Chris Magan
XENIA — For the past 15 years, WBZI-AM (1500) has been the home of classic country radio, reaching the Xenia/Dayton region with locally produced programming.
However, like hundreds of local AM stations, the Federal Communications Commission restricts the WBZI-AM license to daylight hours.
The FCC recently offered AM broadcasters the opportunity to purchase FM translator licenses to expand local coverage. Joe Mullins, president and general manager of WBZI, wasted no time in finding a license for Xenia.
“Our commitment to serving our loyal listeners and the communities we reach has never been stronger, even in an era when local broadcasting is losing ground nationwide,” Mullins said.
“We made the investment in Web casting a few years ago and can be heard online at www.myclassiccountry.com in addition to WBZI-AM. We are now thankful to announce our FM position at 100.3, which will be programmed 24 hours a day,” he said.
The WBZI-FM signal reaches Greene County and much of the Dayton/Springfield region. The new FM position broadcasts the same programming as WBZI-AM. But, with 24-hour coverage on the FM dial, WBZI will expand programming through the evening hours with music, news, weather details and event coverage.
Mullins said WBZI will add high school sports coverage beginning with football season 2010, featuring live play-by-play of the “Game of the Week” for the Greene County region. Game coverage will be heard live on 100.3 and on the Web at www.myclassiccountry.com or area high school football and basketball teams.
Xenia Community Schools knew about WBZI’s expansion to the FM dial a few months ago. The district now shares the broadcast tower on the Ohio Division of Wildlife property off Old Springfield Pike. The state of Ohio no longer uses the tower and had considered lowering or removing it.
Thanks to Todd Haines, manager of the Division of Wildlife’s District 5, the school district and WBZI were able to lease the tower from the state and continue its upkeep and present height, providing communication services for Xenia schools and the new FM 100.3 for WBZI.
“Through this partnership with WBZI, Xenia Community Schools and our community are benefactors. By keeping the radio tower at 360 feet, we were able to secure our radio attachment at 300 feet — excellent for bus and maintenance transmitting needs,” said Jeffrey K. Lewis, Xenia’s superintendent.
He added that since the station will be able to broadcast future football and basketball games and other events “that is exciting. We appreciate this rich partnership with WBZI.”
WBZI relocated the station’s business office and studios to downtown Xenia, at 23 E. Second St., in April 2008.
The company owns and programs also the local stations for Clinton County, WKFI-AM (1090), and Preble County, WEDI-AM (1130).
Broadcast schedules can be found at www.myclassiscountry.com.