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The new WSGN at 98.3 FM

passtheword

passtheword

WFXO Stewartville/Sylacauga at 98.3 FM will swap call signs with co-owned AM 1050 WSGN in Alex City next Sunday, Aug 31.

From Lee Perryman on the WSGN Big 610 facebook fan page.

"Yes, the iconic WSGN radio brand is set to relaunch on 98.3 FM on Sunday morning, July 31. The new regional coverage area of WSGN-FM and WSGN-HD includes much of east central Alabama including, for example, the southeastern Birmingham suburbs, Chelsea, Sylacauga-Childersburg-Talladega, Alexander City-Dadeville-Lake Martin, Pell City, and Clanton.

The 98.3 frequency dates back to 1959-1983 in Sylacauga and was moved back to the area as WFXO in 2017. The station tripled power in a new C3 station class in 2019.

Key to the original WSGN-AM was a subtle reverb introduced in 1963 – creating a distinctive concert-ish sound that will also be part of WSGN-FM thanks to custom-built processing equipment."


www.facebook.com

WSGN, The BIG 610 | Facebook

Memories and discussion about WSGN, The BIG 610, in Birmingham, AL. Visit our website: http://610wsgn.com.
www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
 
Interesting, but I wonder how much cache those iconic call letters mean to people in and around Birmingham anymore...unless they're 50 or older? It's been 38 years since the "Big 610" dropped contemporary music, and it was only a year after then that WSGN disappeared altogether from Birmingham...unless you count the time that the Gadsden-based repeater of WBHM used them.

Still, I think it's interesting that three of the most, for lack of a better word, beloved Birmingham call letters have managed to hang on near Birmingham for all these years (WSGN, WVOK and WKXX).
 
Charles35080 said:
Interesting, but I wonder how much cache those iconic call letters mean to people in and around Birmingham anymore...unless they're 50 or older? It's been 38 years since the "Big 610" dropped contemporary music, and it was only a year after then that WSGN disappeared altogether from Birmingham...unless you count the time that the Gadsden-based repeater of WBHM used them.

Still, I think it's interesting that three of the most, for lack of a better word, beloved Birmingham call letters have managed to hang on near Birmingham for all these years (WSGN, WVOK and WKXX).
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East Alabama, the call letter graveyard. Add WKLS (96 Rock) to the mix.
 
I wonder if they will try to mimic the reverb? I've come across a few "golden oldies" stations in small towns that use it when the mics are live and it certainly adds to the nostalgic flavor. It seems rather polarizing, though, some people like it, and others really hate it!
 
WSGNradio.com is now live, airing former WSGN jingles and audio in preparation for the debut of WSGN/FM on 98.3 FM later today.
 
I just heard the sign on. As Charles mentioned, I am glad to hear they decided to play the last two songs WSGN-AM played the night they signed off in 1985. That was followed by the recording of the announcer 37 years ago signing the station off permanently. I tell ya..I got GOOSEBUMPS hearing that bc I was listening to the sign off that night in 1985. So it was as though everything came full-circle...very surreal.
 
The inspiration for reviving the WSGN brand likely came from what took place in Louisville a few years ago when heritage Top 40 WAKY was revived on an FM station serving Elizabethtown---about 40 miles south of Louisville (notice the similarities?) Thanks to a simulcast on a couple of translators in and around Louisville, the new WAKY has done the unthinkable and unseated both of the longtime ratings dominators in Louisville, co-owned WHAS-AM and WAMZ-FM.

In many respects, the WAKY brand was iconic in Louisville as the the WSGN brand was in Birmingham. I would daresay that no two other stations in mid-major Southeastern markets were as beloved as these two stations.
 
Charles35080 said:
The inspiration for reviving the WSGN brand likely came from what took place in Louisville a few years ago when heritage Top 40 WAKY was revived on an FM station serving Elizabethtown---about 40 miles south of Louisville (notice the similarities?) Thanks to a simulcast on a couple of translators in and around Louisville, the new WAKY has done the unthinkable and unseated both of the longtime ratings dominators in Louisville, co-owned WHAS-AM and WAMZ-FM.

In many respects, the WAKY brand was iconic in Louisville as the the WSGN brand was in Birmingham. I would daresay that no two other stations in mid-major Southeastern markets were as beloved as these two stations.
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The greatest impediment with this new station (if it is ultimately to be marketed to Birmingham) is that it won't be able to cover the City, most of Jefferson county, the northern sections of Shelby county or really, the vast majority of the Bham metro area, given the location of the WSGN transmitter as well as W252BE broadcasting on 98.3 FM from Red Mountain. It would be great if a deal could be worked out where AM 610 could share the WSGN call sign, becoming WSGN-AM again and the new FM could then become WSGN-FM. If AM 610 could feed W252BE, the 98.3 FM translator on Red Mountain, that would provide FM coverage from Jefferson county into Shelby county and other areas. It wouldn't fill in all the gaps for coverage but listeners might be more willing to give the station a listen. I know that scenario I mentioned will never happen, given who owns what, etc...just me dreaming. :) As it is now, only a small minority of listeners will be willing to tune into WSGN/FM with a mobile app, at least on a regular basis. But...hey, maybe I'm wrong about all that. After all, I'm just a lowly internet "streamer" who doesn't have a "real radio station"... 🙄🤣
 
Charles35080 said:
The inspiration for reviving the WSGN brand likely came from what took place in Louisville a few years ago when heritage Top 40 WAKY was revived on an FM station serving Elizabethtown---about 40 miles south of Louisville (notice the similarities?) Thanks to a simulcast on a couple of translators in and around Louisville, the new WAKY has done the unthinkable and unseated both of the longtime ratings dominators in Louisville, co-owned WHAS-AM and WAMZ-FM.
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Hardly. WHAS bills more than 5 times what WAKY does, and WAMZ bills about 4 1/2 times that of WAKY. WAKY is well outside the top 10 in the sales demos.
Charles35080 said:
In many respects, the WAKY brand was iconic in Louisville as the the WSGN brand was in Birmingham. I would daresay that no two other stations in mid-major Southeastern markets were as beloved as these two stations.
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WSGN died in the early 70's when CHR listeners moved to FM. That means the brand has been irrelevant for a half a century. Nobody under about 60 is going to even remember it.

Back about 20 years, I was at the dinner that Tom Rounds held every year for the members of the Radio Express syndication team where I sat next to Rick Dees. In the conversation, he told me "I'm really glad you got me to move on." In other words, the future at WSGN was bleak and his move to Memphis and then LA made for a great career.
 
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They are sounding good. Barely pick them up on the radio in Montgomery. Only can listen thru Chrome browser. Hopefully an android friendly app is coming.
 
ThePowerCow said:
They are sounding good. Barely pick them up on the radio in Montgomery. Only can listen thru Chrome browser. Hopefully an android friendly app is coming.
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What version of Android are you using? Most of the browser players today are compatible with smartphones/other mobile devices (both IOS and Android) across various browser platforms as well. I am listening to WSGN right now with the player on my Android tablet using the Firefox browser. Plays on my Android phone with FF, too.
 
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Just heard the TOH ID....[broadcasting] FROM the suburbs of the Magic City? Granted, the WSGN signal (over FM) does reach the very far SE suburbs of Birmingham, but originates FROM?? Aren't the station's studios still located in Sylacauga (and transmitter located SE of that area), or have I missed something? I would hardly classify Sylacauga as a Birmingham suburb...

Given the new WSGN signal is only able to cover the very far SE Birmingham suburbs, along with the FM translator operating on Red Mountain on the same 98.3 frequency, preventing any signal from WSGN penetrating Jefferson county, etc, it probably would have been a better idea to market the station more to Sylacauga as it had been previously, with airing some occasional WSGN jingles from years ago with none of the references to Birmingham. I do think that's great the owners want to preserve the WSGN call sign, sound, etc for nostalgic purposes. Really, enough people in Birmingham and surrounding areas who remember WSGN-AM and enjoyed it do vacation at the Lake, many visit on weekends. Those people could hear WSGN/FM in that area with a city-grade signal while visiting there.
 
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