WPTI (94.5
FM) is a
commercial
Commercial may refer to:
* a dose of advertising conveyed through media (such as - for example - radio or television)
** Radio advertisement
** Television advertisement
* (adjective for:) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and s ...
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 ...
, owned by
iHeartMedia
iHeartMedia, Inc., formerly CC Media Holdings, Inc., is an American mass media corporation headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It is the holding company of iHeartCommunications, Inc. (formerly Clear Channel Communications, Inc.), a company fou ...
,
licensed
A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit).
A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...
to
Eden, North Carolina
Eden is a city in Rockingham County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Eden is the largest city in Rockingham County and is part of the Greensboro-High Point Metropolitan Statistical Area of the Piedmont Triad metro region. As of the 2020 ...
, and serving the
Piedmont Triad
The Piedmont Triad (or simply the Triad) is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of North Carolina anchored by three cities: Greensboro, North Carolina, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Winston-Salem, and H ...
, including the
Greensboro
Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte and Raleigh, the 69th-most populous city in the Un ...
–
Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in N ...
–
High Point media market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area (DMA), television market area, or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same (or similar) television and radio station offerings, and may also incl ...
. The station broadcasts a
talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often featur ...
format
Format may refer to:
Printing and visual media
* Text formatting, the typesetting of text elements
* Paper formats, or paper size standards
* Newspaper format, the size of the paper page
Computing
* File format, particular way that informatio ...
; its
studios
A studio is an artist or worker's workroom. This can be for the purpose of acting, architecture, painting, pottery (ceramics), sculpture, origami, woodworking, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, industrial d ...
and offices are located on Pai Park near
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...
in Greensboro.
WPTI has an
effective radiated power
Effective radiated power (ERP), synonymous with equivalent radiated power, is an IEEE standardized definition of directional radio frequency (RF) power, such as that emitted by a radio transmitter. It is the total power in watts that would hav ...
(ERP) of 100,000
watt
The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James Wa ...
s, the current maximum for FM stations. The signal provides at least secondary coverage from the southern suburbs of
Roanoke to the western suburbs of
Raleigh-Durham
The Research Triangle, or simply The Triangle, are both common nicknames for a metropolitan area in the Piedmont region of North Carolina in the United States, anchored by the cities of Raleigh and Durham and the town of Chapel Hill, home to th ...
. The
transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna (radio), antenna. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which i ...
is located further north than most of the major Triad stations, allowing much of
Southside Virginia
Southside, or Southside Virginia, has traditionally referred to the portion of the state south of the James River, the geographic feature from which the term derives its name. This was the first area to be developed in the colonial period.
Duri ...
(
Martinsville,
Danville) to get a city-grade signal. The
tower
A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...
is on Lowe Road in
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
. WPTI broadcasts using
HD Radio
HD Radio (HDR) is a trademark for an in-band on-channel (IBOC) digital radio broadcast technology. It generally simulcasts an existing analog radio station in digital format with less noise and with additional text information. HD Radio is used ...
technology and carries the iHeartRadio replay channel of the syndicated music show "On the Move with Enrique Santos", heard mostly on
Top 40
In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or " con ...
stations, on its HD-2
digital subchannel
In broadcasting, digital subchannels are a method of transmitting more than one independent program stream simultaneously from the same digital radio or television station on the same radio frequency channel. This is done by using data compress ...
.
Programming
Weekdays on WPTI begin with a local news and information show hosted by K.C. O'Dea. The rest of the weekday schedule is made up of
nationally syndicated talk shows, most of them from co-owned
Premiere Networks
Premiere Networks (formerly Premiere Radio Networks, shortened as PRN) is an American media company, a wholly owned subsidiary of iHeartMedia, for which it currently serves as its main original radio content distribution and production arm. It ...
:
Glenn Beck
Glenn Lee Beck (born February 10, 1964) is an American conservative political commentator, radio host, entrepreneur, and television producer. He is the CEO, founder, and owner of Mercury Radio Arts, the parent company of his television and rad ...
,
Clay Travis & Buck Sexton,
Sean Hannity
Sean Patrick Hannity (born December 30, 1961) is an American talk show host, conservative political commentator, and author. He is the host of ''The Sean Hannity Show'', a nationally syndicated talk radio show, and has also hosted a commentar ...
,
Dave Ramsey
David Lawrence Ramsey III (born September 3, 1960) is an American personal finance personality, radio show host, author, and businessman. An evangelical Christian, he hosts the nationally syndicated radio program ''The Ramsey Show''. Ramsey has ...
,
Jesse Kelly
Jesse may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Jesse (biblical figure), father of David in the Bible.
* Jesse (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Jesse (surname), a list of people
Music
* ''Jesse'' ( ...
, "
Coast to Coast AM
''Coast to Coast AM'' is an American late-night radio talk show that deals with a variety of topics. Most frequently the topics relate to either the paranormal or conspiracy theories. It was hosted by creator Art Bell from its inception in 19 ...
with
George Noory
George Ralph Noory (born June 4, 1950) is an American radio talk show host. Since January 2003, Noory has been the weekday host of the late-night radio talk show ''Coast to Coast AM''. The program is syndicated to hundreds of radio stations in ...
" and "
This Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal
''This Morning: America's First News'' (formerly ''The Wall Street Journal This Morning'') is a two-hour radio news/talk program hosted by Gordon Deal and Jennifer Kushinka, who replaced long-serving co-host Gina Cervetti on January 2, 2015. In a ...
."
Shows on money, health and technology are heard weekends, some of which are paid
brokered programming
Brokered programming (also known as time-buy and blocktime) is a form of broadcast content in which the show's producer pays a radio or television station for air time, rather than exchanging programming for pay or the opportunity to play spot comm ...
. Weekend programs include "
The Weekend with Michael Brown,"
Ben Ferguson
Benjamin Grant Ferguson (born August 28, 1981) is an American cable television talk show host and a radio talk show host on 600WREC/Memphis, TN. His radio show originates from his home in Texas. His nationally syndicated radio show, ''The Ben F ...
, "
Leo Laporte
Leo Laporte (; born November 29, 1956) is the host of ''The Tech Guy'' weekly radio show and a host on TWiT.tv, an Internet podcast network focusing on technology. He is also a former TechTV technology host (1998–2008) and a technology author. O ...
:
The Tech Guy
''The Tech Guy'' was a widely syndicated US radio show hosted by Leo Laporte, formerly of TechTV and later with TWiT.tv. The show, which was first exclusively broadcast on KFI 640 AM in Los Angeles, was picked up for syndication by Premiere Netw ...
," "
Sunday Night Live with Bill Cunningham" and "
Somewhere in Time with Art Bell." WPTI is the Triad's FM
affiliate of the
Tar Heel Sports Network
The Tar Heel Sports Network is a radio network in the United States dedicated to broadcasting live events and programming relating to North Carolina Tar Heels athletics. It is operated by Tar Heel Sports Properties, a property of Learfield IMG ...
, which broadcasts
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...
Tar Heels football and
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
games. National news from
Fox News Radio
Fox News Radio is an American radio network owned by Fox News. It is syndicated to over 500 AM and FM radio stations across the United States. It also supplies programming for three channels on Sirius XM Satellite Radio.
History
In 2003, ...
is heard at the beginning of most hours.
History
Beautiful Music and Country
On , the station first
signed on
Signing may refer to:
* Using sign language
* Signature
A signature (; from la, signare, "to sign") is a handwritten (and often stylized) depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on do ...
the air. The original
call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assigne ...
was WLOE-FM,
simulcast
Simulcast (a portmanteau of simultaneous broadcast) is the broadcasting of programmes/programs or events across more than one resolution, bitrate or medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at exactly the same time (that is, simultane ...
with its
AM sister station
In broadcasting, sister stations or sister channels are radio or television stations operated by the same company, either by direct ownership or through a management agreement.
Radio sister stations will often have different formats, and somet ...
1490
WLOE
WLOE (1490 kHz) and WMYN (1420 kHz) are two AM radio stations simulcasting a News/Talk and Christian radio format. WLOE is licensed to Eden, North Carolina and WMYN is licensed to nearby Mayodan. The stations are owned by Mayo Broadcasti ...
. In 1968 the station switched call letters to WEAF as a
beautiful music
Beautiful music (sometimes abbreviated as BM, B/EZ or BM/EZ for "beautiful music/easy listening") is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in North American radio from the late 1950s through the 1980s. Easy listening, elevator musi ...
outlet, programmed separately from the AM station. WEAF played quarter hour sweeps of mostly instrumental
cover version
In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
s of popular songs as well as
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
and
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
show tunes. It later took the call letters WSRQ.
In 1984, the station increased power to 100,000 watts, relocated its studios to Greensboro, and switched to
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, ...
as WWWI "I-95," competing against the market's entrenched and top-rated country outlet,
WTQR
WTQR (104.1 FM, "Q104.1") is a country music station licensed to Winston-Salem, North Carolina and serves the Piedmont Triad region, including Greensboro and High Point. Owned and operated by iHeartMedia, the station broadcasts at 104.1 MH ...
. Later the name was changed to "I-94.5" to help listeners more easily find the station during the time that digital tuners were replacing traditional analog receivers.
In 1986 the call letters were switched to WKLM "Classy 94.5" when the station returned to beautiful music. Later the name changed to WWMY "My 94.5", though the format remained the same.
Soft AC and Country
WWMY switched to
Soft Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet sto ...
music in 1990, later changing to the new call letters WMKG and the name "Magic Lite" when
WMAG
WMAG (99.5 FM) is an adult contemporary music formatted radio station licensed to High Point, North Carolina and serves the Piedmont Triad region, including Greensboro and Winston-Salem. The iHeartMedia, Inc. outlet broadcasts with an ERP of 100& ...
began providing the station's programming.
In 1992, WMKG became WNEU "New Country 94.5", later changing its name to "Cat Country".
Alternative Rock, Top 40 and Regional Mexican
On September 22, 1994, the station became WXRA "94.5 the Rock Alternative", playing
modern rock
Modern rock is an umbrella term used to describe rock music that is found on college rock radio stations. Some radio stations use this term to distinguish themselves from classic rock, which is based in 1960s–1980s rock music.
Radio format
Mod ...
. Later in the 90s, the station began playing a mix of old and new rock and called itself "The Rock Station". Around
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is a festival observed in most of the world on 1 January, the first day of the year in the modern Gregorian calendar. 1 January is also New Year's Day on the Julian calendar, but this is not the same day as the Gregorian one. Wh ...
, 2001, WXRA's format moved to
100.3 FM
The following radio broadcasting, radio stations broadcast on FM broadcasting, FM frequency 100.3 MHz:
Argentina
* Trip in Rosario, Santa Fe
* Pueblo Esther in Pueblo Esther, Santa Fe
Australia
* 2MCR in Campbelltown, New South Wales
* ABC ...
, with 94.5 FM becoming WWCC, a classic-leaning
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, ...
station. Ratings for this format were poor. On February 24, 2003, WWCC became WGBT, and flipped to a
Rhythmic Top 40
The Rhythmic chart (also called Rhythmic Airplay, and previously named Rhythmic Songs, Rhythmic Top 40 and CHR/Rhythmic) is an airplay chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine.
The chart tracks and measures the airplay of songs played on ...
format as "94.5 The Beat."
On February 16, 2006, at 5 p.m., after playing "
Don't Forget About Us
"Don't Forget About Us" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey. It was written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox and Johntá Austin, and produced by Carey, Dupri and Cox. It was released as the fifth single on October ...
" by
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
, WGBT switched to a Spanish-language classic hits format as "La Preciosa." The station played
Regional Mexican music
Regional styles of Mexican music vary greatly from state to state. Norteño, banda, duranguense, Son mexicano and other Mexican country music genres are often known as regional Mexican music because each state produces different musical sounds ...
from the 70s, 80s and 90s. As such, WGBT became The Triad's first FM Spanish-language radio station (and the second in North Carolina). This made the fourth distinctly different radio format in five years to be broadcast on the 94.5 frequency in the Greensboro market.
Talk Radio
At the end of 2009, the
Curtis Media Group
Curtis Media Group is a broadcast media company based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. The company owns and operates several North Carolina radio stations and television networks.
Broadcast Stations
Curtis Media Group owns and operates the fol ...
announced that its
WSJS
WSJS (600 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and broadcasting to the Greensboro/Winston-Salem/ High Point media market. It airs a talk and sports radio format. WSJS is owned by the Truth Broadcastin ...
/
WSML
WSML is located in Graham, North Carolina, and broadcasts at 1200 AM. The station airs a country music format branded as Maverick 95.1-94.3.
History
WSML signed on December 2, 1967, as a daytimer operating at 1190 AM, owned by Smiles of Graham, ...
news talk simulcast would no longer carry
The Rush Limbaugh Show
''The Rush Limbaugh Show'' is an American conservative talk radio show hosted by Rush Limbaugh. Since its nationally syndicated premiere in 1988, ''The Rush Limbaugh Show'' became the highest-rated talk radio show in the United States. At its ...
.
[Rush Radio 94.5 http://www.rushradio945.com] On December 31, 2009, WGBT ended its Regional Mexican format, becoming talk station "Rush Radio 94.5" under the new call sign WPTI. The station aired weekend-long continuous replays of ''
The Rush Limbaugh Week in Review'' through New Year's weekend. The
Glenn Beck Program
''Glenn'' (previously titled ''The Glenn Beck Program'') is a news talk and political opinion show on TheBlaze hosted by Glenn Beck. It is produced and recorded at TheBlaze studios in Dallas, TX. The show originally ran on CNN Headline News fr ...
and a local show called ''The Morning Rush'' hosted by Bill Flynn and Pamela Furr debuted January 4. On July 26, 2010, WPTI added the
Sean Hannity Show to its schedule.
Following
derogatory comments made by Rush Limbaugh regarding Sandra Fluke, WPTI was asked by the university not to promote the Tar Heel Sports Network during ''
The Rush Limbaugh Show
''The Rush Limbaugh Show'' is an American conservative talk radio show hosted by Rush Limbaugh. Since its nationally syndicated premiere in 1988, ''The Rush Limbaugh Show'' became the highest-rated talk radio show in the United States. At its ...
''.
In November 2010, the station canceled ''The Morning Rush'' with Flynn and Pamela Furr (although Furr continued anchoring news for both WPTI and
WRDU
WRDU (100.7 FM, "100.7 WRDU") is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Wake Forest, North Carolina. The station is owned by iHeartMedia though licensee iHM Licenses, LLC and broadcasts a classic rock format. Its broadcast tower is n ...
). After Christmas 2010, Dmitri Vassilaros began hosting the morning show. In 2011, WPTI replaced Vassilaros with K.C. O'Dea.
On May 24, 2013, WPTI dropped its "Rush Radio 94.5" branding, switching to "94.5 WPTI".
Limbaugh died in February 2021. WPTI began airing his replacement, Clay Travis & Buck Sexton, that June.
References
External links
*
FCC History Cards(covering 1949-1981 as WLOE-FM / WEAF / WSRQ)
{{IHeartMedia
PTI PTI may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Pardon the Interruption'', an American television sports show
* PTI, a musical group on the WTII Records label
Organizations
* Pacific Torah Institute, a yeshiva high school in Vancouver, British Columb ...
Talk radio stations in the United States
Radio stations established in 1950
1950 establishments in North Carolina
IHeartMedia radio stations