Bert Richmond and Harold Cohn applied to the Federal Communications Commission on July 8, 1946, for a new radio station to serve Jacksonville on 1400 kHz dependent on WMBR vacating the frequency.
[11] WZAZ's personality format differentiated it from other AM stations and gave it for a short time a ratings boost; one DJ, Don Smith, was known as "The Pressure Cooker" and for such antics as playing a toilet flushing sound effect on the air.
[12] In November 1985, Smith attempted to break the world record for radio broadcasting endurance only to fail more than 11 days in when two tubes in the WZAZ transmitter blew, disqualifying him from continuing.
[13] However, WZAZ's ratings bump was short-lived, especially after contemporary hit station WAPE-FM emerged in 1986 and zoomed to a 20-percent audience share.
[14] In 1988, investors threatened to change the format to country to increase earnings, leading manager Picus to start a petition campaign on air.
[17] The station was sold the next year to UNC Media Group, sister to a firm that specialized in financing minority-owned communications companies.
[19] Jacor flipped WZAZ to gospel and was encouraged enough by the ratings increase, tripling in 18 months, to make a similar move in St.