WZNE

WZNE (94.1 FM) – branded 94.1 The Zone – is a commercial alternative rock radio station licensed to Brighton, New York, serving the Rochester metro area. WZNE is owned by the Stephens Media Group. Its studios are located in Rochester and its transmitter is located on Pinnacle Hill in Brighton. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WZNE broadcasts over two HD Radio channels, and is available online.

The 94.1 FM frequency signed on the air in March 1997 under the originally assigned calls of WAQB, and with a stunt of instrumentals of rock songs while testing its signal. At 5:35 p. m. on April 11, 1997, 94.1 would officially launch with its current call letters and a Modern AC format as "94.1 the Zone". The first song on "The Zone" was "Stayin Alive" by Bee Gees. The station was first under the ownership of American Radio Systems, which would be bought out by Infinity Broadcasting in September 1997 (Infinity became CBS Radio in December 2005). Artists featured on the station during its early years included Blues Traveler, Dave Matthews Band, Alanis Morissette, Natalie Merchant, Talking Heads, 10,000 Maniacs, and U2. In March 2001, WZNE would evolve to its current alternative rock format. In 2006, the station began airing the syndicated Rover's Morning Glory, which it would carry until 2020 when the show moved to WAIO. WZNE then began carrying the syndicated Jubal Show in November 2020, but dropped it in 2023 in favor of a local morning show. When Entercom Communications closed on its purchase of WZNE and its cluster of sister stations from CBS on November 30, 2007, the company ended up with eight FM radio stations in Rochester, which was three stations over the FCC mandated single market ownership limit of five FM radio stations in a medium to large radio market. As a result, Entercom put WZNE, along with WFKL and WRMM FM, back on the market. In early May 2008, the Stephens Media Group of Tulsa, Oklahoma agreed to purchase the three stations, subject to FCC regulatory approval. Shortly after the acquisition was announced, Stephens took over the operation of the three stations through a time brokerage agreement. The deal closed on July 14, 2008.