WERC-FM
WENN-FM, "Hallelujuah 105.9", is a Clear Channel-owned urban gospel radio station that broadcast on the class-D 105.9 megahertz MHz frequency licensed to Trussville. However, it has recently been granted the construction permit by the FCC to move from the 105.9 to 105.5 frequency and be licensed to Hoover. But the WENN call letters are synonymous to many listeners from Birmingham and most of Central and North Alabama as a legendary urban with a wide reaching signal.
History
WENN-FM came on-air on 107.7 frequency in 1969 when local black insurance company owner, A.G. Gaston, purchased then sister station WENN-AM. The station began as FM simulcast of the AM urban contemporary radio station primarly playing R&B, soul, and gospel. Throughout its time as an urban station, WENN created strong local ties to the commmunity through on-air personalities such as Tall Paul, Shelly Stewart, and Dave Donell.
The late 1980's and early 1990's brought major changes to the on-air presentation of the station. WENN began to shift from a R&B/soul-based urban contemporary to a more mainstream urban with the introduction of hip-hop and rap to its playlist, and moved the slower R&B and soul songs to its quiet storm program at night. It also adopted the station moniker and slogan 107.7 WENN, The Peoples' Station, to reinstate that it was still the station for the people regardless the shift in music focus. The station maintained a strong position in the Birmingham radio market in the top 5 in ratings throughout this time.
In 1997, the station owner, A.G. Gaston, passed away at the age of 101, and brought a sense of uncertainity to WENN because of the station's heirs lack of focus. Also in the wake of the passing of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, WENN-FM was then sold to Dick Broadcasting, and this lead to shock and fear of the future of the station from the local community. The 105.9 signal has always been a hinderance to ratings, so Dick Broadcasting, who operated WRAX for American General Media. Dick Broadcasting then made the decision to switch WENN 107.7FM with its alternative rock station, WRAX-FM,"106 the X" because their belief was that the alternative format was more profitable than that of an urban. The switch occured, but soon after the legendary WENN fell victim of a poor signal and new competition from the Cox-owned duo, "95.7 Jamz" & ''"98.7 Kiss FM"'', and fell silent.
In 1999, WENN came back on the air as an urban oldies station with the moniker, "Jammin' Oldies 105.9". WRAX, now known as "107.7 the X", with it's new big signal now does quite well in the ratings. Jammin' Oldies 105.9, seemed to be only popular where the tiny class D signal that covers the east side of Birmingham where it could be received. In January 2000, WENN switched to a urban adult contemporary format with a new moniker, "V-105.9", competing against 98.7 Kiss FM. They then tweaked its format up a bit towards urban contemporary with more new rap and hip hop to compete more with 95.7 Jamz. In September 2002, it again changed its moniker to "Power 105.9" focusing even more on hip hop, rap and R&B, to compete with 95.7 Jamz. However, all these changes with its format the station fail to gain a substantial audience against the Cox-owned stations, it switched to gospel, "Hallelujah 105.9" on February 1, 2003.