View source for WRKZ

{{short description|Active rock radio station in Columbus, Ohio}}
{{for|the Pittsburgh radio station which carried the WRKZ callsign from 2004 to 2007|KDKA-FM}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name                = WRKZ
| logo                = WRKZ logo (lower res).jpg
| city                = [[Columbus, Ohio]]
| area                = [[Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area|Columbus metro area]]
| branding            = '''99.7 The Blitz'''
| frequency           = 99.7 [[Megahertz|MHz]]
| airdate             = {{start date and age|1962|4|26}} (as WMNI-FM)
| format              = [[Active rock]]
| licensing_authority = [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
| erp                 = 20,000 [[watt]]s
| haat                = 239 [[meter]]s (784 ft)
| class               = B
| facility_id         = 49107
| coordinates         = {{nowrap|{{coord|39|58|16.00|N|83|1|40.00|W|type:landmark_source:FCC}}}}
| callsign_meaning    = '''W''' "The '''R'''oc'''K'''" '''Z'''<br><small>(former branding)</small>
| former_callsigns    = WBZX (1992&ndash;2008)<br>WMGG (1986&ndash;92)<br>WRMZ (1980&ndash;86)<br>WMNI-FM (1962&ndash;80)
| owner               = North American Broadcasting Company, Inc.
| sister_stations     = [[WMNI]], [[WJKR]]
| webcast             = [https://player.amperwave.net/48 Listen Live]
| website             = [https://www.theblitz.com theblitz.com]
}}

'''WRKZ''' (99.7 [[FM band|FM]]), branded '''99.7 The Blitz''', is a commercial [[active rock]] [[Radio broadcasting|radio station]] licensed to [[Columbus, Ohio]], and serving the [[Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area|Columbus metro area]].  It is owned by the North American Broadcasting Company, along with [[sister station]]s 920 [[WMNI]] and 103.9 [[WJKR]].  The studios are on Dublin Road ([[U.S. Route 33 in Ohio|U.S. Route 33]]).

WRKZ has an [[effective radiated power]] (ERP) of 20,000 [[watt]]s.  The [[transmitter]] is on Twin Rivers Drive, sharing a [[radio masts and towers|tower]] with [[WCMH-TV]] channel 4.<ref>[https://radio-locator.com/info/WRKZ-FM?loc=40.06301%2C-82.41678&locn=Newark%2C%20Ohio Radio-Locator.com/WRKZ]</ref>

==History==
===Easy Listening, Country and Classic Rock===
The station [[sign-on|signed on]] the air on {{start date and age|1962|4|26}}.<ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1990/B-All-Radio-BC-YB-1990.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1990] page B-239, [[Broadcasting & Cable]]</ref>  Its original [[call sign]] was WMNI-FM, the FM counterpart to [[WMNI]] 920 AM.  The two stations mostly [[simulcast]] an [[easy listening]] format.

By 1978 the station's call letters were WRMZ and, in the early '80s, it started to broadcast a [[country music]] format. Joe Hill former OM of WHRI/KWHR/WHRA was there in 1983.  From 1987 to 1992, the station was known as WMGG, ''Magic 99-7'', and played [[classic rock]].{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

===The Blitz: 1992&ndash;2008===
''The Blitz'' began at 4 p.m. on July 2, 1992.  WBZX aired an [[active rock]] format.  In morning drive time, it carried ''[[The Howard Stern Show]]'', syndicated from [[New York City]] from 1997 to 2005.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

===The Rock: 2008&ndash;10===
On April 3, 2008, WBZX began [[stunting (broadcasting)|stunting]] with radio static and a voice mentioning that the "station is rebooting". The last song played on ''The Blitz'' was [[Breaking Benjamin]]'s "[[Until the End (Breaking Benjamin song)|Until the End]]".{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} The next day, at 5:00 P.M., WBZX relaunched as ''The Rock'', along with the call letters changing to WRKZ. The new station premiered with [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]]'s "[[Smells Like Teen Spirit]]". ''The Rock'' still had the active rock format, but it focused less on new music and played popular rock music from the 1980s.

The station added the syndicated ''[[The Bob & Tom Show]]'' during the Morning Drive in December 2008.

During the last few months as ''The Rock'', the station added rock songs from the '60s and '70s into its playlist, shifting it into a [[Mainstream Rock]] direction. Only a few months later, the station hosted its first-ever "Town Hall Meeting", with Program Director Hal Fish and on-air personalities Ronni Hunter and Blazor taking calls, emails and texts as to what Columbus area listeners wanted more and less of on 99.7. A week later, on April 1, 2010,{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} they once again went to the airwaves and detailed an "Action Plan" as to what would happen on the station in the following weeks, including the return of such Blitz-era staples as "Choose It Or Lose It" as well as a showcase for local musical talent. In addition, a website was launched at blitzorrock.com to determine whether or not listeners wanted to keep the station named ''The Rock'' or for ''The Blitz'' to make a return.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://blitzorrock.com/ |title=酵素ドリンクお肌が綺麗にスタイルはスリムに |access-date=April 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140516225119/http://blitzorrock.com/ |archive-date=May 16, 2014 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} </ref>

===The Blitz: 2010&ndash;present===
[[Image:WRKZ RDS.png|thumb|left|200px|WRKZ on a SPARC [[HD Radio]] with [[Radio Data System|RDS]]]]
On April 22, 2010, at a "Blitz or Rock Reveal Party" it was announced that the station would be once again called ''The Blitz''. It premiered with [[Mudvayne]]'s "[[Happy? (Mudvayne song)|Happy?]]", followed by [[Disturbed (band)|Disturbed]]'s "[[Down with the Sickness]]".{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} Along with the changes, it was also announced that ''The Bob & Tom Show'' would be dropped in a few weeks and be replaced by a local morning show. The show that replaced it was Blazor and Mo in the morning, which ironically was the same show that Bob & Tom replaced in December 2008.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

In early December 2011, Mo (Maurice Jovan) was no longer on the air.  On February 6, 2012, Mark Blazor resigned.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|https://www.theblitz.com/}}
*{{FM station data|49107|WRKZ}}

{{Columbus OH Radio}}
{{Active Rock Radio Stations in Ohio}}

[[Category:Radio stations in Columbus, Ohio|RKZ]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1962]]
[[Category:1962 establishments in Ohio]]
[[Category:Active rock radio stations in the United States]]