WTOB (AM)

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For other stations using the WTOB call sign, see WTOB (disambiguation).

WTOB
  • kHz
BrandingClassic Hits WTOB
Programming
FormatClassic hits
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
  • Richard Miller, Robert Scarborough and Richard Parker
  • (Southern Broadcast Media LLC)
WWBG, WCOG
History
First air date
October 28, 1950; 73 years ago (1950-10-28)
Former call signs
  • WAAA (1950–2006)
  • WTIX (2006–2009)
  • WEGO (2009–2016)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID40996
ClassD
Power
  • 1,300 watts (day)
  • 49 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
36°6′40.00″N 80°14′36.00″W / 36.1111111°N 80.2433333°W / 36.1111111; -80.2433333
Translator(s)96.7 W244EM (Winston-Salem)
Repeater(s)1470 WWBG (Greensboro)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websitewtob980.com

WTOB (980

radio station licensed to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, which serves the Piedmont Triad area. The station is currently owned by Richard Miller and Robert Scarborough, Ken Hauser and Richard Parker through licensee Southern Broadcast Media LLC.[2][3] and airs a classic hits format
.

History

WAAA

WAAA was owned by white businessman Roger Page when it first began broadcasting in 1950. This was rare at this time in the Deep South that a white owner would own and an operate a mainly black radio station. On the afternoon of October 28, 1950, Larry L. Williams, an African-American, signed on WAAA. The first program broadcast was a football game between

Atlanta.[8] WAAA was also the first black-owned station in North Carolina.[9] Prior to becoming the General Manager of WAAA, Larry L. Williams gave play-by-play action of the Winston-Salem State University football and basketball games; becoming known as the "Voice of the Rams." Larry L. Williams went on to become General Manager of radio stations in Alabama, South Carolina, and Charlotte, North Carolina. He returned to his home in Asheville, North Carolina, in 2002 to become General Manager of WOXL-FM. Larry L. Williams, a pioneer in radio, retired in 2008 at the age of 90. Oscar "Daddy-Oh" Alexander was the station's best-known DJ. He was described as "a jive-talking hipster who radiated cool while spinning hits from Motown and Stax."[10]

Jazz pianist Keith Byrd, who once lived near him, described Alexander this way:

He had a voice that was like gravel going through molasses. You know what I'm saying? It was smooth and sweet. He was a good spirit, a great character and he played the hottest songs. He was almost like the black Wolfman Jack in this area.[10]

Alexander left the station in 1962 after five years. Annie Bell Bowman played gospel music on the station.[11] Anita "Boss Lady" Dean was a DJ for six years.[12]

Media Broadcasting Corp. bought WAAA in 1971.

Chapter 11. WAAA continued to broadcast but faced increasing competition from larger stations. But WAAA was unique in its service to the community, playing gospel music, jazz and rhythm and blues and broadcasting news, daily obituary reports, and Sunday religious programming.[16]

On July 9, 2001, deputies locked the doors to the WAAA studios on Indiana Avenue because court documents showed rent had not been paid since 1997. Evans and the community worked to bring the station back, and a web site was introduced in January 2002. On July 5, 2002, WAAA returned to the air with new studios and a limited schedule, with Evans claiming to have solved her problems and intending to return to a full schedule as soon as possible.[17] As recently as 2006, WAAA sponsored Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations.[18]

GHB Broadcasting purchased the station.

sports talk took place May 5, 2008.[20]

WEGO

Truth Broadcasting completed its purchase of the station January 6, 2010. The call letters changed to WEGO and the format changed to

Syndicated hosts include Dennis Prager, Michael Savage, Laura Ingraham and Mike Gallagher. On January 5, 2015, WEGO added Bill Bennett and shortened Flynn's show, taking it off entirely on some Mondays to air Bennett and Ingraham in their entirety.[24]

WTOB

WTOB logo under previous 96.3 translator and before WWBG simulcast

At noon

EST, announcers Mark Richards, Randy Simpson, and Bob Scarborough announced the change of call letters. Also that morning, Richards and Scott Brand, General Manager of the Carolina Thunderbirds Hockey Club announced that WTOB would be the official broadcast partner and flagship station for the Thunderbirds Hockey team and will broadcast all 56 games of the Thunderbirds beginning in November 2017.[26]

In response to a September 2017 format change by WSJS, WTOB began local newscasts on November 13, 2017. Former WSJS news director Ed Skurka became news director began newscasts every half-hour in the morning and at noon. Greg Rice would do afternoon newscasts. WTOB moved its studios to Trade Street.[27][28]

References

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WTOB". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Station Search Details". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Archived from the original on February 20, 2022.
  3. Arbitron. Archived from the original
    on May 20, 2011.
  4. North Carolina Digital Heritage Center
    .
  5. LCCN 85042325 – via NewsBank
    .
  6. Newspapers.com
    .
  7. LCCN 85042325 – via NewsBank
    .
  8. ^ Ortizano, Jack L. "Negro-Appeal Radio Stations Using a Rhythm-and-Blues Music Format, 1947–1963". Archived from the original on September 21, 2006. Retrieved March 13, 2008.
  9. ^ "International Book to Film Festival". Archived from the original on June 4, 2008. Retrieved March 13, 2008.
  10. ^
    LCCN 85042325 – via NewsBank
    .
  11. LCCN 85042325 – via NewsBank
    .
  12. LCCN 85042325 – via NewsBank
    .
  13. ^ "Stations' Sale In Progress". December 17, 1971. [full citation needed]
  14. LCCN 74025061 – via Google Books
    .
  15. ^ "Mütter Evans's Biography". The HistoryMakers. August 15, 2014. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  16. LCCN 85042325 – via NewsBank
    .
  17. LCCN 85042325 – via NewsBank
    .
  18. LCCN 85042325 – via NewsBank
    .
  19. ^ "Broadcasting Industry". marketresearch.com. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2008.
  20. LCCN 93004539. Archived
    from the original on February 21, 2022.
  21. ^ "Truth Flips WTIX/Greensboro to Spanish Christian". Radio Online. Archived from the original on July 30, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  22. LCCN 85042325
    .
  23. ^ Durham, Andy (July 4, 2012). "Wake Forest Football headed to WEGO Radio this Fall: 980AM will be the 'New Home of the Deacs'". Greensboro Sports. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  24. LCCN 85042325. Archived
    from the original on July 30, 2018.
  25. LCCN 85042325. Archived
    from the original on February 21, 2022. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  26. ^ "Thunderbirds Land on BIG 980AM - Carolina Thunderbirds". Carolina Thunderbirds (FPHL). November 22, 2016. Archived from the original on February 21, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  27. LCCN 85042325. Archived
    from the original on November 10, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  28. LCCN 85042325. Archived
    from the original on December 22, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2017.

External links
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