WOLI (AM)
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Branding | La Raza 105.7 y 106.3 |
Programming | |
Format | Regional Mexican |
Affiliations | Charlotte FC |
Ownership | |
Owner |
|
History | |
First air date | September 1, 1940 (as WORD) |
Former call signs | WORD (1940-2002) WSPA (2002-2005) |
Call sign meaning | "Oldies" (Dates back to when sister FMs WOLT/WOLI-FM were both known as "Oldies 103".) |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 34388 |
Class | B |
Power | 3,600 watts day 890 watts night |
Transmitter coordinates | 35°01′10.00″N 82°00′36.00″W / 35.0194444°N 82.0100000°W |
Translator(s) | 105.7 W289BS (Spartanburg) |
Repeater(s) | 106.3 WSPA-FM (Simpsonville) |
Links | |
Website | WOLI Online |
WOLI (910
History
WSPA 950 AM signed on the air on February 17, 1930, as South Carolina's first radio station,[1] beating out WCSC/Charleston and WIS/Columbia by several months.[citation needed] Programming was mostly local, but national shows included those of Gene Autry, Fats Waller and Wayne King. The station was owned by Virgil Evans during its first 10 years on the air. WSPA was sold on June 1, 1940, to the Spartanburg Advertising Company, a group that was formed with the intention on starting a second radio station in Spartanburg, WORD 910 AM, which signed on in September of that year utilizing studio and office space from WSPA.[1]
In 1944 the FCC ordered the WSPA-WORD combo to be broken up due to ownership regulations which forbid an owner from having no more than one AM station per market. This was completed on March 17, 1947, when WSPA and WSPA-FM were sold to Liberty Life Insurance and WORD was sold to Spartan Radiocasting (WSPA-FM 98.9 signed on as South Carolina's first FM station on August 29, 1946).
Well-known personalities included Cliff "Farmer" Gray, "Children's Theater" host Jane Dalton and Grover "Cousin Bud" Golightly who hosted "Hillbilly Hit Parade", and "Go with Golightly" with
In 1952, a dispute erupted between both Spartan Radiocasting and Liberty Life over the Spartanburg allocation for television channel 7 (which was won by Spartan and went on the air as WSPA-TV in 1956. It was settled in 1958 when Spartan Radiocasting bought back WSPA and WSPA-FM from Liberty Life Insurance and spinning off WORD and their FM sister WDXY 100.5 to different ownership.
A fire in May 1960 resulted in new offices being needed for the radio and TV stations.[1]
Bill Drake joined WSPA and became its leading personality during its last two decades.[1]
In 2002,
September 1, 2011, WOLI relaunched as
In August 2012, WOLI once again became Spartanburg's home to Wofford Terrier sports. After the Terriers left WOLI after the 2004 season, they returned to 910 AM as well as 105.7 FM.
On January 7, 2013, WOLI was relaunched as Earth 105.7 FM with an Oldies format.[citation needed]
On March 1, 2013, the Earth FM oldies format moved to WOLT (since renamed WLTS).[4] WOLI was relaunched as The Source @ 105.7/AM 910 with an adult standards and brokered programming format. The station also airs local sports.
On July 13, 2015, Davidson Media sold WOLI and eleven other stations to TBLC Holdings, with the sale to be completed on September 30, 2015.[5] The sale was consummated on November 5, 2015, at a purchase price of $3.5 million.
On November 5, 2015, WOLI changed their format to regional Mexican, branded as "Activa 103.9" (at the time simulcasting WTOB-FM 103.9 FM).
Effective June 26, 2020, TBLC Media sold WOLI to Norberto Sanchez's Norsan Media LLC for $150,000.
On March 15, 2024, Norsan Media - the parent company of WOLI (AM) - bought WSPA-FM (Magic 106.3) as part of their exit plan from chapter 11 bankruptcy after it was placed under a divestiture trust, for $700,000. On April 1, 2024 at just after midnight, the 106.3 FM frequency started simulcasting WOLI as an effort to provide a stronger signal for listeners. The last song played on Magic 106.3 was You and Me by Lifehouse.
References
- ^ a b c d e Neely, Emily Crow (September 14, 2005). "The ups and downs of WSPA's 75 years". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ Taylor, Tony J. (December 8, 2001). "WSPA-AM narrows focus on city". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ Orr, Susan (June 18, 2005). "WSPA stations to get new ownership". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ "WOLT/Greenville,SC Debuts Earth FM" Oldies from Radio Insight (March 1, 2013)
- ^ "Davidson Media Sells 12"