WCSL (1590

kHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that on ...

) is an AM

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...

broadcasting a

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

format. Licensed to

Cherryville, North Carolina Cherryville is a small city in northwestern Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,760 at the 2010 census. The New Year's Shooters celebrate the area's German heritage by beginning each year with a customary chant and ...

, United States, the station is currently owned by Calvin Hastings, through licensee KTC Broadcasting, Inc. The station is an affiliate of the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...

radio network, the largest radio affiliate network in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

. The station also carries NASCAR through the

Motor Racing Network Motor Racing Network (MRN) is a U.S. radio network that syndicates broadcasts of auto racing events, particularly NASCAR. MRN was founded in 1970 by NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. and broadcaster Ken Squier, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of ...

and

Performance Racing Network The Performance Racing Network (PRN) is a radio syndication network controlled by Speedway Motorsports (SMI) founded in 1981. PRN airs NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series events held at Speedway Motorsports and Penske Corporation-owned and manag ...

. Also broadcasts Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, North Carolina Tarheel basketball and football and the ACC/NCAA basketball tournament.

History

Don Curtis started WCSL in 1967. In 1983, Calvin Hastings bought WCSL and doubled its power from 500 to 1000 watts. Six years later, he bought WGNC in Gastonia and started KTC Broadcasting. In 1992 he bought WOHS (730 AM) in Shelby and began calling the three stations Piedmont Superstations. WCSL, WGNC and WOHS began airing Atlanta Braves baseball in 1993. On April 1, 1993, KTC took over

WLON WLON (1050 AM) is a radio station broadcasting an oldies format and serving the Lincolnton, North Carolina area, and owned and operated by Calvin Hastings, through licensee KTC Broadcasting, Inc. WLON AM is also the home of Lincoln County footba ...

in Lincolnton in a lease agreement. WLON's Tim Biggerstaff remained as morning DJ, and his show would be heard on all four KTC stations. News for the entire area was expanded. The four stations aired UNC football and basketball,

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...

and

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...

NFL football, and

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

coverage of such events as the

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...

and the

Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...

. The four stations added the NFL

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...

when the team began playing in 1995. They also aired games of the NBA Charlotte Hornets In 2000, the stations began airing the Redskins again instead of the Panthers (WGNC aired the Panthers if there was no conflict). Late in 1999, the four stations changed from

to "super oldies." Biggerstaff, the program director, said country had moved away from its traditional sound. Lillie White remained as midday host, and Andy Foster was afternoon host. Local and sports remained important, and the stations aired the One-on-One sports radio network at night. In 2004, Biggerstaff was still hosting his show on WCSL and WLON despite

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...

-related health problems. Later he moved to Lincolnton-based Hometown Radio's Shelby operation. On WADA he played

classic country Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country and western music hits from past decades. Repertoire The radio format specializes in hits from the 1950s through the early 1980s, and focus primarily on innov ...

music, and he hosted a " Swap Shop" show on WGNC and WOHS. By this time he had experienced a

kidney transplant Kidney transplant or renal transplant is the organ transplant of a kidney into a patient with end-stage kidney disease (ESRD). Kidney transplant is typically classified as deceased-donor (formerly known as cadaveric) or living-donor transplantati ...

and two pancreas transplants.Joe DePriest, "DJ's Listeners Friends in Need and in Deed", ''The Charlotte Observer'', June 7, 2007. WCSL played

Southern gospel Southern gospel music is a genre of Christian music. Its name comes from its origins in the southeastern United States. Its lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as ...

but now airs a COUNTRY format. Effective December 1, 2014, Calvin Hastings repurchased WCSL and WLON from HRN Broadcasting for $240,000, through his licensee KTC Broadcasting, Inc.

References

External links

{{Country Radio Stations in North Carolina

CSL CSL as an abbreviation may stand for: Places * Coordinated Science Laboratory, at the University of Illinois * Liège Space Center (Centre spatial de Liège), at the University of Liege in Belgium * Central Science Laboratory, a former UK DEFRA ...

Radio stations established in 1967 1967 establishments in North Carolina