• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

1110 New Format

Well I know of a few local commercial free FM stations of course they're either low power or non-commercial, them being WRBK 90.3 (south of Charlotte/Oldies), and Upstate SC stations 92.1 WGYT-LP (Greer/Oldies) and 101.5 WRTH-LP (Greenville/Classic Hits).
I was listening to WRBK (WEBK rebroadcast) on the way to the beach once and I heard something that sounded like a commercial. I posted here about it and was told it wasn't a commercial, whatever that means, but in every way other than being an actual commercial, it was. I've read there are rules on content on a noncommercial station, so even what they do on the NPR stations may sound sort of like a commercial but can't be like commercials on commercial stations.
 
I was listening to WRBK (WEBK rebroadcast) on the way to the beach once and I heard something that sounded like a commercial. I posted here about it and was told it wasn't a commercial, whatever that means, but in every way other than being an actual commercial, it was. I've read there are rules on content on a noncommercial station, so even what they do on the NPR stations may sound sort of like a commercial but can't be like commercials on commercial stations.

I was listening to WRBK (WEBK rebroadcast) on the way to the beach once and I heard something that sounded like a commercial. I posted here about it and was told it wasn't a commercial, whatever that means, but in every way other than being an actual commercial, it was. I've read there are rules on content on a noncommercial station, so even what they do on the NPR stations may sound sort of like a commercial but can't be like commercials on commercial stations.


Yeah, there are ways around it and I believe the waters get more muddy as things digress. I do know you can't mention prices and I believe you can't have a call to action.

Romans 11:33-36 KJB

Josh

Church Podcast: Pleasant View Baptist Church | SermonAudio
Personal Podcast: Back To The Old Paths
TIBPF Podcast: https://www.tibpf.sermon.net
 
It actually takes a little longer. There is some sound effect that makes me think it's over and then they just do that and it's back to the smooth jazz.


Yeah, the legalese gets faster as things digress, too. Sorry for double quoting last post, still learning my way 'round here.

Romans 11:33-36 KJB

Josh

Church Podcast: Pleasant View Baptist Church | SermonAudio
Personal Podcast: Back To The Old Paths
TIBPF Podcast: https://www.tibpf.sermon.net
 
I'll accept those crow recipes now. i was 100% sure I had figured them out, but obviously I missed it. I absolutely have no idea now. I never thought they'd begin the "stunt" (actually not a stunt, but the loop) without having a definite plan for what the new format would be and when it was to start. I still think this is part of a plan; I can't imagine that they don't know what they're going to do and even when it will happen. But I really thought, based on the start date of the loop broadcasts, that today would be the day.
Whatever they're planning on doing, it would seem to me that there's no reason to wait any longer. How long does it take to migrate listeners from AM to FM? On day ONE the P1 listeners got the message. By day five even the stragglers had found 107.9. At the end of 4 weeks is anybody looking for WBT's programming still tuning to 1110? Yes, us radio geeks are different, and maybe the normal listener needs to be beat over the head. But more than four weeks? C'mon.
 
It actually takes a little longer. There is some sound effect that makes me think it's over and then they just do that and it's back to the smooth jazz.
I know. I was driving along and heard that effect, thought "oh, boy, here we go...", pulled over to record it on my iPhone, and then it was the same music they've been playing for the past month.
 
I was listening to WRBK (WEBK rebroadcast) on the way to the beach once and I heard something that sounded like a commercial. I posted here about it and was told it wasn't a commercial, whatever that means, but in every way other than being an actual commercial, it was. I've read there are rules on content on a noncommercial station, so even what they do on the NPR stations may sound sort of like a commercial but can't be like commercials on commercial stations.

Have they upgraded the WEBK signal yet? Kind of weird how I was able to hear their directional signal 'further away' in Darlington & Florence than in McBee which is closer to their translator in the area near Society Hill and Cheraw. Edit: Looks like the CP to move 91.1 NE of Cheraw is not on RL anymore, but if they did that looks like coverage would be slightly improved around there.

I wish they would move their York 92.1 translator to Blacksburg or something, because we're just Out Of Reach of their main 90.3 signal reaching central Cherokee County. It'd be Nice if RBK was added to a Full Power FM HD Subchannel in The Charlotte Area .. (or .. wink wink .. onto 1110 AM .. maybe).
_____________________________________________

When they announce the weather on WRBK (like once or twice an hour) it is preceded by a 'sponsored announcement' which I guess counts as a short ad, but it's no more than a few seconds.

One of those announcements is for a Company Called 'Quackt Glass' .. and is kinda humorous 😅
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20260205-161139.png
    Screenshot_20260205-161139.png
    349.3 KB · Views: 10
  • Screenshot_20260205-161421.png
    Screenshot_20260205-161421.png
    248.5 KB · Views: 10
Last edited:
What the hell? They’re still stunting? This is getting ridiculous. Don’t radio stations have public service obligations as part of their license? I don’t see how this is in the public interest. People should complain to the FCC.

Stations only have to file reports in their FCC Public File once per quarter, covering all topics and issues of community concern addressed during that quarter.

As long as they put something on the air classified as public affairs before March 31, there are no legal grounds to challenge.
 
I'll accept those crow recipes now. i was 100% sure I had figured them out, but obviously I missed it. I absolutely have no idea now. I never thought they'd begin the "stunt" (actually not a stunt, but the loop) without having a definite plan for what the new format would be and when it was to start. I still think this is part of a plan; I can't imagine that they don't know what they're going to do and even when it will happen. But I really thought, based on the start date of the loop broadcasts, that today would be the day.
Whatever they're planning on doing, it would seem to me that there's no reason to wait any longer. How long does it take to migrate listeners from AM to FM? On day ONE the P1 listeners got the message. By day five even the stragglers had found 107.9. At the end of 4 weeks is anybody looking for WBT's programming still tuning to 1110? Yes, us radio geeks are different, and maybe the normal listener needs to be beat over the head. But more than four weeks? C'mon.


Surely, the higher-ups have a plan and have had one all along, they just haven't let everybody else in on it, yet. Surely, they've got a format, etc. It's about time to put it out there, enough is enough.

Romans 11:33-36 KJB

Josh

Church Podcast: Pleasant View Baptist Church | SermonAudio
Personal Podcast: Back To The Old Paths
TIBPF Podcast: https://www.tibpf.sermon.net
 
Have they upgraded the WEBK signal yet? Kind of weird how I was able to hear their directional signal 'further away' in Darlington & Florence than in McBee which is closer to their translator in the area near Society Hill and Cheraw. Edit: Looks like the CP to move 91.1 NE of Cheraw is not on RL anymore, but if they did that looks like coverage would be slightly improved around there.

I wish they would move their York 92.1 translator to Blacksburg or something, because we're just Out Of Reach of their main 90.3 signal reaching central Cherokee County. It'd be Nice if RBK was added to a Full Power FM HD Subchannel in The Charlotte Area .. (or .. wink wink .. onto 1110 AM .. maybe).
_____________________________________________

When they announce the weather on WRBK (like once or twice an hour) it is preceded by a 'sponsored announcement' which I guess counts as a short ad, but it's no more than a few seconds.

One of those announcements is for a Company Called 'Quackt Glass' .. and is kinda humorous 😅


Underwriters (noncom spots) can mention a business, location, hours and what they have to offer, but can't mention any price for said items/services. Oh and usually, all that is prefaced by this time of music/programming is underwritten by such-and-such business. They can't say things like, y'all come on down to such-and-such business today! It's there and left up to the listener to go to the business, etc.

Romans 11:33-36 KJB

Josh

Church Podcast: Pleasant View Baptist Church | SermonAudio
Personal Podcast: Back To The Old Paths
TIBPF Podcast: https://www.tibpf.sermon.net
 
Honest question for the group: do you think this would have played out the same way under any owner, or is this more specific to Urban One’s operational approach?
 
I don't know but I can pick it up north of Wadesboro when I can't hear WIOZ.

It did seem last time like I could hear it for longer going toward I-95.

if I were WEBK/WRBK I would be more concerned about nearby Co-Channel 91.1 WYBH in Fayetteville NC, even moreso than neighboring WLGI on 90.9. Seems alot closer than WEBK having to protect WLTR on 91.3 in Columbia or even WYFG 91.1 in Gaffney.
 
Honest question for the group: do you think this would have played out the same way under any owner, or is this more specific to Urban One’s operational approach?
That's not a fair question to answer as the underlying motives for the whole cluster shift would've been different. The longer this goes on, the longer it is apparent that one of two things happened. 1) Whatever they were planning fell through or 2) They had no plans for 1110.

This reminds me a lot of something I inadvertently caused in Milwaukee in 2010. Saga had begun stunting on their Smooth Jazz 106.9 with a Charlie Sheen "Tiger blood" themed stunt to give you an idea of how long ago it was and I reported that they were planning to flip it to CHR "Now 106.9" on the Friday before Memorial Day. People at iHeart used that to beat them to the punch (where I later learned from a friend programming in another market that he was summoned to run into his studio overnight to get them his music library) so they could launch "Radio Now 97.3" an hour before Saga was set to launch.

With 97.3 on a much larger signal, and Entercom already owning a CHR in the market, Saga aborted the flip and kept stunting for multiple weeks until flipping to Classic Country in mid-June. They would later become a third CHR anyway in 2012.

Similarly in October 2020, SummitMedia dropped Classic Hits on "Star 100.9" WJSR Richmond VA and began stunting with Christmas music. That Christmas music would remain until MARCH 2021, when it flipped to Classic Hits "Awesome 100.9". I later learned they intended to flip it immediately after Christmas to Hip Hop, but got cold feet. That flip ended up taking place in January 2025.
 


Back
Top Bottom