The disc jockeys of WZZQ 102 (formerly WJDX-FM, the Rock of Jackson) created their own format, based on the music they loved – an eclectic selection of current and classic rock singles, album cuts, B-sides, and new artists, like the then-unknown Dan Fogelberg. Film Director Ann Ford describes the documentary as a love letter to the FM station that became an underground icon in Mississippi from 1973 to 1981, when AM ruled the radio airwaves.

The station flipped to a country format in 1981, ending an era for the WZZQ community.

“Growing up in Jackson, WZZQ was a constant companion,” Ford said. “I never forgot it or lost my love for it – even long after it was gone. I went into radio and television myself, and WZZQ was a big influence on my creative style.”

Ford began work on the film in 2019, collaborating with Producer Robbie Fisher and Don Warren as director of photography.

Grammy-winning audio engineer Randy Everett worked on the mix and sound design and restored some of the original recordings. Engineer Kent Bruce of Malaco digitized a big box of reel-to-reel audio tapes and restored those recordings. New Orleans-based editor Tom Roche polished the edit and got the film ready for broadcast.

The filmmaking team also received support from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Hal & Mal's in Jackson, WLBT, the Fogelberg estate, former WZZQ employees, and other sources.

In 2022, the Mississippi Humanities Council sponsored a “WZZQ Listener Event” at Duling Hall in Jackson that provided additional stories for the movie from those who had either experienced it or heard stories from family, Ford said.

“A lot of people pitched in on this film,” Ford said. “’WZZQ the Movie’ wouldn’t exist without their expertise, encouragement, and hard work.”

WZZQ the Movie premiered on MPB Television on May 20, 2024.