WWPW
WWPW is an Atlanta contemporary hit radio station. The station's transmitter is located in Newnan, Georgia and targets metro Atlanta, also covering its city of license of Bowdon, Georgia. It is owned by iHeartMedia and operates from studios located in Atlanta's Upper Westside district inside the Works ATL development. It addition to its main signal it is also simulcast on the HD2 subchannel of WRDG.
History
Country (1994–2002)
The station began in May 1994 as country music "Y 105.5" WYAI-FM, a class-A serving Carrollton to the west-southwest of metro Atlanta. Having co-channel RF interference with station WCHK-FM 105.5 in Canton, Georgia, both stations changed radio frequencies and moved closer to Atlanta.1980s hits (2002–2004)
In late February 2002, the station upgraded to a class C1 as an Atlanta move-in. To create hype, the station stunted with classical music and comedy bits. 105.3 officially debuted as WMAX-FM "105-3 The Max", playing all 1980s music, on February 18, 2002, with "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles being the first song played.Hot talk (2004)
On January 30, 2004, at 6 pm, after playing "It's [the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)|It's The End of the World]" by R.E.M., WMAX-FM became a hot talk station known as "Real Radio 105.3" that aired talk on weekdays; 1980s music would remain on weekends. The WMAX-FM callsign now resides on another iHeartMedia station in Holland, Michigan, which is currently branded as “96.1 The Game.”Spanish music (2004–2005)
On September 15, 2004, at 10 a.m., following "The MJ Morning Show", the station began stunting with a heartbeat sound effect and Spanish-language liners promoting the upcoming launch of a new format. At 11 pm that evening, the station changed to Latin Top 40 as WWVA-FM "Viva 105.3", as part of efforts by owner iHeartMedia to expand into Hispanic radio markets. During the last quarter of 2004, it was the second-top-rated radio station in Atlanta.Alternative rock (2005–2006)
On May 5, 2005, WWVA-FM would begin simulcasting on 105.7 FM, displacing oldies-formatted "Cool 105.7", as part of a frequency and format shuffle. After four days of simulcasting and a brief stunt of a loop directing listeners to the new frequency, WBZY's alternative rock format would move from 96.7 to 105.3 as "105.3 the Buzz". For two weeks, the calls of 105.3 were changed to WLCL, so the local media would not be able to predict the move. After the switch, the calls were changed to WBZY.Spanish music (2006–2020)
On November 17, 2006, at 9 am, WBZY dropped the alternative format and "Buzz" branding. Some of the on-air staff were fired and others moved down the dial to sister station WKLS FM 96.1, which relaunched from "96 Rock" to "Project 9-6-1". For several days, WBZY simulcast WKLS until it began a loop telling listeners to tune into the new station, as well as advertising the new format of the station. The 105.3 frequency debuted a new Regional Mexican format under the name El Patrón at 9 a.m. on November 28.On October 19, 2009, sister station WWVA-FM, who had been broadcasting a Spanish AC format, flipped to rhythmic AC as "Groove 105.7", thus leaving WBZY as Atlanta's only FM Spanish-language station. This move prompted Clear Channel to merge 105.7's Spanish adult contemporary format with 105.3's regional Mexican format. The "Viva" format has moved to El Patrón's HD-2 channel.
At 5 pm on November 8, 2018, WBZY flipped to Spanish CHR, branded as "Z105.3". In July of the following year, the branding changed slightly to "105.3 La Z", though it would revert to the "Z105.3" branding the next year.