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WSOC-FM (103.7
MHz 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 one he ...
) is a
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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 ...
in
Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
. It is owned by
Beasley Broadcast Group Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc., based in Naples, Florida, is an owner/operator of radio stations in the United States. , the company owned 63 stations under the Beasley Media Group name. History The company was founded in 1961 by George G. Bea ...
and airs 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, ...
radio format A radio format or programming format (not to be confused with broadcast programming) describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. The radio format emerged mainly in the United States in the 1950s, at a time when Radio broadcasting, ...
, calling itself "Country 103.7." Its primary country competitor is
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 ...
's
WKKT WKKT (96.9 FM) is a country music radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina. The station is licensed to the northern suburb of Statesville, North Carolina Owned by iHeartMedia, its transmitter is located in Mooresville, North Carolina, and its ...
. WSOC-FM's studios are located on South Boulevard in Charlotte's South End and 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 in East Charlotte near Reedy Creek Park. WSOC shares its
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 ...
with previously co-owned
WSOC-TV WSOC-TV (channel 9) is a television station in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, affiliated with ABC and Telemundo. It is owned by Cox Media Group alongside Kannapolis-licensed independent station WAXN-TV (channel 64). Both stations s ...
, Charlotte's
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
network affiliate In the broadcasting industry (particularly in North America, and even more in the United States), a network affiliate or affiliated station is a local broadcaster, owned by a company other than the owner of the network, which carries some or a ...
.


History


Early years

WSOC-FM 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 in 1948. It was the second FM station to begin broadcasting in Charlotte after 106.7
WMIT WMIT (106.9 MHz, "106.9 The Light") is a non-profit FM radio station licensed to Black Mountain, North Carolina. WMIT is a listener-supported ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. It airs a mix of Contemporary Christian musi ...
, which signed on in 1941. (Because WMIT moved to
Black Mountain, North Carolina Black Mountain is a town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,848 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is named for the old train stop at the Black Mountain Depot ...
, in the 1960s, WSOC-FM can claim it is now Charlotte's oldest FM station.) WSOC-FM originally was powered at 38,000 watts, a third of its current output. The FM station mostly
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 ...
programming from
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 ...
AM 1240 AM or Am may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * A minor, a minor scale in music * ''A.M.'' (Chris Young album) * ''A.M.'' (Wilco album) * ''AM'' (Abraham Mateo album) * ''AM'' (Arctic Monkeys album) * AM (musician), American musici ...
WSOC, an
NBC Radio Network The NBC, National Broadcasting Company's NBC Radio Network (known as the NBC Red Network prior to 1942) was an American commercial radio network which was in operation from 1926 through 2004. Along with the Blue Network, NBC Blue Network it was ...
affiliate, carrying its schedule of dramas, comedies, news, sports,
soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
s,
game show A game show is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment (radio, television, internet, stage or other) where contestants compete for a reward. These programs can either be participatory or Let's Play, demonstrative and are typically directed b ...
s and
big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...
broadcasts during the " Golden Age of Radio." It gained a television sister in 1957, when
WSOC-TV WSOC-TV (channel 9) is a television station in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, affiliated with ABC and Telemundo. It is owned by Cox Media Group alongside Kannapolis-licensed independent station WAXN-TV (channel 64). Both stations s ...
signed on as an
NBC-TV The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
affiliate. In 1960, WSOC moved from AM 1240 to
AM 930 The following radio stations broadcast on AM frequency 930 kHz: As classified by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 930 AM is a regional broadcast frequency. In A ...
. As network programming moved from radio to television, WSOC-AM-FM began airing a local
full service Full service or Full Service may refer to: * Full-service radio, a wide range of programming * Full Service Network, a communications company Entertainment * "Full Service", a song by the New Kids on the Block from their album ''The Block'' * F ...
middle of the road format with hourly NBC Radio newscasts, sports and features. During the 1960s, WSOC-FM received
FCC The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdiction ...
permission to increase power to its current 100,000 watts, expanding coverage with a good radio to
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 ...
,
Asheboro Asheboro is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 25,012 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Greensboro–High Point metropolitan area of the Piedmont Triad and is home of the sta ...
and
Spartanburg Spartanburg is a city in and the seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city of Spartanburg has a municipal population of 38,732 as of the 2020 census, making it the 11th-largest city in the state. For a time, the Offi ...
. WSOC-FM then began airing an
easy listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, n ...
format separate from the AM station, although still simulcasting some segments from 930.


1970s

In the 1960s, Charlotte had two AM country stations,
WKTC WKTC (channel 63) is a television station licensed to Sumter, South Carolina, United States, serving the Columbia area as an affiliate of MyNetworkTV and Telemundo. The station is locally owned by WBHQ Columbia, LLC, and maintains studios in th ...
and
WAME WAME (550 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic country format. Licensed to Statesville, North Carolina, United States. The station is owned by Statesville Family Radio Corporation. WAME's programming can also be heard on FM at 92.9&nb ...
, but no FM stations were broadcasting country music in stereo. In 1971, WSOC-FM flipped to a country format, that at first was mostly
automated Automation describes a wide range of technologies that reduce human intervention in processes, namely by predetermining decision criteria, subprocess relationships, and related actions, as well as embodying those predeterminations in machines ...
.Mark Price, "Roper Snags Top CMA Award - WSOC-FM Morning Host Wins As Broadcast Personality of the Year," ''The Charlotte Observer'', October 5, 2003. John Harper, program director of WSOC-AM and then of both the AM and FM stations, became morning host and, except for one year when he was in management, continued to host the show until 1977. He had a hard time convincing station management that country music would be successful. Don Bell worked as WSOC-FM's program director from 1975 to 1987, hiring many of the station's most popular announcers, and working on the air as well. He played a major role in making WSOC one of Charlotte's top radio stations. Before moving to Charlotte, Bell worked at KFRE and KMJ in
Fresno, California Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, makin ...
and
WIOD WIOD (610 AM) is a commercial news/talk radio station licensed to Miami, Florida, serving the Miami metropolitan area and much of surrounding South Florida. Owned by iHeartMedia, WIOD serves as the Miami affiliate for ABC News Radio, ''The Glenn ...
in
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
. In 1977, despite a consultant's view that Country would never be a viable FM format, Bell moved forward with his plans to take WSOC off an automated system and go with live DJs from morning to night. Harper, who was number three among morning hosts, was let go due to "philosophical difference" and replaced with
automation Automation describes a wide range of technologies that reduce human intervention in processes, namely by predetermining decision criteria, subprocess relationships, and related actions, as well as embodying those predeterminations in machines ...
. morning show host Bob Call. Call, who thought he was auditioning for a spot on WSOC's AM station, decided to take the job even though he had no knowledge or appreciation for country music. Bill Ellis, who started at WSOC as a copywriter in 1975, was given helicopter traffic duties and served as the station's mid-day announcer. Country music was evolving, and its popularity grew as the result of the movie ''
Urban Cowboy ''Urban Cowboy'' is a 1980 American romantic Western film directed by James Bridges. The plot concerns the love-hate relationship between Buford Uan "Bud" Davis (John Travolta) and Sissy (Debra Winger). The film's success was credited for spur ...
''. WSOC-FM was getting ready for big changes. Edd Robinson moved to afternoons on WSOC-FM in 1979 after 11 years at 1480 WAME, which had left the country format. He remained at WSOC-FM until late 1987. Bob Brandon, who also had worked on WAME, was hired by Bell in 1981 to do the evening shift. He remained with the station until 1986. He also briefly did a stint under Paul Johnson in 1995-1996.


1980s

In 1980, Bob Call moved to
Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
as Program Director at
KYGO Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll (born 11 September 1991), known professionally as Kygo (), is a Norwegian DJ and music producer. He garnered international attention with his December 2013 remix of the track "I See Fire" by Ed Sheeran and his December 201 ...
. WSOC-FM hired Bill Dollar as its morning host. Dollar had worked for WGST in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
and was familiar with WSOC-FM owner Cox Enterprises. He wanted to start his own station in
Boone, North Carolina Boone is a town in and the county seat of Watauga County, North Carolina, United States. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, Boone is the home of Appalachian State University and the headquarters for the disaster a ...
and had no plans to stay long. Bell said he liked Dollar's voice and warmth, and the fact that he wasn't that funny, unlike many morning hosts. Bell wanted WSOC-FM to be full service radio like WBT, combining information and entertainment. In 1982, Dollar succeeded Robert Murphy of WAYS/
WROQ WROQ (101.1 FM) is a classic rock station licensed to Anderson, South Carolina, and serving the Upstate South Carolina region, including Greenville and Spartanburg. The station has had a Classic Rock and Roll format since December 1, 1987. T ...
, and unlike Murphy, he did it without attacking the locally based
televangelist Televangelism (wikt:tele-, tele- "distance" and "evangelism," meaning "Christian ministry, ministry," sometimes called teleministry) is the use of media, specifically radio and television, to communicate Christianity. Televangelists are minister ...
organization,
The PTL Club ''The PTL Club'', also known as ''The Jim and Tammy Show'', was a Christian television program that was first hosted by evangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, running from 1974 to 1989. The program was later known as ''PTL Today'' and as ''Heri ...
, often called "Pass the Loot" by its critics. Dollar did not even take advantage of the situation when PTL experienced scandal in 1987. On June 29, 1987, Bill Ellis did his midday show for the last time before leaving to do the morning show for
WSSL-FM WSSL-FM (100.5 FM, "Whistle 100.5") is a radio station licensed to Gray Court, South Carolina. Owned by iHeartMedia, it broadcasts a country music format serving Upstate South Carolina. Its studios are in downtown Greenville and its transmitter ...
in
Greenville, South Carolina Greenville (; locally ) is a city in and the seat of Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 census, it is the sixth-largest city in the state. Greenville is located approximately halfway be ...
, after 11 years at WSOC-FM. Program director Paul Johnson said Ellis would likely not have replaced Dollar anytime soon, so if he wanted to be a morning host, he had to go elsewhere. Ellis went on to host WSSL's Ellis and James Show, garnering 5 CMA Broadcast nominations. Bill Ellis was hired on at WSSL by former WSOC general sales manager John Cullen who had become WSSL's general manager. For seven years, Dollar was Charlotte's top DJ, and in October 1989 after three nominations, he received the Broadcast Personality of the Year award (medium markets) from the
Country Music Association The Country Music Association (CMA) was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre. The objectives of the organization are to guide and enha ...
. In Fall 1989, Dollar returned to the #1 position after
WRFX WRFX (99.7 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Kannapolis, North Carolina and serving the Charlotte metropolitan area. Owned by iHeartMedia, it airs a classic rock radio format, and calls itself "99.7 The Fox." The radio studios and ...
's
John Boy and Billy John Isley (born August 15, 1956) and Billy James (born August 31, 1957), known as John Boy & Billy, are American radio personality, radio hosts based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Their comedic morning program ''The John Boy & Billy Big Show'' br ...
replaced him in the summer, a ratings period during which
urban contemporary Urban contemporary music, also known as urban music, hip hop, urban pop, or just simply urban, is a music radio format. The term was coined by New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker in the early to mid-1970s as a synonym for Black music. Urban contem ...
-formatted
WPEG WPEG (97.9 FM, ''"Power 98"'') is a mainstream urban radio station serving the Charlotte, North Carolina market. It is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group. The station's studios are located on South Boulevard in the city's South End, and a transmitt ...
became number one.


1990s

In 1991, WPEG became Charlotte's top station and remained in that position, though WSOC-FM was still one of the top country stations in the United States.Mark Washburn, "WSOC's Fall From Radio Grace: Top Dog to Underdog," ''The Charlotte Observer'', April 1, 2001. In 1992, Cox sold WSOC-AM and WSOC-FM, but kept the TV station. The FM station went to
EZ Communications EZ Communications, Inc. was a corporation with its headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia. In the 1970s, the small company was one of the pioneers of the easy listening on the FM broadcasting radio spectrum with 2 stations in Manassas and Richmond. W ...
(also owner of
WMXC WMXC (99.9 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Mobile, Alabama, and serving the Mobile and Pensacola metropolitan areas. The station broadcasts an adult contemporary radio format, switching to Christmas music for much of November ...
) as part of a trade with
WHQT WHQT (105.1 MHz, "Hot 105") is a commercial FM radio station owned by Cox Media Group and airing an urban adult contemporary radio format. The station is licensed to Coral Gables and it serves South Florida including the Miami-Fort Lauderdale ...
in
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
. The AM went to
Bible Broadcasting Network The Bible Broadcasting Network (BBN) is a listener-supported global Conservative Christian radio network staffed and headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was founded in 1971 by Lowell Davey, who was the network's president until his de ...
, switching to a
Christian talk and teaching Christian radio is a Christian media radio format that focus on programming with a Christian message. Many such broadcasters play contemporary Christian music, though many programs include sermons, radio dramas, as well as news and talk programm ...
format, becoming WYFQ. In August 1994, Dollar had been WSOC-FM's morning host for 14 years, the longest of anyone in Charlotte. But Dollar's ratings with 25-54 listeners were down. When he returned from vacation, on his 44th birthday, he learned he had been moved to middays, replaced in the morning by Paul Schadt and Cindy O'Day. Program director Paul Johnson said the change would attract younger listeners with "a more contemporary face" and "energy, entertainment and fun." The station tried to claim Dollar asked for the change, but he would not confirm that. Claire B. Lang replaced O'Day as Schadt's co-host in October 1996. She had previously been a newscaster on John Boy and Billy's show. Johnson called her "outrageous." She would continue as "Inside NASCAR" host on
The Nashville Network The Nashville Network, usually referred to as TNN, was an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming included music videos, taped concerts, movies, game shows, syndicated programs, and numerous talk shows. On September ...
as well as covering NASCAR for ''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
''. Dollar was killed in a head-on collision near Gastonia in November 1996, and WSOC declared a day of mourning. Music director Rick McCracken, who also worked overnights, took Dollar's slot temporarily and later returned to late nights. Mike Terry, who had hosted middays before, moved back to that slot to replace Dollar, and Jason Dean took over afternoons from Terry. Dean had hosted "The Nite Shift" from
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
on the
Blair Garner Blair Garner is an American radio personality best known for his work in country radio. Garner spent over two decades as a nationally syndicated overnight disc jockey, first hosting ''After Midnite'' for Premiere Networks and then ''The Blair Gar ...
"After Midnight Entertainment" network, and he had also worked in
San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
and
Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
. John Crenshaw's "Country Heartlines" continued in the evenings. WSOC-FM would gain four sister stations (
WBAV-FM WBAV-FM (101.9 MHz, ''"V 101.9"'') is an urban adult contemporary radio station serving the Charlotte, North Carolina market. Owned by Beasley Broadcast Group, WBAV's studios are located on South Boulevard in Charlotte's South End, and a trans ...
, WBAV-AM,
WNKS WNKS (95.1 FM, "Kiss 95.1") is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Charlotte, North Carolina. The station is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group through licensee Beasley Media Group, LLC and broadcasts a top 40 (CHR) format. Studios ...
and
WPEG WPEG (97.9 FM, ''"Power 98"'') is a mainstream urban radio station serving the Charlotte, North Carolina market. It is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group. The station's studios are located on South Boulevard in the city's South End, and a transmitt ...
) in December 1996 from Evergreen Media, as part of a multi-market swap. (Evergreen received EZ Communications'
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
stations
WIOQ WIOQ (102.1 FM) is a commercial radio station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station broadcasts a Top 40 (CHR) radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia. The studios and offices are on Presidential Boulevard in Bala Cynwyd. The station c ...
and
WUSL WUSL (98.9 FM broadcasting, FM) is a commercial radio, commercial radio station city of license, licensed to Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It carries a mainstream urban radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The radio studio, ...
in return.) EZ was bought by
American Radio Systems American Radio Systems Corporation was a radio company that existed from 1993 until 1998. Its predecessor, Atlantic Ventures, was founded by Steven B. Dodge, Eric Schultz, Joseph Winn, and Michael Milsom. American Radio Systems was formed from ...
in July 1997. On September 19, 1997, ARS was acquired by
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 Entertainmen ...
's
Infinity Broadcasting Infinity Broadcasting Corporation was a radio company that existed from 1972 until 2005. It was founded by Michael A. Wiener and Gerald Carrus. It became associated with popular radio personalities like Howard Stern, Opie and Anthony, Don Imus an ...
, making WSOC-FM a CBS
owned and operated In the broadcasting industry, an owned-and-operated station (frequently abbreviated as an O&O) usually refers to a television or radio station owned by the network with which it is associated. This distinguishes such a station from an affiliate ...
station. In December 1997, Schadt moved to rival country outlet WKKT after 16 years at WSOC. In February 1998, WSOC fired Schadt's partner Claire B. Lang. WSOC was still number two in Charlotte, and hoping to stay that way, when the station added Big Paul and "Aunt Eloise" of
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 ...
in
Winston-Salem, North Carolina 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 ...
. The two morning hosts intended to go back and forth between the two stations, and syndication to more stations was considered. "Big Paul" Franklin was from Gastonia, while the identity of Aunt Eloise remained a mystery. In October 2008, "Aunt Eloise" was revealed to be Toby Young after he was fired from WTQR. The pairing lasted only eight months. Dave Temple and Terry Blake would then take over.


2000s

In Fall 2000, WSOC-FM was 12th in the Charlotte market, while WKKT was fifth.
Infinity Broadcasting Infinity Broadcasting Corporation was a radio company that existed from 1972 until 2005. It was founded by Michael A. Wiener and Gerald Carrus. It became associated with popular radio personalities like Howard Stern, Opie and Anthony, Don Imus an ...
management needed to make changes. Kevin O'Neal became program director and WSOC-FM brought back its outside-of-morning-drive policy of playing 12 songs in a row, without commercials. It hired top
Columbia, South Carolina Columbia is the capital of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 census, it is the second-largest city in South Carolina. The city serves as the county seat of Richland County, and a portion of the city ...
personality Jeff Roper as morning host with Blake remaining as sidekick. The strategy worked. In Summer 2001, WSOC was Charlotte's top station for the first time in about 10 years. Roper's Morning Show was named 2003 Country Music Association Broadcast Personality of the Year (large markets) in 2003. Roper made it to number two among morning hosts in the ratings. Roper left WSOC-FM as Program Director while it was at #2 in the ratings, behind
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, quie ...
WLYT. Roper returned to Columbia to sign on on a new station, WWNU. Infinity changed its name to
CBS Radio CBS Radio was a radio broadcasting company and radio network operator owned by CBS Corporation and founded in 1928, with consolidated radio station groups owned by CBS and Westinghouse Broadcasting/Group W since the 1920s, and Infinity Broadc ...
on December 14, 2005 as part of the spin-off of CBS' motion picture and cable television assets under a relaunched
Viacom Viacom, an abbreviation of Video and Audio Communications, may refer to: * Viacom (1952–2006), a former American media conglomerate * Viacom (2005–2019), a former company spun off from the original Viacom * Viacom18, a joint venture between Par ...
. On February 24, 2009, the Academy of Country Music announced that WSOC-FM had won the award for "Major Market Radio Station of the Year."


2010s

Catherine Lane, midday personality for WSOC-FM, was nominated for On-Air Personality of the Year by ACM. ''
Charlotte Observer ''The Charlotte Observer'' is an American English-language newspaper serving Charlotte, North Carolina, and its metro area. The Observer was founded in 1886. As of 2020, it has the second-largest circulation of any newspaper in the Carolinas. I ...
'' writer Mark Washburn calls morning man Rob Tanner "one of the most successful figures in the history of country radio in Charlotte." On September 26, 2011, WSOC-FM rebranded as "The New 103.7." It changed slogans from "Charlotte's #1 Country" to "Country's Hottest Hits." The station dropped most songs recorded before the 1990s, while increasing an emphasis on current music. Tanner in the Morning welcomed new co-host Guenn Schneider on October 4, 2012. Previously, she worked for
CBS Radio CBS Radio was a radio broadcasting company and radio network operator owned by CBS Corporation and founded in 1928, with consolidated radio station groups owned by CBS and Westinghouse Broadcasting/Group W since the 1920s, and Infinity Broadc ...
sister stations WNKS and WKQC. On October 2, 2014,
CBS Radio CBS Radio was a radio broadcasting company and radio network operator owned by CBS Corporation and founded in 1928, with consolidated radio station groups owned by CBS and Westinghouse Broadcasting/Group W since the 1920s, and Infinity Broadc ...
announced that it would trade its
Tampa Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough County ...
and Charlotte stations (including WSOC-FM), as well as WIP in
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
to the
Beasley Broadcast Group Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc., based in Naples, Florida, is an owner/operator of radio stations in the United States. , the company owned 63 stations under the Beasley Media Group name. History The company was founded in 1961 by George G. Bea ...
in exchange for 5 stations located in
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
and Philadelphia.CBS And Beasley Swap Philadelphia/Miami For Charlotte/Tampa
from Radio Insight (October 2, 2014)
The swap was completed on December 1, 2014. In June 2015, WSOC-FM had its highest ratings in the PPM era. The "Tanner in the Morning" show was rated the #1 morning show in the Charlotte market, and was a nominee for ACM "Major Market Personalities of the Year."


References


External links


Official Website
* * * {{coord, 35.252, N, 80.686, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title Country radio stations in the United States SOC-FM American Basketball Association flagship radio stations Radio stations established in 1961 SOC-FM 1961 establishments in North Carolina