Rock 105 Becomes La Pantera In Eastern NC

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Dick Broadcasting has flipped “Rock 105” 105.5 WXQR-FM Jacksonville/New Bern NC to Regional Mexican “La Pantera 105.5“.

The new format debuted with Univision’s syndicated El Bueno, la Mala y el Feo in mornings.

Rock 105 Becomes La Pantera In Eastern NC - RadioInsight

radioinsight.com

 

[mcy919]

That's a shame to lose another Modern Rock station. I live a little too far out of its coverage area, but I've played it during trips and wished we had a station like it in my area. I streamed it before that and thankfully they will continue to do so. I wonder if the "La Pantera" name is sort of a reference to their previous format as Pantera is one of my favorite bands of all time.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I didn't think Rock 105 was modern rock. It seemed to be active rock.

Now what are all those Marines going to listen to? I've read that this station has been playing this kind of music since the 80s and that the Marines were listening.

 

[mcy919]

I didn't think Rock 105 was modern rock. It seemed to be active rock.

Now what are all those Marines going to listen to? I've read that this station has been playing this kind of music since the 80s and that the Marines were listening.

I meant to say Active Rock. It reminded me of 93.3 The Planet in Greenville/Spartanburg, which was one of my favorite stations where I used to live.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I meant to say Active Rock. It reminded me of 93.3 The Planet in Greenville/Spartanburg, which was one of my favorite stations where I used to live.

I've heard The Planet. That sounds about right. I've seen lists of last songs played on WXQR.

The market has not, however, lost modern rock. No one ever talks about it but there is WRMR at 98.7.

 

[awsherrill]

WXQR was a hell of a station in the late 70s, when it was about the only signal I listened to as a high school student.

It was straight-up album-oriented rock when that was a thing. They were tracking complete albums straight thru at midnight, before the record companies put the kibosh on that. They went several cuts deep on most albums. Pink Floyd, Who, Led Zep, Beatles, Rolling Stones, Kinks, Yes, Rush, Heart, Alan Parsons, Moody Blues, Bob Seger, whatever...it was all there.

They also had some great syndicated shows..."King Biscuit Flour Hour", National Lampoon's "True Facts Radio Show", a nightly rock report show featuring Scott Muni of WNEW fame, among others.

I'm surprised they kept the same format (more or less) as long as they did. I suppose it was aimed mostly at the Marine population, but civilian 17-year-old me liked it a lot.

 

[CTListener]

Was WXQR one of those stations Lee Abrams installed his "Superstars" format on in the mid/late-'70s? The station awsherrill describes sounds a lot like KLPQ Little Rock, which was a Superstars station around that time.

 

[mcy919]

I've heard The Planet. That sounds about right. I've seen lists of last songs played on WXQR.

The market has not, however, lost modern rock. No one ever talks about it but there is WRMR at 98.7.

I occasionally listen to WRMR because they do play some good songs, but they play a lot of newer Alternative Rock which I am not a fan of. I also listen to WKZQ from Myrtle Beach sometimes, and their playlist is more to my liking now than when I first moved here a year ago.

 

[awsherrill]

Was WXQR one of those stations Lee Abrams installed his "Superstars" format on in the mid/late-'70s? The station awsherrill describes sounds a lot like KLPQ Little Rock, which was a Superstars station around that time.

I don't know if it was a Superstars outlet, or just something that Jerry Popkin (the owner) heard and copied. There were clearly some similarities. Of course the flagship Superstars station WQDR was in Raleigh, a couple of hours away from WXQR's coverage area. During tropo openings WQDR was easily heard in eastern NC.

After listening to both stations, I got the impression that WXQR tended to play harder-edged rock than WQDR, but I have no inside information on how either station was programmed.

 

[Viper252]

It was one of the oldest rock stations in the country

 

[vchimpanzee]

Still listed as rock on the ratings web site.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Also, very few are listening. Things haven't gotten better.

 

[b-turner]

By the way, the record companies did not and could not prevent radio stations from tracking complete albums on the air. If anything it likely got them some sales because folks could hear every track on the LP. That's one of those made up 'facts' that contains no truth whatsoever.