WNKT
Encyclopedia
WNKT is a Sports Talk radio station licensed to Eastover, South Carolina
and serves the Columbia, South Carolina
market. The Cumulus Media
outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) to broadcast at 107.5 MHz with an effective radiated power
(ERP) of 40 kW. The station goes by the name 107-5 The Game.
. The FM station was sold in 1977 to a Washington, DC-based group that moved the studios to North Charleston
and flipped the station to top 40 as "Q107" under the WKQB call sign. The "Q107" moniker was briefly dropped in 1984 for "Power 107" but Q107 was reclaimed one year later. Q107 eventually topped rival CHR WSSX as the #1 CHR in the market on several occasions in the later half in the 1980s under a Dance-leaning CHR format.
Q107 gained fame in September 1989 as it broadcast continuously during Hurricane Hugo
's landfall in the Charleston area. The broadcast ended when the station lost power at the transmitter site. Although they had a generator for their North Charleston studios, there was no generator at the St. George tower site. It was because of this inland transmitter & tower that Q107 was able to stay on-air longer than the other Charleston area radio stations. The staff never left the studios and in fact the station personnel, their families & pets camped out in the radio station awaiting the return of power. The station returned to the air after the storm passed and broadcast vital information to area residents for weeks afterward.
Unfortunately, Q107 entered the 1990s under serious hardship. The station shut down in early 1991 and simulcasted for a brief time with WSUY
in order to stay on the air. WKQB was eventually sold in 1991 to a new owner, which took the station to classic-leaning country music
under the call-letters of WBUB as "Bubba 107.5" in the Spring of 1991.
In 1997, the station was sold to Citadel Broadcasting
as the station dropped the "Bubba 107.5" handle for "Cat Country 107.5" under the WNKT call letters.
On July 5, 2007, WNKT was issued a construction permit to move the station to the Columbia
radio market by relicensing it to the community of Eastover, South Carolina
, leaving the Charleston radio market altogether.
On November 10, 2007, WNKT dropped its country format for a continuous loop of the song "The Dance" by Garth Brooks
, interspaced with liners redirecting listeners to sister country station WIWF
. After two days, the station's over the air signal in Charleston was turned off in preparation for the move to Columbia. WNKT's online stream, however, remained intact, and continued to play Garth Brooks' "The Dance."
On November 12, 2007 at 1:07 p.m., WNKT signed back on from Columbia as "107-5 The Game" adopting a sports talk format. The move included a power reduction from 100,000 watts to 40,000. Citadel merged with Cumulus Media
on September 16, 2011.
Eastover, South Carolina
Eastover is a town in Richland County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 830 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Eastover is located at ....
and serves the Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
market. The Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) to broadcast at 107.5 MHz with an effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
(ERP) of 40 kW. The station goes by the name 107-5 The Game.
History
107.5 signed on January 5, 1971 as WDWQ, the sister to AM WQIZ in St. George, South CarolinaSt. George, South Carolina
Saint George is a town in Dorchester County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,092 at the 2000 census. It has been the county seat of Dorchester County since the latter's formation from Colleton County in 1897....
. The FM station was sold in 1977 to a Washington, DC-based group that moved the studios to North Charleston
North Charleston, South Carolina
North Charleston is the 3rd largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina with incorporated areas in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties. On June 12, 1972 the city of North Charleston incorporated and was the 9th largest city in South Carolina. According to the 2010 Census, North...
and flipped the station to top 40 as "Q107" under the WKQB call sign. The "Q107" moniker was briefly dropped in 1984 for "Power 107" but Q107 was reclaimed one year later. Q107 eventually topped rival CHR WSSX as the #1 CHR in the market on several occasions in the later half in the 1980s under a Dance-leaning CHR format.
Q107 gained fame in September 1989 as it broadcast continuously during Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo was a classical, destructive and rare Cape Verde-type hurricane which struck the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, Montserrat, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and the USA mainland in South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane during September of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season...
's landfall in the Charleston area. The broadcast ended when the station lost power at the transmitter site. Although they had a generator for their North Charleston studios, there was no generator at the St. George tower site. It was because of this inland transmitter & tower that Q107 was able to stay on-air longer than the other Charleston area radio stations. The staff never left the studios and in fact the station personnel, their families & pets camped out in the radio station awaiting the return of power. The station returned to the air after the storm passed and broadcast vital information to area residents for weeks afterward.
Unfortunately, Q107 entered the 1990s under serious hardship. The station shut down in early 1991 and simulcasted for a brief time with WSUY
WALC
WALC is a radio station located in Charleston, South Carolina. The station is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast with 13.5 kW on 100.5 FM...
in order to stay on the air. WKQB was eventually sold in 1991 to a new owner, which took the station to classic-leaning country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
under the call-letters of WBUB as "Bubba 107.5" in the Spring of 1991.
In 1997, the station was sold to Citadel Broadcasting
Citadel Broadcasting
Citadel Broadcasting Corporation was a Las Vegas, Nevada-based broadcast holding company. Citadel owned 243 radio stations across the United States and was the third-largest radio station owner in the country...
as the station dropped the "Bubba 107.5" handle for "Cat Country 107.5" under the WNKT call letters.
On July 5, 2007, WNKT was issued a construction permit to move the station to the Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
radio market by relicensing it to the community of Eastover, South Carolina
Eastover, South Carolina
Eastover is a town in Richland County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 830 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Eastover is located at ....
, leaving the Charleston radio market altogether.
On November 10, 2007, WNKT dropped its country format for a continuous loop of the song "The Dance" by Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks
Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
, interspaced with liners redirecting listeners to sister country station WIWF
WIWF
WIWF is a commercial radio station located in Charleston, South Carolina, broadcasting to the Lowcountry area on 96.9 MHz. WIWF airs a Country music format branded as "96.9 The Wolf."-History:...
. After two days, the station's over the air signal in Charleston was turned off in preparation for the move to Columbia. WNKT's online stream, however, remained intact, and continued to play Garth Brooks' "The Dance."
On November 12, 2007 at 1:07 p.m., WNKT signed back on from Columbia as "107-5 The Game" adopting a sports talk format. The move included a power reduction from 100,000 watts to 40,000. Citadel merged with Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
on September 16, 2011.