WWNC
Encyclopedia
WWNC is a radio station
in Asheville, North Carolina
. It transmits at 5000 Watt
s of power. It currently has a News
/Talk
format and is affiliated with Fox News Radio
. WWNC is under ownership of Capstar Broadcasting through Clear Channel Communications
.
The first time the world heard of Bill Monroe
and the Blue Grass Boys was February 2, 1939 at 3:30PM when the group played a fifteen minute segment on Mountain Music Time. At the time, WWNC was an NBC
affiliate, owned by the Asheville-Citizen Times. Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys played the daily 3:30-3:45 Mountain Music spot until April 1, 1939 when WWNC became a CBS
affiliate and moved to the Asheville Citizen-Times
building.
At one time, the station was home to "Amos and Andy", "Fibber McGee and Molly
", and "Jack Benny
". In 1938, WWNC was one of the many stations airing Orson Welles
' The War of the Worlds
. Prior to 1969, when the format changed to country music
, WWNC played middle of the road music.
In the days before FM became popular, WWNC was sometimes the most popular station in the United States with an Arbitron
share over 40 percent, sometimes as high as 50 percent for Scotty Rhodarmer.
In 2002, WWNC changed its format from country music
(except for the morning show) to news/talk, taking over talk shows previously heard on WTZY (now WPEK
). In 2004, Rhodarmer retired as WWNC morning host after more than 40 years in the position and 50 years as a station employee. In 1979, he had 56 percent of the audience according to Arbitron, more than any other local radio personality. His theme song was "Carolina in the Morning."
On June 18, 2010, many of the former DJs had a reunion. They included Rhodarmer, Frank Byrd, Wiley Carpenter, John Roten, John Anderson and Randy Houston. Roten now produces the morning show.
Western Carolina University
plans a program in December 2010, which WWNC will air, recreating Welles' 1938 broadcast of A Christmas Carol
, including Arthur Anderson
, who at age 16 performed with Welles in the original broadcast.
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...
in Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
. It transmits at 5000 Watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s of power. It currently has a News
News
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
/Talk
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
format and is affiliated with Fox News Radio
Fox News Radio
Fox News Radio is an American radio network programmed by Fox News Channel.- History :In 2003, Fox News began syndicating one minute radio updates to radio stations via syndication service Westwood One. On June 1, 2005, Fox News Radio employed 60 people and provided five minute newscasts at the top...
. WWNC is under ownership of Capstar Broadcasting through 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...
.
History
WWNC, whose call letters stand for "Wonderful Western North Carolina," signed on the air February 21, 1927, as Asheville's first radio station, broadcasting from the Vanderbilt Hotel. Other broadcast locations have included the Flat Iron Building and the Citizen-Times building.The first time the world heard of Bill Monroe
Bill Monroe
William Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader...
and the Blue Grass Boys was February 2, 1939 at 3:30PM when the group played a fifteen minute segment on Mountain Music Time. At the time, WWNC was an NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate, owned by the Asheville-Citizen Times. Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys played the daily 3:30-3:45 Mountain Music spot until April 1, 1939 when WWNC became a CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate and moved to the Asheville Citizen-Times
Asheville Citizen-Times
The Asheville Citizen-Times is the major daily newspaper of Asheville, North Carolina. It was formed in 1991 as a result of a merger of the morning Asheville Citizen and the afternoon Asheville Times. It is owned by Gannett.-History:...
building.
At one time, the station was home to "Amos and Andy", "Fibber McGee and Molly
Fibber McGee and Molly
Fibber McGee and Molly was an American radio comedy series which maintained its popularity over decades. It premiered on NBC in 1935 and continued until its demise in 1959, long after radio had ceased to be the dominant form of entertainment in American popular culture.-Husband and wife in real...
", and "Jack Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
". In 1938, WWNC was one of the many stations airing Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
' The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds (radio)
The War of the Worlds was an episode of the American radio drama anthology series Mercury Theatre on the Air. It was performed as a Halloween episode of the series on October 30, 1938, and aired over the Columbia Broadcasting System radio network. Directed and narrated by actor and future filmmaker...
. Prior to 1969, when the format changed to 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...
, WWNC played middle of the road music.
In the days before FM became popular, WWNC was sometimes the most popular station in the United States with an Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
share over 40 percent, sometimes as high as 50 percent for Scotty Rhodarmer.
In 2002, WWNC changed its format from 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...
(except for the morning show) to news/talk, taking over talk shows previously heard on WTZY (now WPEK
WPEK
WPEK , known as "880 the Revolution", is a daytime-only AM radio station in Fairview, North Carolina serving the greater Asheville, North Carolina area.-History:...
). In 2004, Rhodarmer retired as WWNC morning host after more than 40 years in the position and 50 years as a station employee. In 1979, he had 56 percent of the audience according to Arbitron, more than any other local radio personality. His theme song was "Carolina in the Morning."
On June 18, 2010, many of the former DJs had a reunion. They included Rhodarmer, Frank Byrd, Wiley Carpenter, John Roten, John Anderson and Randy Houston. Roten now produces the morning show.
Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University is a coeducational public university located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, United States. The university is a constituent campus of the University of North Carolina system....
plans a program in December 2010, which WWNC will air, recreating Welles' 1938 broadcast of A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 17 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of...
, including Arthur Anderson
Arthur Anderson (voice actor)
Arthur Anderson is an actor of films, television and the stage. His career began on radio during the early 1930s.-Let's Pretend:...
, who at age 16 performed with Welles in the original broadcast.