WSPA-FM
Encyclopedia
WSPA-FM is an Adult Contemporary radio station licensed to Spartanburg, South Carolina
and serves the Upstate region, including Greenville
and Spartanburg
. The Entercom Communications
outlet is licensed to the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) to broadcast at 98.9 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW. The station goes by the name Magic 98.9 and its current slogan is '"Today's Lite Rock." It simulcasts in Asheville, NC at 97.7 MHz.
The coverage area for Magic 98.9 covers parts of 5 states (North Carolina
, South Carolina
, Georgia
, Virginia
and Tennessee
) and includes 94 counties stretching from Atlanta, GA to Charlotte, North Carolina
. WSPA is owned by Philadelphia based Entercom Communications
. The transmitter tower (which is visible as far as 35 miles away) is located atop Hogback Mountain, near Landrum
.
The station's playlist mainly consists of soft rock/pop music from the 1970s through present. Its main competition is WMYI
, who broadcasts a Hot AC format.
AM 950. It was South Carolina's first FM radio station. Also, on August 1, 1960, WSPA-FM became the first station in South Carolina (as well as the Southeast) to broadcast in stereo
. WSPA-FM was also the sixth station in the world to broadcast in stereo.
For many years WSPA-FM was a beautiful music
station. In the early 1990s the station changed to MOR known then as 'Lite-FM 98.9.' In 1992, the station became known as "Lite Rock 98.9" with a soft adult contemporary format, then the station switched to "Magic 98.9" in 2002; in recent years the station's sound has moved in a more mainstream AC direction.
WSPA-FM was originally owned by SpartanRadiocasting until selling to Keymarket, who were then taken over by Sinclair Broadcasting in the 1990s and early 2000s until being acquired by Entercom Communications
. The station has gone through a number of morning shows (see below). Afternoon host Stacie Bartro moved to the station in 2006 after working at the former 103.3/103.9
and 106.3 The Walk changed formats. Mid-day host Lee Alexander has been a staple of upstate radio since the 1970s, working at stations such as WQOK-AM and WFBC-FM. The station is the area affiliate for The John Tesh Radio Show
.
In the Summer 2008 ratings (12+), WSPA-FM made it to third place, only behind WJMZ-FM and WESC-FM
, and frequently enjoys a top 5 finish in the 12+ Arbitron ratings. Until July of 2011, the station competed head-on with Clear Channel Communications
' WMYI; that station transitioned to Hot AC, leaving WSPA as the only mainstream Adult Contemporary station in the market. Every year, around the second week of November, the station transitions to an all-Christmas format, a tradition that began in the early 2000s. The adult contemporary format resumes on December 26.
From 2008 until 2010, the station used what it called 'song tags.' These played after every song played on the station stating the artist and the name of the song in a semi-robotic voice recorded by Stacie Bartro.
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...
and serves the Upstate 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 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 to 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 98.9 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW. The station goes by the name Magic 98.9 and its current slogan is '"Today's Lite Rock." It simulcasts in Asheville, NC at 97.7 MHz.
The coverage area for Magic 98.9 covers parts of 5 states (North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
) and includes 94 counties stretching from Atlanta, GA to Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. WSPA is owned by Philadelphia based 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....
. The transmitter tower (which is visible as far as 35 miles away) is located atop Hogback Mountain, near Landrum
Landrum, South Carolina
Landrum is a city in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,376 at the 2010 census.It was founded in 1880 and incorporated in 1912...
.
The station's playlist mainly consists of soft rock/pop music from the 1970s through present. Its main competition is 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...
, who broadcasts a Hot AC format.
History
WSPA-FM signed on the air August 29, 1946 as the sister station to WSPAWOLI (AM)
WOLI AM 910 is a radio station located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The station is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast with an effective radiated power of 3.6 kW. in the daytime and 890 watts at night under separate directional signal patterns...
AM 950. It was South Carolina's first FM radio station. Also, on August 1, 1960, WSPA-FM became the first station in South Carolina (as well as the Southeast) to broadcast in stereo
STEREO
STEREO is a solar observation mission. Two nearly identical spacecraft were launched into orbits that cause them to respectively pull farther ahead of and fall gradually behind the Earth...
. WSPA-FM was also the sixth station in the world to broadcast in stereo.
For many years WSPA-FM was 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...
station. In the early 1990s the station changed to MOR known then as 'Lite-FM 98.9.' In 1992, the station became known as "Lite Rock 98.9" with a soft adult contemporary format, then the station switched to "Magic 98.9" in 2002; in recent years the station's sound has moved in a more mainstream AC direction.
WSPA-FM was originally owned by SpartanRadiocasting until selling to Keymarket, who were then taken over by Sinclair Broadcasting in the 1990s and early 2000s until being acquired 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....
. The station has gone through a number of morning shows (see below). Afternoon host Stacie Bartro moved to the station in 2006 after working at the former 103.3/103.9
WOLI-FM
WOLI-FM, also known as "La Nueva 103.9", is a Regional Mexican radio station located in Greenville, South Carolina. The station is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to the town of Easley and broadcasts on 103.9 FM with a effective radiated power of 6000 watts...
and 106.3 The Walk changed formats. Mid-day host Lee Alexander has been a staple of upstate radio since the 1970s, working at stations such as WQOK-AM and WFBC-FM. The station is the area affiliate for The John Tesh Radio Show
John Tesh
John Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK...
.
In the Summer 2008 ratings (12+), WSPA-FM made it to third place, only behind WJMZ-FM and WESC-FM
WESC-FM
WESC-FM is a Country music radio station licensed to Greenville, South Carolina and serves the Upstate region, including Greenville and Spartanburg. The Clear Channel Communications outlet is licensed to the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 92.5 MHz with an effective radiated...
, and frequently enjoys a top 5 finish in the 12+ Arbitron ratings. Until July of 2011, the station competed head-on with 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...
' WMYI; that station transitioned to Hot AC, leaving WSPA as the only mainstream Adult Contemporary station in the market. Every year, around the second week of November, the station transitions to an all-Christmas format, a tradition that began in the early 2000s. The adult contemporary format resumes on December 26.
From 2008 until 2010, the station used what it called 'song tags.' These played after every song played on the station stating the artist and the name of the song in a semi-robotic voice recorded by Stacie Bartro.
Programming
- 5:30AM–8:00AM Magic Mornings w/ John & Lauren
- 9:00AM–2:00PM Lee Alexander
- 2:00PM–7:00PM Stacie Bartro
- 7:00PM–12:00AM John TeshJohn TeshJohn Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK...
Former on-air staff
- Bo GriffinBo GriffinBonita "Bo" Griffin was an American television and radio personality from Greenville, South Carolina. She is best remembered for her exuberant and buoyant personality....
- Greg McKinney
- John Gosnell
- Kimberly Kelly
- Mark Hamlin
- Michael McKeel
- Monnie Whitson
- Rick Woodell
- Rocky Valentine
- TK
- Mike Vassey
- Jeff Warren
- Craig Debolt
- Bob Morgan
- sen van wessel
Morning Shows
- Rick Woodell (later Rick & Kimberly), ?-2005
- Bo Griffin, 2005–2006
- TK & Monnie, 2006–2008
- Mark & Monnie, 2008-early 2009
- Monnie, 2009-early 2010
- Bo & Lauren, 2010-2011
- John & Lauren, 2011-