WYFQ
Encyclopedia
WYFQ at 93.5 FM and 930 AM are two stations broadcasting the Bible Broadcasting Network
in the Charlotte, North Carolina
area. The AM station operates with a power of 5,000 watts daytime and 1,000 watts nighttime. A directional antenna system is used during the station's nighttime hours. The FM station operates with a power of 8,700 watts, and is licensed to the city of Wadesboro, North Carolina
.
market first went on the air with the call letters WIST in 1947, it was founded by Cosmos Broadcasting Company, and was a sister station to Columbia, South Carolina
's heritage station WIS
-AM. Its first studios were on North Tryon Street, two blocks from the square in uptown Charlotte.
As WIST, the station was initially an affiliate of the Mutual Broadcasting System
, but by the late 1950s it had dropped the network to become Charlotte's first independent radio station and Charlotte's first Top-40 station. Popular deejays at that time included Jimmy Kilgo, Bob Chessen and Jim Martin.
In the early 1960s, in a rare move for broadcasters of the day, WIST traded frequencies with WSOC-AM at 1240 on the dial (now WHVN
).
(103.7) and WSOC-TV
(channel 9). The station's MOR music format and NBC Radio Network affiliation came to 930, as well as WSOC's heritage morning announcer Jack Knight
.
Knight eventually was replaced as morning announcer by Denny Mills, and returned to the air on his old 1240 frequency on the then-WIST. Other popular announcers on WSOC in those days included Glenn Hamrick, Bill Currie
and Jack Callaghan.
Tar Heels beyond the immediate area of Chapel Hill
, Raleigh
, and Durham
. Bill Currie did the play-by-play announcing, and Jack Callaghan provided color commentary. One of the stations on their network was Chapel Hill's own WCHL, to whom WSOC sold the network in 1965.
-TV afternoon children's host Tony Alexi. WSOC carried an extensive schedule of Atlanta Braves
baseball games and North Carolina State University
football and basketball.
programming on WSOC, and the station went to an Adult Standards
music format ("The music that never goes out of style"). In an effort to retain its heritage, but differentiate the station from its Country
-formatted sister station WSOC-FM, the station was branded in slogans and jingles as "AM 93-WSOC". The Larry King show was retained overnights, and was joined for a time by a network sports-talk operation called Enterprise Radio. Popular announcers during this time included Jim Hutton
, Ed Ross, Jim Wall and Mike Sheridan
.
Three years later, former WBT
program director Andy Bickel was hired as consultant and took the station into an Adult Contemporary format. The format was not competitive with the other stations in Charlotte established in this format, and was abandoned early in 1985.
that WSOC-FM had carved out in their then-16 years in the format. At times, AM-93 was programmed separately in midday and evening hours, and simulcast the FM during drive time.
WSOC's AM station began an experimental Country Oldies format dubbed "Country Gold 93", once again with a separate staff from the FM except during overnight hours. Morning announcer during this time was Jim Wall. Though it showed promise for gaining a toehold with the country audience in Charlotte, the owners abandoned the format early in 1986, except for Janet King's midday show, when the AM's ratings began to weaken, and WSOC AM-93 permanently became the shadowed sister of WSOC-FM.
Atlanta Braves
prior to 1986, when the station added the Class AA Charlotte O's baseball team. The station would continue to air a CBS radio
major league baseball game of the week, the All-Star Game
, and post-season games. The O's changed their name to the Knights in the 1988 season and in 1989, in addition to the Knights, WSOC planned to air 99 Chicago Cubs
games, plus 25 games each from the Braves, the Baltimore Orioles
and the Minnesota Twins
.
races were being aired on WSOC-FM.
In 1990, the owners Cox Communications
began to court a buyer for the 930 frequency, and in late 1991 it was announced that 930 AM was to be sold to the Bible Broadcasting Network
.
Popular announcers on the BBN Network include Mike Dize, Hank Farrior and Vic Gregory
As a BBN station, no commercial advertisements are broadcast. Funding is raised from listener donations.
When BBN began a Spanish-Language radio network Red de Radiodifusión Bíblica
, some of its programming was aired on WYFQ. Programming on the station later returned to full-time English broadcasts.
Three months after purchasing the station, the entire operation of BBN moved from Chesapeake, Virginia
to Charlotte, making WYFQ the flagship station for the network.
The station now broadcasts from the BBN Studios at 11530 Carmel Commons Boulevard in Charlotte.
The original construction permit for 93.5 FM was obtained by Risden Lyon and his son, Allen Lyon in 1989. Risden Lyon died on December 31, 1991, and Allen carried on with the licensing process for another four years, obtaining the final construction permit for WRPL FM (93.5) in 1995. He constructed the station in the summer of 1995, and sold it to the Bible Broadcasting Network in February 1996.
Its operation was combined with BBN's already established Charlotte AM station as WYFQ AM and FM. Today, the combined stations share a station manager and the entire technical staff of BBN's English broadcast contributes to their operation.
Bible Broadcasting Network
The Bible Broadcasting Network is a listener-supported global Christian radio network staffed and headquartered in Charlotte, NC. The programming consists of 50% outside ministries, 30% music and 20% BBN produced programs...
in the 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...
area. The AM station operates with a power of 5,000 watts daytime and 1,000 watts nighttime. A directional antenna system is used during the station's nighttime hours. The FM station operates with a power of 8,700 watts, and is licensed to the city of Wadesboro, North Carolina
Wadesboro, North Carolina
Wadesboro is a town in Anson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,780 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Anson County.-Geography:Wadesboro is located at ....
.
History
The 930 frequency in the CharlotteCharlotte, 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...
market first went on the air with the call letters WIST in 1947, it was founded by Cosmos Broadcasting Company, and was a sister station to 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...
's heritage station WIS
WIS
WIS, channel 10, is an NBC-affiliated television station in Columbia, South Carolina, USA. Owned by Raycom Media, WIS has studios on Bull Street in downtown Columbia, and transmitter located in Lugoff, South Carolina.-History:...
-AM. Its first studios were on North Tryon Street, two blocks from the square in uptown Charlotte.
As WIST, the station was initially an affiliate of the Mutual Broadcasting System
Mutual Broadcasting System
The Mutual Broadcasting System was an American radio network, in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the golden age of U.S. radio drama, MBS was best known as the original network home of The Lone Ranger and The Adventures of Superman and as the long-time radio residence of The Shadow...
, but by the late 1950s it had dropped the network to become Charlotte's first independent radio station and Charlotte's first Top-40 station. Popular deejays at that time included Jimmy Kilgo, Bob Chessen and Jim Martin.
In the early 1960s, in a rare move for broadcasters of the day, WIST traded frequencies with WSOC-AM at 1240 on the dial (now WHVN
WHVN
WHVN is a radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format. Licensed to Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, it serves the area. The station is currently owned by WHVN Inc...
).
93-WSOC ("Good Music")
As WSOC, the 930 frequency became part of the legacy of Charlotte's second-oldest broadcasting company, and gained sister stations in WSOC-FMWSOC-FM
WSOC-FM 103.7 is a country radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina. The station is owned by New York City-based CBS Radio. Its primary competitor in the country format is 96.9 The Kat...
(103.7) and WSOC-TV
WSOC-TV
WSOC-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is owned by Cox Enterprises. The station's studio is located at North Tryon and 23rd Streets, just north of Uptown Charlotte, and is shared with sister station WAXN-TV . The transmitter is located just outside...
(channel 9). The station's MOR music format and NBC Radio Network affiliation came to 930, as well as WSOC's heritage morning announcer Jack Knight
Jack Knight
Jack Knight is the name of:*Jack Knight, US Airmail Pilot, airline builder*Jack Knight , American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball*Jack L...
.
Knight eventually was replaced as morning announcer by Denny Mills, and returned to the air on his old 1240 frequency on the then-WIST. Other popular announcers on WSOC in those days included Glenn Hamrick, Bill Currie
Bill Currie
William Cleveland Currie is a retired American professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher whose ten-year minor league career was punctuated by a three-game stint in Major League Baseball with the Washington Senators.From 1950–1959, the , Currie compiled a 92–72 win-loss record...
and Jack Callaghan.
Carolina Basketball Network
In the early 1960s WSOC made the first attempt to produce and network the basketball games of the University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
Tar Heels beyond the immediate area of Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
, 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...
, and 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...
. Bill Currie did the play-by-play announcing, and Jack Callaghan provided color commentary. One of the stations on their network was Chapel Hill's own WCHL, to whom WSOC sold the network in 1965.
NewsRadio 93
On August 16, 1976, WSOC dropped its music programming to become "NewsRadio 93", an all-news formatted station. It was the first in the Carolinas to do so. Much of its programming came from NBC Radio's News and Information Service (NIS) during its first year. When NBC dropped that service WSOC remained all-news, adding local news personnel in the process. Popular newscasters on WSOC in those days included Jim Cundiff (air name Jim David) and the first female news director in North Carolina Leslie Wolfe (who married Cundiff while they worked as the morning drive news co-anchor team). Overnights, the station carried The Larry King Show from the Mutual Broadcasting System, and eventually Mutual's radio newscasts found their way into the daytime news programming of the station.The Voice of Charlotte
WSOC's programming made a shift in 1978, as all-news programming was replaced in middays by a local talk show hosted by Dick Pomerantz. His hosting of the midday talk show was short lived, but other talk shows, both local and network, made their way to WSOC over the next four years. In addition to Pomerantz, popular talk hosts on the station included WCCBWCCB
WCCB is the Fox affiliate television station in Charlotte, North Carolina. The station's headquarters are located just outside Uptown, off Independence Boulevard across from Bojangles' Coliseum at . It is the flagship station of its owner and operator, Bahakel Communications...
-TV afternoon children's host Tony Alexi. WSOC carried an extensive schedule of Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
baseball games and North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
football and basketball.
AM 93-WSOC
By 1981, the decision was made to drop news and talkTalk 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...
programming on WSOC, and the station went to an Adult 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...
music format ("The music that never goes out of style"). In an effort to retain its heritage, but differentiate the station from its Country
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...
-formatted sister station WSOC-FM, the station was branded in slogans and jingles as "AM 93-WSOC". The Larry King show was retained overnights, and was joined for a time by a network sports-talk operation called Enterprise Radio. Popular announcers during this time included Jim Hutton
Jim Hutton
Dana James Hutton , usually credited as Jim Hutton, was an American actor in film and television probably best remembered for his role as Ellery Queen in the 1970s TV series of the same name.-Early life and career:...
, Ed Ross, Jim Wall and Mike Sheridan
Mike Sheridan
Michael J. 'Mike' Sheridan is a former Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, the lower house of the Wisconsin legislature, and a former Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, who represented the 44th Assembly District from 2005 to 2011...
.
Three years later, former WBT
WBT (AM)
WBT is a radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina, broadcasting on the AM dial at 1110 kHz. A 50,000-watt clear-channel station, it can be heard across most of the eastern half of North America at night. It simulcasts on WBT-FM, at 99.3 MHz in Chester, South Carolina. It is owned by Greater...
program director Andy Bickel was hired as consultant and took the station into an Adult Contemporary format. The format was not competitive with the other stations in Charlotte established in this format, and was abandoned early in 1985.
Country Music and WSOC-FM Simulcasts
WSOC's owners then tried to find a place for AM 93 within the established bounds of Country MusicCountry 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...
that WSOC-FM had carved out in their then-16 years in the format. At times, AM-93 was programmed separately in midday and evening hours, and simulcast the FM during drive time.
WSOC's AM station began an experimental Country Oldies format dubbed "Country Gold 93", once again with a separate staff from the FM except during overnight hours. Morning announcer during this time was Jim Wall. Though it showed promise for gaining a toehold with the country audience in Charlotte, the owners abandoned the format early in 1986, except for Janet King's midday show, when the AM's ratings began to weaken, and WSOC AM-93 permanently became the shadowed sister of WSOC-FM.
Baseball
WSOC aired the Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
prior to 1986, when the station added the Class AA Charlotte O's baseball team. The station would continue to air a CBS radio
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...
major league baseball game of the week, the All-Star Game
All-star game
An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league, except in the circumstances of professional sports systems in which a democratic voting system is used...
, and post-season games. The O's changed their name to the Knights in the 1988 season and in 1989, in addition to the Knights, WSOC planned to air 99 Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
games, plus 25 games each from the Braves, the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
and the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
.
Time for a Change?
By the end of the 1980s, the only separate programming on WSOC AM-93 was college football and basketball, minor league baseball, and Sunday morning religious programming. One interesting innovation attempted during this period was to play music on WSOC-AM while NASCARNASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
races were being aired on WSOC-FM.
In 1990, the owners Cox Communications
Cox Communications
Cox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television, telecommunications and wireless services in the United States...
began to court a buyer for the 930 frequency, and in late 1991 it was announced that 930 AM was to be sold to the Bible Broadcasting Network
Bible Broadcasting Network
The Bible Broadcasting Network is a listener-supported global Christian radio network staffed and headquartered in Charlotte, NC. The programming consists of 50% outside ministries, 30% music and 20% BBN produced programs...
.
BBN Comes to Charlotte
WYFQ 93.5 FM aired its first broadcasts on February 12, 1996. The station airs the complete national program and music schedule of BBN, plus locally-produced public affairs programming and public service announcements.Popular announcers on the BBN Network include Mike Dize, Hank Farrior and Vic Gregory
As a BBN station, no commercial advertisements are broadcast. Funding is raised from listener donations.
When BBN began a Spanish-Language radio network Red de Radiodifusión Bíblica
Red de Radiodifusión Bíblica
Red de Radiodifusión Bíblica is a religious, Spanish-language radio network operated by the Charlotte, North Carolina based Bible Broadcasting Network....
, some of its programming was aired on WYFQ. Programming on the station later returned to full-time English broadcasts.
Three months after purchasing the station, the entire operation of BBN moved from Chesapeake, Virginia
Chesapeake, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 199,184 people, 69,900 households, and 54,172 families residing in the city. The population density was 584.6 people per square mile . There were 72,672 housing units at an average density of 213.3 per square mile...
to Charlotte, making WYFQ the flagship station for the network.
The station now broadcasts from the BBN Studios at 11530 Carmel Commons Boulevard in Charlotte.
The original construction permit for 93.5 FM was obtained by Risden Lyon and his son, Allen Lyon in 1989. Risden Lyon died on December 31, 1991, and Allen carried on with the licensing process for another four years, obtaining the final construction permit for WRPL FM (93.5) in 1995. He constructed the station in the summer of 1995, and sold it to the Bible Broadcasting Network in February 1996.
Its operation was combined with BBN's already established Charlotte AM station as WYFQ AM and FM. Today, the combined stations share a station manager and the entire technical staff of BBN's English broadcast contributes to their operation.