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New Student-Run Station in ENC

B

B Lewis

Guest
Hi All:

While scanning the dial, I found Country playing on 89.1. Not being a big country listener, I would call most of what I was hearing "Indie-Country", until I heard "Need You Now", by Lady Antebellum. If I get anything on 89.1, it's a weak signal from WVTF in Charlottesville, VA. Country on this frequency grabbed my attention. After about 3 songs, with no chatter, imaging, ID's, etc; I heard a promo, which ended with, "here on Big Bang Radio". It seems that this is Nash Community College's new student station. I am just south of Roanoke Rapids, and was getting a respectable signal from them. I found them on radio-locator.com. They are licensed to Tarboro, with 950 watts. Not a bad stretch for such a small signal. Has anyone else in the area caught them? They are streaming and have a page on the Nash CC site: http://www.nashcc.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=318&Itemid=467
 
I saw someone mention them on the Buffalo board because of their call letters a couple months back, but I didn't think they were on air yet (probably because I couldn't get them here in Hope Mills anyway :) ). The Rocky Mount Telegram had something online about them, it sounded like they were trying to present some alternative for people to listen to.
 
Hope Mills...nice town. I used to live near Hope Mills Road and Raeford Road in Fayette-nam. I could get to Hope Mills in about 10 minutes.

As for WNIA 89.1, they are definitely a 'block' format. However, instead of 'alternative' public/college radio styles of music (Triple A, Jazz, Classical, New Age, Alternative/College Rock, etc), they are playing pop styles of music. They are running something like 3 hours of "hit" music (more of a CHR mix), then 2 hours of Country, 3-4 hours of Urban in the afternoons, and Neo-Soul overnight. It's definitely automated. They play alot of music, with very little chatter or imaging and I haven't heard any underwriting credits. However, I think they have just gone on in the past few days, so there is likely some 'stunting' going on while they are getting their act together. What amazes me is how the 950 watt signal reaches Roanoke Rapids. Years ago, First Baptist Church in Roanoke Rapids owned what is now WZRU's frequency (90.1). In those days, they were 1KW ERP, and I could NEVER hear them in Rocky Mount/Tarboro. They are listenable in Roanoke Rapids. I live south of RR, so once I get away from the city and out in the boonies south of town, they are quite clear on my car radio. That is about a 50 mile stretch!
 
89.1 FM is a pretty open frequency in this region since Fayetteville State University's WFSS moved to 91.9 two decades ago or so. WVTF in Blacksburg, Virginia, with their mountaintop transmitter, can (or could) be heard over a wide swath of central and even coastal North Carolina. I thnk there's an 89.1 in Cheriton, Virginia, but other than that its considerably open.

The 90.1 frequency, however, is another story entirely. In addition to the 90.1 in Roanoke Rapids--currently WZRU/Garysburg, you have WCCE/ Buies Creek, WNAA/ Greensboro, WMVE/Chase City, WHMC, Conway, WJKA/Jacksonville, WDCE/Richmond and WZPE/Bath--some of those have signed on in recent years, but it's been a crowded frequency for a while.

The 90.1 owned by the church in Roanoke Rapids...wasn't that WHGG? I remember them broadcasting in mono, but don't know much else about them. What was their story?
 
90.1 in Garysburg VA is now owned by Pathway Ministries of Goldsboro, who own 90.5 in Norlina, 88.7 in Snow Hill,
91.1 in Aurora, and the new FM signing on this summer on 90.9 in Magnolia, which is in Duplin County, in addition
to some translators which will probably go dark when their new signal goes on.
 
answer about 90.1 in Roanoke Rapids

Yes, The 90.1, which was once owned by First Baptist Church in Roanoke Rapids had the calls WPGT from their sign-on in 1972 to some time in the late 90's. First Baptist sold the station to Appalachian Educational Communications (or something like that) around 1995. They have a couple of stations in Bristol, Tennessee. Then, the license was transferred to The Union Mission for a short time. During all that time, they were in mono. During the Appalachian Educational days, they took on a Southern Gospel/Christian Talk-Teaching format. I did a little work with them during that time. During the final days of The First Baptist ownership, Gary Wilson (who eventually went on to do a syndicated Southern Gospel Show) took the management of the station. He changed the imaging to "G-90.1 Gospel's Best Music Mix", with jingles, image liners, and such (these things were foreign to First Baptist's programming of the station) and a music-intense Southern Gospel format. It actually started to gain audience under his programming. I did afternoons on Country WPTM, then evenings on 90.1. That was interesting, but it was a way to make a living. When Appalachian took over, after Gary's days there, the calls were flipped from WPGT to WHGG. In 2000, Union Mission sold the station to Radio Training Network (His Radio). They switched the calls to WRTP-FM, flipped on the stereo pilot, and made the station a repeater of 'His Radio'.

With some erroneous information, there is a brief mention of the sale of WHGG to His Radio on wikipedia's page about WRTP: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRTP
 
If WNIA is going to survive, they need to upgrade their power, 89.1 is a good frequency, but the coverage is not
good, there were places in Rocky Mount where the signal was in and out, at least Nash Community College is
streaming this online.
 
That is so strange. The signal in Roanoke Rapids isn't city-grade, by any means. However, it is somewhat listenable. At any rate, I agree, I should have clear coverage of the entire market.

I wonder how they would do with a community radio format. In other words, something similar to a secondary public radio station, like you would see in larger markets. (Similar to WMNF 88.5 in Tampa, FL). I just don't see blocks of 'pop' music styles doing the job.

I think it is great to see NCC put a station on the air, but I would really like to see some development there!
 
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