WQAM-FM

{{Short description|Radio station in Miramar, Florida}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox radio station | name = WQAM-FM | logo = | logo_size = | city = Miramar, Florida | country = US | area = Miami-Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area | branding = 104.3 WQAM | frequency = {{frequency|104.3|MHz}} {{HD Radio}} | translators = {{ubl|{{Radio Relay|95.3|W237BD|Boca Raton|HD3}}|{{Radio Relay|96.9|W245BC|Lauderdale Lakes|HD3}}|{{Radio Relay|93.5|W228BY|Miami|HD4}}}} | airdate = {{start date|1969|8|30}} | language = English | format = Sports radio | subchannels = {{ubl|HD2: Sports gambling "The Bet"|HD3: Oldies "True Oldies 95.3 & 96.9"|HD4: Dance/EDM (WZFL)}} | erp = {{val|100000|u=watts|fmt=commas}} | haat = {{convert|283|m|ft|sp=us}} | coordinates = {{coord|25|59|10.3|N|80|11|36.2|W|type:landmark_region:US_FL|display=inline,title}} | class = C1 | licensing_authority = FCC | facility_id = 29567 | callsign_meaning = Derived from WQAM (AM) | former_callsigns = {{ubl|WEAT-FM (1969–2012)|WMSF (2012)|WAXY-FM (2012–2015)|WSFS (2015–2025)}} | affiliations = {{ubl|BetMGM Network|Westwood One Sports|Florida Panthers|Miami Hurricanes|Miami Heat}} | owner = Audacy, Inc. | licensee = Audacy License, LLC | sister_stations = {{hlist|WAXY|WKIS|WLYF|WMXJ|WPOW|WQAM}} | repeater = {{Radio Relay|560|WQAM|Miami}} | webcast = {{Audacy.com|wqam}}<br>HD2: {{Audacy.com|thebetmiami}} | website = {{URL|https://www.audacy.com/wqam}} }}

'''WQAM-FM''' (104.3 MHz, "104.3 WQAM") is a commercial radio station licensed to Miramar, Florida. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station broadcasts a sports radio format simulcasting WQAM targeting Miami-Dade County and the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area. Its studios are located in Audacy's Miami office on Northeast Second Avenue,<ref>[https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/fm-profile/wqam-fm FCC Public Inspection File]</ref> while the station's transmitter is located in nearby Pembroke Park. Weekdays begin with ''The Joe Rose Show'', hosted by the former Miami Dolphins tight end. He is followed by ''Tobin & Leroy'' (Brendan Tobin and Leroy Hoard). In afternoon drive time, ''Hochman, Crowder & Solana'' (Marc Hochman, Channing Crowder, Alejandro Solana) are heard.<ref>[https://barrettmedia.com/2024/04/09/marc-hochman-couldnt-be-happier-after-10-years-at-wqam/ BarrettMedia.com "Marc Hochman Couldn't Be Happier After 10 Years at WQAM" April 9, 2024. Retrieved Aug. 8, 2025.]</ref> Nights and weekends feature syndicated shows from the Westwood One Sports and the BetMGM Network. WQAM and WQAM-FM are the flagship stations for the Miami Heat basketball team.

==History== ===WEAT-FM in West Palm Beach=== {{for|information on the current WEAT (107.9 FM) post-2012|WEAT}}

WEAT-FM in West Palm Beach began broadcasting at 104.5 MHz at 6 a.m. on September 29, 1969.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41712332/|work=Palm Beach Post|first=Sherry|last=Woods|title=WEAT-FM Debut New Beach Sound|access-date=January 5, 2020|date=September 30, 1969|page=B8}}</ref> The station, sister to WEAT (850 AM), was an automated beautiful music outlet with syndicated programming supplied by Quality Music, Inc. The station broadcast from the tallest tower in the Palm Beaches and cost $175,000 to build. Within a year, WEAT-FM and WOOD-FM in Grand Rapids, Michigan, were among the first two FM stations to claim overall ratings leadership in their markets.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41712663/|work=Florida Today|date=September 30, 1970|page=TV 18|access-date=January 5, 2020|title=FM Stations Top Competition}}</ref> WEAT-AM-FM was purchased four years later by Curt Gowdy for $1.5 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41712756/|title=Miscellany|date=May 9, 1974|access-date=January 5, 2020|page=2A|work=Fort Lauderdale News}}</ref> WEAT-FM was later the second client of Jim Schulke's beautiful music syndication business.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41713034/|date=November 20, 1983|page=B2|title=Broadcaster Gowdy Recalls 'Innocent Days of Sports'|access-date=January 5, 2020|first=Chauncey|last=Mabe|work=Palm Beach Post}}</ref> The FM station was a continual ratings winner in the beautiful music format as late as 1985.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41713237/|title=Ratings may shake up radio formats|first=Scott|last=Benarde|work=Sun-Sentinel|date=July 31, 1985|access-date=January 5, 2020|page=6E}}</ref>

On July 31, 1986, WEAT-FM moved to 104.3 MHz in advance of moving its transmitter to a higher tower in Lake Worth, Florida, which would improve coverage in Broward County; the move also allowed WHQT (105.1 FM) to improve its own signal,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41713315/|access-date=January 5, 2020|work=Sun-Sentinel|date=July 30, 1986|title=Local radio stations set to boost reception areas|page=8E}}</ref> as that station relocated to the new Guy Gannett master tower further north from its existing site.<ref>{{cite news|date=July 31, 1986|work=Palm Beach Post|title=Radio station WEAT changes position on the FM radio dial|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41713435/|access-date=January 5, 2020|first=Bob|last=Michals|page=5F}}</ref> The move paid off for Gowdy, who sold WEAT-AM-FM to Taylor Communications in 1986 for $13.5 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41713510/|work=Palm Beach Post|page=Weekly Business 12|date=October 13, 1986|first=Maureen|last=Glabman|title=Baseball greats are on track|access-date=January 5, 2020}}</ref> WEAT continued to be a strong performer in the Palm Beach radio market, nearly doubling its nearest competitor in 1989<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41713593/|access-date=January 5, 2020|date=January 19, 1989|work=Sun-Sentinel|first=Tom|last=Jicha|title=Channel 4 reporters get new assignments}}</ref> and was described the next year as the market's "800-pound gorilla".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41713742/|access-date=January 5, 2020|first=Tom|last=Jicha|work=Sun-Sentinel|date=August 2, 1990|title=Radio Ratings|page=3E}}</ref>

thumb|180px|''Sunny 104.3'' logo used until 2012. The first major format adjustment in station history was made in 1992, when WEAT-FM became soft adult contemporary "Sunny 104.3"; the change was made in order to attract a younger audience than the aging listenership its beautiful music programming attracted.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41713855/|access-date=January 5, 2020|date=May 26, 1992|title=WEAT changes format, pursues 25-to-54 market|work=Sun-Sentinel|first=Pat|last=Curry|page=3E}}</ref> Three years later, the station was bought by OmniAmerica Group, which promptly merged with Citicasters<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41714126/|work=Palm Beach Post|title=Broadcasting merger creates 30-station firm|date=August 29, 1995|first=Mitch|last=McKenney|access-date=January 5, 2020|page=5B}}</ref> At this time, the station recovered from a brief slide to fourth place by hiring away Kevin Kitchens and Jennifer Ross, who had been the morning hosts at WRMF.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41714224/|title=WEAT-FM tops fall ratings|date=January 17, 1996|access-date=January 5, 2020|first=Mitch|last=McKenney|work=Palm Beach Post|page=5B}}</ref> Within months, Chancellor Broadcasting, which resulted from the merger, had a deal to trade its three West Palm Beach radio stations to American Radio Systems in exchange for a station in California and $33 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41714333/|work=Sun-Sentinel|page=3D|title=Radio stations traded|access-date=January 5, 2020|date=June 25, 1996}}</ref> The next year, CBS bought the entire American Radio Systems group in a $2.6 billion transaction; however, WEAT AM was sold off to Clear Channel by way of Paxson Communications.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41714507/|work=Palm Beach Post|date=September 20, 1997|access-date=January 5, 2020|title=Westinghouse buy includes local stations|first=Julie|last=Waresh|page=7B}}</ref> Kitchens and Ross remained the station's morning duo until the former died on February 3, 1999, of a heart attack at the age of 39; hours earlier, he had discussed a procedure that was to have been performed on him later that morning on the air.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41714583/|date=February 4, 1999|title=Top-rated 'radio guy' Kevin Kitchens dies|access-date=January 5, 2020|first=Lillian|last=Weis|page=2B}}</ref>

The next year, Jennifer Ross left the station. Her last show at WEAT was on September 25; the next day, she immediately returned to WRMF to do mornings.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41714895/|date=September 26, 2000|work=Sun-Sentinel|access-date=January 5, 2020|title=Jennifer Ross returns to WRMF-FM radio|page=2A}}</ref> WEAT sued, claiming a violation of her non-compete clause; Ross's lawyers charged that the station misrepresented contests and failed to give her promised vacation time.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41715041/|date=September 30, 2000|title=Sunny 104.3 tries to block Ross' station change|pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41715093/ 8B]|access-date=January 5, 2020|first=John|last=Pacenti|work=Palm Beach Post}}</ref> In February 2001, an appeals court found against Ross, stating that she should be barred from appearing on WRMF for a year.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41715131/|access-date=January 5, 2020|date=February 22, 2001|work=Sun-Sentinel|title=Radio show host faces one-year ban|first=Jon|last=Burstein|page=3B}}</ref> For violating the order, Ross faced contempt of court charges.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41715192/|access-date=January 5, 2020|title=Radio personality faces contempt of court charge|first=Jon|last=Burstein|work=Sun-Sentinel|pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41715239/ 2B]|date=July 9, 2001}}</ref> In 2005, a jury awarded WEAT $17.2 million—more than the $13.3 million it had asked for—in damages.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41715458/|date=April 12, 2005|work=Sun-Sentinel|first=John|last=Coté|access-date=January 5, 2020|title=Radio host will appeal verdict|page=3B}}</ref> Damages were revised down to $7 million in 2008 after the prior verdict was set aside by an appeals court.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41715726/|work=Sun-Sentinel|first=Missy|last=Diaz|pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41715786/ 7B]|access-date=January 5, 2020|date=May 9, 2008|title=Radio host broke contract, jury finds}}</ref> However, the appeals court tossed out that ruling in 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41716051/|access-date=January 5, 2020|title=The Lowdown|work=Palm Beach Post|date=May 21, 2010|page=2B}}</ref>

===Move to Miami=== In 2012, CBS Radio, citing a desire to focus on larger markets, sold its entire cluster in West Palm Beach to Palm Beach Broadcasting for $50 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41716162/|access-date=January 5, 2020|date=April 12, 2012|title=Deal calls for sale of 3 local radio stations|first=Marcia|last=Heroux Pounds|work=Sun-Sentinel|page=3D}}</ref> The sale included WEAT's programming and call sign, but as Palm Beach already owned one FM station (WRMF), it had to divest two of CBS's stations to other buyers. Because the 104.3 FM facility could be moved into the Miami market, it was tagged for sale. On June 1, 2012, Sunny and the WEAT call letters moved from 104.3 to 107.9 MHz, the former home of country station WIRK, which in turn moved to 103.1 MHz, marking the end for former hot adult contemporary station WPBZ.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41716276/|date=June 1, 2012|first=Dennis|last=Glade|work=Palm Beach Post|title=Changing Frequencies|page=1B|access-date=January 5, 2020}}</ref>

=== Smooth FM === With WEAT now at 107.9, 104.3 temporarily flipped to a jazz/adult contemporary hybrid known as "Smooth FM" and adopted the call letters WMSF. The first song on WMSF was "Baby, I Love Your Way" by Big Mountain. On August 24, Palm Beach Broadcasting announced its intention to sell WMSF to Lincoln Financial Media for $13 million.

=== The Ticket === Five days later, on August 29, at 5 p.m., after playing "Caribbean Breeze" by The Rippingtons, WMSF began simulcasting Lincoln Financial-owned sports radio station WAXY, branded as "790 & 104.3 The Ticket",<ref>{{cite news|url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/70124/lincoln-financial-media-acquires-104-3-wmsf-will-flip-to-sports/|title=Lincoln Financial Media Acquires 104.3 WMSF; Begins Simulcasting 790 WAXY|last=Venta|first=Lance|date=August 29, 2012|work=RadioInsight|access-date=January 5, 2020}}</ref> and changed its call letters to WAXY-FM two days later. The purchase of WAXY-FM was consummated on December 10, 2012; on September 19, 2013, WAXY-FM completed its move to the Miami-Fort Lauderdale market with its city of license changing to Miramar. On December 8, 2014, Entercom announced that it was purchasing Lincoln Financial Group's entire 15-station lineup (including WAXY-FM) in a $106.5 million deal, and would operate the outlets under a LMA deal until the sale is approved by the FCC.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/91146/entercom-acquires-lincoln-financial-media/#comment-19809|first=Lance|last=Venta|title=Entercom Acquires Lincoln Financial Media|work=RadioInsight|date=December 8, 2014|access-date=January 5, 2020}}</ref> The sale was approved on July 14, 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/93470/fcc-approves-entercom-acquisition-of-lincoln-financial-media/|title=Entercom Settles DOJ Investigation; Swaps For 100.3 The Sound Los Angeles|last=Venta|first=Lance|date=July 16, 2015|work=RadioInsight|access-date=January 5, 2020}}</ref>

=== The Shark === thumb|Logo as "The Shark", 2015-2025 On August 21, 2015, at 11 a.m., WAXY-FM changed its format to alternative rock, branded as "104.3 The Shark", launching with 5,000 songs in a row commercial free.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/94200/entercom-brings-alternative-104-3-the-shark-to-miami/|date=August 21, 2015|title=Entercom Brings Alternative 104.3 The Shark to Miami|access-date=January 5, 2020|work=RadioInsight|first=Lance|last=Venta}}</ref> This marked the first alternative rock station in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale radio market since February 11, 2005, when WZTA flipped to Reggaeton, becoming WMGE. The first song played on "The Shark" was "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons. The WAXY simulcast was moved to the HD-2 digital subchannel. On August 28, WAXY-FM changed its call letters to WSFS to match the "Shark" branding.

In September 2020, most of the local DJs and programming staff were dismissed and replaced by out-of-market staff; this airstaff, anchored mostly by Audacy national format staffers, would serve the station's format through the end of its run.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/197652/entercoms-new-alternative-on-air-lineups/ | title=Entercom's New Alternative On-Air Lineups }}</ref>

=== WQAM-FM === On August 7, 2025, at 1:04 pm, after playing "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by Green Day and the opening moments of "Man in The Box" by Alice in Chains (which would be abruptly cut off), WSFS dropped the alternative format and reverted to a sports radio format, this time as a simulcast of WQAM.<ref name="ri-wsfstowqam">[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/306163/miamis-shark-dies-as-wqam-moves-to-fm/ Miami's Shark Dies as WQAM Moves to FM]</ref> With the change, WSFS adopted new call letters WQAM-FM on August 18.<ref name="ri-wsfstowqamfm">{{cite web |last1=Berman |first1=Laura |title=Form 380 - Change Request |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/fmDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076f91985819990198997007ab194d&id=25076f91985819990198997007ab194d&goBack=N |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=August 19, 2025 |date=August 11, 2025}}</ref>

The move was made to provide an FM home for the broadcasts of the longtime AM sports station's shows and affiliations. Most notably, it makes WQAM-FM the new FM broadcast flagship for the Miami Heat basketball team.<ref name="ri-wsfstowqam"/> The stations also carry Florida Panthers and Miami Hurricanes games. Local hosts are heard on weekdays, with nights and weekends featuring programming from the Infinity Sports Network and the BetMGM Network.

==References== <references />

==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.audacy.com/wqam}} * {{FM station data|29567|WQAM}} * {{FCC-LMS-Facility|138667|W237BD}} * {{FXL|W237BD}} * {{FCC-LMS-Facility|138625|W245BC}} * {{FXL|W245BC}}

QAM-FM Category:Sports radio stations in the United States Category:Audacy, Inc. radio stations Category:1969 establishments in Florida Category:Radio stations established in 1969