Flashback: 1400 WBTB Beaufort

[ToddJenkins]

I found a link to the last incarnation of WBTB before it went dark. Click here for a peak at it's return to music as Beach 1400...

http://web.archive.org/web/19980215030441/http://www4.coastalnet.com/wbtbam/

Legend has it that WBMA (original calls) was started by some jocks that worked at WMBL 740. Their goal was to supply Beaufort, Morehead City, and Atlantic Beach with 24hours of Beach Music - The "Beach Music Authority". However, it's signal was just plain old 'puny' when compared to MBL. Especially since you were on the beach in the daytime anyway. (WMBL was a daytimer)

So WBMA, like WMBL, began dayparting heavily - C&W, gospel, Top40, etc.
Eventually WBMA/WBTB ran automated country music full-time.
Then automated Top40 during its days with Z103.
Sold briefly to a church as WFTH.
Then News/Talk with Rush Limbaugh before morphing into it's twin WTKF 107.3.
Going dark before being resurrected as Beach 1400 (Back where it started).

Anyone here with any memories of little ol' BMA/BTB?<P ID="signature">______________
-Todd Jenkins
The best things in life aren't things.</P>

 

[billy7]

Good Ol' Gene Gray! There was/is a WBTB licence plat hanging in the bar of Clawsons on Front st. in Beaufort years ago. Don't even remeber if the resturant is still there but it was neat to see. Does anyone know if the old building is still standing? I got to go through it many years ago right after Ol Grey dog bought the station. Nasty, but nostalgic.

I found a link to the last incarnation of WBTB before it
> went dark. Click here for a peak at it's return to music as
> Beach 1400...
>
http://web.archi> ve.org/web/19980215030441/http://www4.coastalnet.com/wbtbam/
>
>
> Legend has it that WBMA (original calls) was started by some
> jocks that worked at WMBL 740. Their goal was to supply
> Beaufort, Morehead City, and Atlantic Beach with 24hours of
> Beach Music - The "Beach Music Authority". However, it's
> signal was just plain old 'puny' when compared to MBL.
> Especially since you were on the beach in the daytime
> anyway. (WMBL was a daytimer)
>
> So WBMA, like WMBL, began dayparting heavily - C&W, gospel,
> Top40, etc.
> Eventually WBMA/WBTB ran automated country music full-time.
> Then automated Top40 during its days with Z103.
> Sold briefly to a church as WFTH.
> Then News/Talk with Rush Limbaugh before morphing into it's
> twin WTKF 107.3.
> Going dark before being resurrected as Beach 1400 (Back
> where it started).
>
> Anyone here with any memories of little ol' BMA/BTB?
>

 

[Timothy]

> Good Ol' Gene Gray! There was/is a WBTB licence plat hanging
> in the bar of Clawsons on Front st. in Beaufort years ago.
> Don't even remeber if the resturant is still there but it
> was neat to see. Does anyone know if the old building is
> still standing? I got to go through it many years ago right
> after Ol Grey dog bought the station. Nasty, but nostalgic.

The building was removed. It was up a few years ago when I went looking it for it, but as of my last visit in May, gone. And grass has grown over the site, so it's been a while.

The last time I was in Clawson's, there was a big WBMA banner that hung over the entrance. I'd bet it's still there. I think there is also still a WMBL sign at a business strip in Morehead City too. You can still see the basic shell of the the 740am building on Radio Island.

I don't know why Gray didn't sell it or at least donate it to CCC.

 

[billy7]

Gene LMA'd WMBL years ago, so he didn't own anything at that time. I know the studio (or what is left of it is still there) at least it was a few years ago. Then I believe it was bought by CC right?? They just took it off the air, I think. Sad the old WBTB building is gone.
>
> The building was removed. It was up a few years ago when I
> went looking it for it, but as of my last visit in May,
> gone. And grass has grown over the site, so it's been a
> while.
>
> The last time I was in Clawson's, there was a big WBMA
> banner that hung over the entrance. I'd bet it's still
> there. I think there is also still a WMBL sign at a
> business strip in Morehead City too. You can still see the
> basic shell of the the 740am building on Radio Island.
>
> I don't know why Gray didn't sell it or at least donate it
> to CCC.
>

 

[slappy65]

im not sure if anyone will read this but i used to work for wbtb/wkqt doing news and was morning side kick on fm side that was in early 90's it was my 1st radio job
ben ball bruce nagelen and fred (who use to own the fox tv station next door) ran it
good times i miss it they had a salesman named doug ulrich who with bruce owned b&d music where i got to play music for weddings and found out what beach music was.i did the swap shop on am then got promote to afternoon drives on 103.3 til some big shit corporation outta greenville bought us out and lucky me i was the only one they kept i soon departed back to wisconsin rip am 1400 the voice of carteret county.

 

[ZAX Double J]

I have on cassette a segment from WMBL circa Aug 1977 it is a part of a commercial for a club called "Night Moves" on the circle at Atlantic Beach, a weather jingle and a weather forcast going into The Eagles' One of these Nights. That was a cool station I remember listening to it when we went to Emerald Isle back then. The WMBL calls are used for an FM station in Mitchell Indiana at 88.1 according to radio-locator.com.

 

[RFGuy]

WBMA was run by Ray and Hilda Cummins when it went on the air. Ray had a way with words and would often get on the air and blast the referee for calls that were made during the East Carteret games and anything political he didn't like. At night, the station would play album rock. It was kinda funny all the spots had Transmitter noise in the background, because the old gates BC1G was less than 4 feet away from you. During that time the station was required to run 250 watts after sunset, and we all would see who was the fastest in switching to night power. I worked at WMBL during the day and hang out at WBMA at night. When the station was sold the call letters were changed to WBTB. Shortly after, WZYC (Z-103)went on the air from the same location with a Harris system 90 automation. The rumor was that WBMA stood for Were Better than Morehead Already. On the other hand WMBL stood for Where Morehead-Beaufort Link. WBMA broadcasted from Dom-Els on the atlantic beach causway on saturday nights back in the late 50's nand early 60's. If my memory is correct WBMA signed on the air Feb 11 1955, or that is what the licence had on it. Boy, that brings back some memories. A lot of good people worked for both WMBL and WBMA/WBTB/WZYC. Too bad that it didn't last. CC bought WMBL and took it dark for a power increase for Charleston, SC. WBTB went dark and Dr Ron Benfield moved the licence to Jacksonville, NC

 

[sack]

Definitely a flashback for me.

I was at Z-103 in 86-87. WBTB was almost totally automated with talk radio at night at that time. The Z studio was on one side of a sliding door and the BTB studio on the other. Some great times with Paul Franklin, Casey Ritter, Thomas Bass, Bruce and Julie Naegelen. Z had a lot of energy and fun at that time,, unfortunately that didn't transfer over to BTB, the ugly stepchild at that time.

Was by there over the summer and now it is a neighborhood, no buildings remain from the radio days,, but the Tee-Pee is still there, but under another name.

That was the most fun station I ever worked at.

 

[RFGuy]

Sack, Remember the par-tay's we used to have? One that comes to mind is the one when you lived on live oak street!!!! I often wondered where you went, Give me a call. Did you go to the WXYC party a few years back? I was in Ral at the time and I came down, But my next door neighbor called and my hot tub was overflowing, and I had to go back. Never made it in time.