WQOK is a Mainstream Urban

Mainstream Urban

Mainstream Urban is a term used to describe a radio format similar to an Urban Contemporary format. The format differentiates itself due to two factors: playlist composition and target demographic...

 formatted broadcast

Broadcasting

Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...

 radio station

Radio station

Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...

 licensed to Carrboro, North Carolina

Carrboro, North Carolina

Carrboro is a town in Orange County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 19,582 at the 2010 census. The town, which is part of the Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan statistical area, was named after North Carolina industrialist Julian Shakespeare Carr.Located near Chapel Hill and...

, serving the Raleigh

Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...

/Durham

Durham, North Carolina

Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...

 area. WQOK is owned and operated by Radio One.

History

97.5 FM signed on the air in 1968 as a small market 3000 watt FM station serving South Boston Virginia. In 1987, Radio entrepreneur Tom Joyner purchased the station and moved the transmitter tower closer to Raleigh North Carolina and upgraded it's licensed power from 3000 watts to 100,000 watts , though keeping the city of license in South Boston. The new tower and coverage area would maintain a "city grade" signal over South Boston as required by the FCC, but also put a strong signal over Raleigh as well. Closing down the original South Boston facilities, the station later signed on from brand new studios in Raleigh as WQOK doing an Urban format and by Winter 1991 claimed the number one spot in the ratings..

Joyner later sold the station to Ragan Henry Broadcasting, who were eventually purchased by Clear Channel. In 2000, as a result of the Clear Channel/AMFM merger, WQOK was sold to Radio One Broadcasting, who continues to own the station today.

In September 2009, WQOK changed their city of license from South Boston to Carrboro, decreased from Class C1 to C2, and transmit from Durham. This eliminated all coverage of Virginia, though it will reduce a short-spacing issue with Charlottesville's WWWV

WWWV

WWWV is an Active Rock formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Charlottesville, Virginia, and serves Central Virginia and the Central Shenandoah Valley...

. The station's new tower is shared with WFXC.

WQOK is home to the Russ Parr

Russ Parr

Russ Parr is an American radio and television personality.-Career:Parr began as a Production Services Director at ABC TV....

Morning Show.