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97.3 WKBC Seeks To Move Closer to Charlotte

KyleSmith1988

KyleSmith1988

FCC Report Extra: Charlotte Area Move-In To Place Two Second Adjacent FMs On Same Tower

Taking advantage of their pre-1964 short-spacings, two Charlotte NC market FMs could soon be sharing a tower as Wilkes Broadcasting Company Hot AC 97.3 WKBC-FM North Wilkesboro NC seeks to move south towards Charlotte....

radioinsight.com

FCC Report Extra: Charlotte Area Move-In To Place Two Second Adjacent FMs On Same Tower

Taking advantage of their pre-1964 short-spacings, two FMs could soon be sharing a tower as Wilkes Broadcasting Company Hot AC
radioinsight.com radioinsight.com
 

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Decent Site, Same as the tower which carries WKKT 96.9, Full Power Class C Signal, which puts an ok but kinda weak signal into Gaffney, and not much further west (and second adjacent-too close)

This proposed move for 97.3 Would make WKBC a Class C2 Signal, with 5700 watts, quite bit weaker than WKKT, and directional to the NE away from WQMG (Similar to 95.7 WXRC 's null),
About 30 miles local & up to 60 miles fringe coverage.
 
97.3 hasn't been very aggressive with local programming. WKBC-AM 800, got the local attention and I wouldn't be surprised if its revenue still out paced the big 100 kW FM. The AM spent almost half of its history as a 1 kW daytimer on 810 and still dominated the local market despite cross town Class IV AM competition Another AM was on there in the heyday of AM radio but it went dark. The founder of WKBC, Doris Potter Brown was a strong local operator and the family went on to own stations in Boone, Taylorsville and Lakeland Florida. WKBC-FM was still treated much like small town AM/FMs did through the 1970s...the AM got all the attention and the FM was just there typically automated. In the case of WKBC-FM, satellite music automation.

North Wilkesboro is a decent sized and fairly vibrant small town. Lowes has its headquarters there and has made a bunch of locals well off. Someone could do well if they put the AM translator up on the present 97.3 tower and keep on serving the local market. It would have good as a Class A signal and reach into adjaccent counties with a decent signal, too. Right now it sits down by the AM tower.
 
MediaMan said:
97.3 hasn't been very aggressive with local programming. WKBC-AM 800, got the local attention and I wouldn't be surprised if its revenue still out paced the big 100 kW FM. The AM spent almost half of its history as a 1 kW daytimer on 810 and still dominated the local market despite cross town Class IV AM competition Another AM was on there in the heyday of AM radio but it went dark. The founder of WKBC, Doris Potter Brown was a strong local operator and the family went on to own stations in Boone, Taylorsville and Lakeland Florida. WKBC-FM was still treated much like small town AM/FMs did through the 1970s...the AM got all the attention and the FM was just there typically automated. In the case of WKBC-FM, satellite music automation.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the History lesson. First time I ever heard the FM,. was in rout to visit family in the Blowing Rock/Boone area, back in like '83, I believe it was. They were sure local then, even to my six year old ears. Alright, I'm telling my age. :D)

MediaMan said:
North Wilkesboro is a decent sized and fairly vibrant small town. Lowes has its headquarters there and has made a bunch of locals well off. Someone could do well if they put the AM translator up on the present 97.3 tower and keep on serving the local market. It would have good as a Class A signal and reach into adjaccent counties with a decent signal, too. Right now it sits down by the AM tower.
Click to expand...

I agree. Spent the first thirty years of my life in NC, living and working in radio there and still have some family and several friends there.
 
I wish Asheville still had the oldies station on 97.3. It took a while to stop getting interference from WKBC when I got to Black Mountain, and then the signal only made it to the west side of the city.
 


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