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WSOC-FM
WSOC-FM (103.7 MHz) is a commercial radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group and airs a country music radio format, calling itself "Country 103.7". Its primary country competitor is iHeartMedia's WKKT. WSOC-FM's studios are located on South Boulevard in Charlotte's South End and the transmitter is located in East Charlotte near Reedy Creek Park.
WSOC shares its call sign with previously co-owned WSOC-TV, Charlotte's ABC network affiliate.
WSOC-FM first signed on the air in 1948. It was the second FM station to begin broadcasting in Charlotte after 106.7 WMIT, which signed on in 1941. (Because WMIT moved to Black Mountain, North Carolina, 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 programming from sister station AM 1240 WSOC, an NBC Radio Network affiliate, carrying its schedule of dramas, comedies, news, sports, soap operas, game shows and big band broadcasts during the "Golden Age of Radio". It gained a television sister in 1957, when WSOC-TV signed on as an NBC-TV affiliate.
In 1960, WSOC moved from AM 1240 to AM 930. As network programming moved from radio to television, WSOC-AM-FM began airing a local full service middle of the road format with hourly NBC Radio newscasts, sports and features.
During the 1960s, WSOC-FM received FCC permission to increase power to its current 100,000 watts, expanding coverage with a good radio to Winston-Salem, Asheboro and Spartanburg. WSOC-FM then began airing an easy listening format separate from the AM station, although still simulcasting some segments from 930.
In the 1960s, Charlotte had two AM country stations, WKTC and WAME, 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. 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 and WIOD in Miami.
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-FM off an automated system and go with live DJs from morning to night.
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WSOC-FM
WSOC-FM (103.7 MHz) is a commercial radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group and airs a country music radio format, calling itself "Country 103.7". Its primary country competitor is iHeartMedia's WKKT. WSOC-FM's studios are located on South Boulevard in Charlotte's South End and the transmitter is located in East Charlotte near Reedy Creek Park.
WSOC shares its call sign with previously co-owned WSOC-TV, Charlotte's ABC network affiliate.
WSOC-FM first signed on the air in 1948. It was the second FM station to begin broadcasting in Charlotte after 106.7 WMIT, which signed on in 1941. (Because WMIT moved to Black Mountain, North Carolina, 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 programming from sister station AM 1240 WSOC, an NBC Radio Network affiliate, carrying its schedule of dramas, comedies, news, sports, soap operas, game shows and big band broadcasts during the "Golden Age of Radio". It gained a television sister in 1957, when WSOC-TV signed on as an NBC-TV affiliate.
In 1960, WSOC moved from AM 1240 to AM 930. As network programming moved from radio to television, WSOC-AM-FM began airing a local full service middle of the road format with hourly NBC Radio newscasts, sports and features.
During the 1960s, WSOC-FM received FCC permission to increase power to its current 100,000 watts, expanding coverage with a good radio to Winston-Salem, Asheboro and Spartanburg. WSOC-FM then began airing an easy listening format separate from the AM station, although still simulcasting some segments from 930.
In the 1960s, Charlotte had two AM country stations, WKTC and WAME, 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. 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 and WIOD in Miami.
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-FM off an automated system and go with live DJs from morning to night.