WROQ
Encyclopedia
WROQ-FM is a Classic rock
station licensed to Anderson, South Carolina
and serves the Upstate South Carolina region, including Greenville
and Spartanburg
. The station has had a Classic Rock and Roll format since December 1, 1987. This makes it one of the oldest Classic Rock stations in the country as far as years with the same format. The Rock 101 Moniker was first used on the station from 1978-1982 and returned in 1987. The Entercom Communications
outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) to broadcast at 101.1 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW. The station goes by the name Rock 101 and its current slogan is "The Upstate's Only Classic Rock Station." Former slogans include "Rock 101.1- The Home of Classic Rock and Roll" and "The Upstates Classic Rock and Roll station".
, the publisher of the Anderson Independent and Daily Mail and one-time US Senator from South Carolina. The station is noted for being one of the earliest FM stations in the state. WCAC-FM had a "beautiful Music
"/ Standards
format for many years. In 1978, after the death of owner/founder Wilton E. Hall, WCAC-FM, WAIM-AM
1230 and WAIM-TV
40 were all sold to Frank Outlaw (the founder of the BI-LO
chain of grocery stores). Outlaw changed the 101 FM format to Rock. The moniker became "Rock 101" in early 1978. The logo was a large flaming fireball with Rock 101 FM in large red letters. The new Rock 101 did MANY local live remotes. Many were held at ABC Jeans in the Belvedere Shopping Plaza in Anderson. It became WAIM-FM in September 1980. For many years, the studios were located on the campus of Anderson College in Anderson, South Carolina. In 1986, the studios were moved about a mile down the road to a location that is going towards the Anderson Jockey Lot. The studios were moved from Anderson to Greenville in 1992. The Rock 101 name and format has been so long-lasting on the station that it has survived during four different sets of call letters beginning with the start of Rock 101 in 1978, those call letters being: WCAC-FM, WAIM-FM, WCKN-FM and now WROQ-FM (since 1991). One of the early D.J.`s on Rock 101 in 1978 was Bill Love (the morning man on WMYI
-FM 102.5). Some of the D.J.`s at Rock 101 over the years have also included: Scott Shannon, Gary Jackson, Lee Rogers, "The Doctor" Mike Allen, Craig Allen, Mike Benson, Max Mace, "The Nightstalker" Big Bill Walker, Scooter Lesley, Diana Daniels, Maddog, Marc Bailey, Spanky Jim Miller, K.C. Carson, "Magoo", The Intern, T.J. Carson, Robert Wagner, J.J. Micheals among many, many others.
In the Fall of 1982, WAIM-FM changed format to a hybrid of Top 40 (CHR
) and Album Rock as WCKN. Known as "Rock 101", the station set off to do battle with then-dominate Top 40 outlet WANS (now WJMZ). In 1984, the station licensed the "Hot Hits
" format from consultant Mike Joseph and tightened up the music, playing only 20 current songs and no re-currents or oldies. This approach did not work and was dropped. In 1986, the playlist was broadened and the "Power 101" moniker was adopted.
Despite these attempts, ratings remained in second place to WANS's dominance in the CHR market. In late November 1987, the station started running promos about "giving the audience what they wanted". On December 1, the CHR format was dropped for Album Rock (with a strong musical lean toward Classic Rock) and the "Rock 101" name was reclaimed. During this time, two very popular shows on Rock 101 were, "The Midnight Tracker" where a random full Rock and Roll album would be played at Midnight all the way through with no commercial interruption. On Friday Nights at Midnight, the same concept but with six albums played all the way back to back. The D.J.`s would state all of the tracks on each album and then play the album all the way trought. The Friday Night show was called "The Friday Night Six Pack". Both of these shows were very popular with listeners and continued on Rock 101 until the mid-1990`s. The WCKN-FM calls were finally dropped for WROQ-FM in February, 1991 as the format shifted toward Active Rock
, but keeping the Rock 101 nickname. This approach was successful as the station became a solid Top 5 performer in the ratings for much of the 90s and early 2000s, eventually going to #1 on several occasions during that time.
The station was eventually acquired by Barnstable Broadcasting in 2002. Since Barnstable at the time had also owned WROQ's main competitor WTPT-FM, it was decided to shift the station back toward Classic Rock. This move was meant to allow both stations some breathing room and ratings have strengthened since that time.
Clear Channel Communications
signed on WBZT-FM
in April 2002 as "96.7 The Buzzard", playing a mix of rock music from the 1960s through the present day. The move was meant to play spoiler to WROQ - however, the idea did not succeed very well, and the rock format was dropped at WBZT in 2007.
In 2011 there was some on-air confusion about the date that Rock 101 started. In early 2011, the station started airing spots saying "20 years of Rock 101". However, the current version of Rock 101 started on December 1, 1987. The "Rock 101" moniker dates back to 1978, where the station was known as Rock 101 until the early 1980`s when they went Top 40. The Rock 101 Moniker returned on December 1, 1987 and the station has had the same format since. After many listeners calling the station about the "20 years" error, the spots were quickly pulled.
The station is owned by Entercom Communications
, which acquired WROQ-FM, along with WTPT-FM and WGVC-FM (now WYRD-FM) from Barnstable in 2005.
Weekends:
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
station licensed to Anderson, South Carolina
Anderson, South Carolina
Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. The population was estimated at 26,242 in 2006, and the city was the center of an urbanized area of 70,530...
and serves the Upstate South Carolina region, including Greenville
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
and Spartanburg
Spartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
. The station has had a Classic Rock and Roll format since December 1, 1987. This makes it one of the oldest Classic Rock stations in the country as far as years with the same format. The Rock 101 Moniker was first used on the station from 1978-1982 and returned in 1987. The Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications Corporation is the fourth-largest broadcasting company in the United States. As of November 2009, Entercom operates 110 radio stations in 23 markets across the United States....
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 101.1 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW. The station goes by the name Rock 101 and its current slogan is "The Upstate's Only Classic Rock Station." Former slogans include "Rock 101.1- The Home of Classic Rock and Roll" and "The Upstates Classic Rock and Roll station".
Station history
101.1 signed on as WCAC-FM in 1947 as the sister station to WAIM-AM 1230. It was owned by Wilton E. HallWilton E. Hall
Wilton Earle Hall was a United States Senator from South Carolina.Born in Starr, South Carolina, he attended the public schools and Furman University . He founded a morning newspaper in Anderson, South Carolina in 1924, and in 1929 acquired an evening newspaper; in 1935 he established radio...
, the publisher of the Anderson Independent and Daily Mail and one-time US Senator from South Carolina. The station is noted for being one of the earliest FM stations in the state. WCAC-FM had a "beautiful Music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
"/ Standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
format for many years. In 1978, after the death of owner/founder Wilton E. Hall, WCAC-FM, WAIM-AM
WAIM
WAIM is a News/Talk radio station located in Anderson, South Carolina. The station is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission on 1230 AM with a full-time effective radiated power of 1 kW, non-directional.-History:...
1230 and WAIM-TV
WMYA-TV
WMYA-TV is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina licensed to Anderson, South Carolina. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 14 from a transmitter in Fountain Inn, South Carolina. The station can also be seen on...
40 were all sold to Frank Outlaw (the founder of the BI-LO
BI-LO (United States)
BI-LO is a supermarket chain headquartered in Mauldin, South Carolina. As of May 2010, BI-LO operates 207 supermarkets in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. The company employs approximately 17,000 people. Supermarket News ranked BI-LO No...
chain of grocery stores). Outlaw changed the 101 FM format to Rock. The moniker became "Rock 101" in early 1978. The logo was a large flaming fireball with Rock 101 FM in large red letters. The new Rock 101 did MANY local live remotes. Many were held at ABC Jeans in the Belvedere Shopping Plaza in Anderson. It became WAIM-FM in September 1980. For many years, the studios were located on the campus of Anderson College in Anderson, South Carolina. In 1986, the studios were moved about a mile down the road to a location that is going towards the Anderson Jockey Lot. The studios were moved from Anderson to Greenville in 1992. The Rock 101 name and format has been so long-lasting on the station that it has survived during four different sets of call letters beginning with the start of Rock 101 in 1978, those call letters being: WCAC-FM, WAIM-FM, WCKN-FM and now WROQ-FM (since 1991). One of the early D.J.`s on Rock 101 in 1978 was Bill Love (the morning man on WMYI
WMYI
WMYI is a Bright Adult Contemporary music formatted radio station licensed to Hendersonville, North Carolina, USA, and serves the Upstate and Western North Carolina regions, including Greenville, Spartanburg, and Asheville, North Carolina...
-FM 102.5). Some of the D.J.`s at Rock 101 over the years have also included: Scott Shannon, Gary Jackson, Lee Rogers, "The Doctor" Mike Allen, Craig Allen, Mike Benson, Max Mace, "The Nightstalker" Big Bill Walker, Scooter Lesley, Diana Daniels, Maddog, Marc Bailey, Spanky Jim Miller, K.C. Carson, "Magoo", The Intern, T.J. Carson, Robert Wagner, J.J. Micheals among many, many others.
In the Fall of 1982, WAIM-FM changed format to a hybrid of Top 40 (CHR
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
) and Album Rock as WCKN. Known as "Rock 101", the station set off to do battle with then-dominate Top 40 outlet WANS (now WJMZ). In 1984, the station licensed the "Hot Hits
Hot Hits
Hot Hits was a radio format created by consultant Mike Joseph in the 1970s. That concept, which helped spur the birth of what is now known as CHR, also revitalized the Top 40 format and would play a role in bringing the format to the FM band throughout the 1980s.The concept was to play only the...
" format from consultant Mike Joseph and tightened up the music, playing only 20 current songs and no re-currents or oldies. This approach did not work and was dropped. In 1986, the playlist was broadened and the "Power 101" moniker was adopted.
Despite these attempts, ratings remained in second place to WANS's dominance in the CHR market. In late November 1987, the station started running promos about "giving the audience what they wanted". On December 1, the CHR format was dropped for Album Rock (with a strong musical lean toward Classic Rock) and the "Rock 101" name was reclaimed. During this time, two very popular shows on Rock 101 were, "The Midnight Tracker" where a random full Rock and Roll album would be played at Midnight all the way through with no commercial interruption. On Friday Nights at Midnight, the same concept but with six albums played all the way back to back. The D.J.`s would state all of the tracks on each album and then play the album all the way trought. The Friday Night show was called "The Friday Night Six Pack". Both of these shows were very popular with listeners and continued on Rock 101 until the mid-1990`s. The WCKN-FM calls were finally dropped for WROQ-FM in February, 1991 as the format shifted toward Active Rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
, but keeping the Rock 101 nickname. This approach was successful as the station became a solid Top 5 performer in the ratings for much of the 90s and early 2000s, eventually going to #1 on several occasions during that time.
The station was eventually acquired by Barnstable Broadcasting in 2002. Since Barnstable at the time had also owned WROQ's main competitor WTPT-FM, it was decided to shift the station back toward Classic Rock. This move was meant to allow both stations some breathing room and ratings have strengthened since that time.
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
signed on WBZT-FM
WROO
WROO is a Christian Contemporary station licensed to Mauldin, South Carolina and serves the Upstate, including Greater Greenville and some of Spartanburg. The Clear Channel Communications outlet is licensed by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 96.7 MHz with an ERP of...
in April 2002 as "96.7 The Buzzard", playing a mix of rock music from the 1960s through the present day. The move was meant to play spoiler to WROQ - however, the idea did not succeed very well, and the rock format was dropped at WBZT in 2007.
In 2011 there was some on-air confusion about the date that Rock 101 started. In early 2011, the station started airing spots saying "20 years of Rock 101". However, the current version of Rock 101 started on December 1, 1987. The "Rock 101" moniker dates back to 1978, where the station was known as Rock 101 until the early 1980`s when they went Top 40. The Rock 101 Moniker returned on December 1, 1987 and the station has had the same format since. After many listeners calling the station about the "20 years" error, the spots were quickly pulled.
The station is owned by Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications Corporation is the fourth-largest broadcasting company in the United States. As of November 2009, Entercom operates 110 radio stations in 23 markets across the United States....
, which acquired WROQ-FM, along with WTPT-FM and WGVC-FM (now WYRD-FM) from Barnstable in 2005.
On-air lineup
- 6:00AM–10:00AM John Boy and BillyJohn Boy and BillyJohn Isley and Billy James, known as John Boy & Billy, named after "John-Boy Harris and brother Bross Harris", are American radio hosts based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Their comedic morning program The John Boy & Billy Big Show broadcasts from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m...
- news with Larry Wilson - 10:00AM–2:00PM "Stoneman" J.D. Stone
- 2:00PM–7:00PM Brian Blades
- 7:00PM–12:AM Larry Wilson
- 12AM–6:00AM 101% Classic Rock
Weekends:
- Russ Johnson
- Chuck Hamilton
- Flashback With Bill St. James