first stereo rock ’n roll station, Q105 in December 1973, home to the Q-Morning Zoo, Cleveland Wheeler, Scott Shannon, Dave Saint, Jack Harris, Bill Garcia, Uncle Johnny, Alan O’Brien, Tedd Webb and a host of other top talent.

According to engineer Ralph Beaver, the station's call sign was created when they were looking for a set of unique call letters and tossing out ideas, he suggested ‘RB’ (which happened to be his initials). Southern Broadcasting, which then owned the station, had just signed on WRVQ in Richmond, Virginia, and ‘RB’ was available, creating a call sign that sounded similar to its sister station.

When it signed on, WRBQ-FM was owned by Southern Broadcasting. In 1978, the station was purchased by Harte-Hanks, then in 1983 to Edens Broadcasting, headed by former Southern Broadcasting and Harte-Hanks executive Gary Edens.

For the first 20 years, Q105 was a contemporary hits and dominated in the ratings in Tampa. In the early eighties, Program Director Scott Shannon & Morning Man Cleveland Wheeler began the "Q Morning Zoo" , which spawned imitators across the industry. The station was able to maintain it's popularity until 1989, when crosstown Oldies station WFLZ changed to an aggressive Top 40 format called "The Power Pig". Part of WFLZ's plan was to make fun of Q105. The main aspect of their campaign were billboards all over Tampa saying "Screw The Q" with the letter "Q" and a large screw through it.

Q105 continued on against The Power Pig for a few more years, but was unable to regain the ratings they once enjoyed. In 1993, the station was purchased by Clear Channel Communications who switched the station to a country music format. The switch to country was an immediate ratings success climbing from 13th all the way to 2nd, beating every station except rival country competitor WQYK-FM.

In 2000, as a result of the merger of Clear Channel and AMFM, WRBQ was sold to Infinity Broadcasting, now CBS Radio. In 2002, under the lobbying of former former WRBQ Program Director Mason Dixon, who was Program Director of WRBQ's sister station, 92.5/WYUU, which at the time was an oldies station, WRBQ & WYUU exchanged formats, with WYUU becoming "Outlaw 92-5" (WYUU later dropped country for a Hispanic format) and WRBQ becoming oldies. Since 2002, WRBQ has had an oldies format under program director Mason Dixon, first as Oldies 104.7, then back to the Q105 branding in July 2005.

At one time, WRBQ was the flagship radio station for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League, becoming perhaps the first top-40 station in the U.S. to carry live play-by-play sporting events. Jesse Ventura--the former professional wrestler and actor who later became governor of Minnesota--was one of the team's color analysts.

Personalities

Present

Morning Show:
* Mason Dixon
* Bill Connolly
* Nikki Cruz (news)
* Jo Jo Walker
* Marc Haze
* Bobby Rich (traffic)

Middays:
* Marvelous Marvin

Afternoon Drive:
* Mike Reeves
* Rob Parker (news and traffic)

Evenings:
* Jack Miller
* Chris Davis (Friday and Saturday night Dance Party)

Weekends:
* Ric Russo
* Rico Blanco (Now back as APD)

Past

*John Kelly
*Terrance McKeever
*Scott Shannon
*Dave Saint
*Bill Garcia
*Uncle Johnny
*Dave Collins
*Alan O’Brien
*Tedd Webb
*Alicia Kaye
*Kristy Knight
*Jon "Rock N Roll" Anthony
*Ronnie "Night Train" Lane
*Arch Deal
*Nancy Alexander
*Roger Shulman
*Pat Brooks
*Cat Sommers
*Brian "BC" Christopher
*Chuck Bear
*Dave Mann
*Pat George
*Brian Thomas (PD & on-air)
*Scott Summers
*Deputy Mike
*Jack Harris
*Mike Reeves
*Kathy "Wild" West
*Shadow Logan, aka JoJo Morales
*T.R. Campbell
*Doug Bevis "Bevis"
*Brandon David
*Kevin Summers
*Tramonte Watts
*Cosmic Jon Barry
*Mike Rivers
*Al Brock
*Cleveland Wheeler
*Randy Kabrich
*Brian Christopher
*John Clay
*Nancy Knight
*Mike Williams (Fudge)
*Mark Alan Biggs [http://www.linkedin.com/in/mabiggs]

External links

* [http://www.wrbq.fm/ WRBQ-FM Official Website]
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* [http://www.sorabji.com/sound/soundcrap/airchecks/wrbq_q105_cat_sommers_aircheck_1981.ram Audio: Cat Sommers Aircheck, 1981 (sorabji.com)]
* [http://www.sorabji.com/sound/soundcrap/airchecks/wrbq_q105_mason_dixon_aircheck_1982.ram Audio: Mason Leroy Dixon Aircheck, 1982 (sorabji.com)]