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Some historical questions about 103.7 Hot FM simulcast in Williamston.

R

RobynWatts

Guest
Since Hot was brought up, I'd thought that now would be a good time to ask a few questions that I have about the history of The Hot FM.

When did The Hot FM started simulcasting their signal on the 103.7 frequency in Williamston. Was it a full simulcast, or certain dayparts with Williamston-based airshifts as well?

Did the simulcast begin as a LMA or were both stations under the same ownership? I know that they had the call letters WHTE during this period.

When did the simulcast end and became it's own station (as Hot 103.7)?

I vaguely remember when 103.7 went Alternative as WCBZ, but it last for a very short time. What happened, and when did they return as a simulcast of The Hot FM?

Finally, how in the world did WRHT relay a signal to WHTE back then? That is over 100 miles away! Was it a relayed STL?

Thanks,
Robyn<P ID="signature">______________
"They say you better listen to the voice of reason. But they don't give you any choice 'cause they think it's treason." Elvis Costello "Radio Radio"</P><P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by RobynWatts on 11/12/05 09:08 PM.</FONT></P>
 
As wrong as I know I'll be I'm going to answer some of these...

> When did The Hot FM started simulcasting their signal on the
> 103.7 frequency in Williamston. Was it a full simulcast, or
> certain dayparts with Williamston-based airshifts as well?

It was around 1995 or 1996 I think... it was a complete simulcast from the start though. I do know that much.


> When did the simulcast end and became it's own station (as
> Hot 103.7)?

Huh? It has been a simulcast ever since it began as one...


> I vaguely remember when 103.7 went Alternative as WCBZ, but
> it last for a very short time. What happened, and when did
> they return as a simulcast of The Hot FM?

Now I see... Hot 103.7 and 96.3 The Hot FM were two totally different things.

But "The Music Wave, 103.7" wasn't Alternative... they played Jimmy Buffett... I'm sorry but that ain't altrock.

> Finally, how in the world did WRHT relay a signal to WHTE
> back then? That is over 100 miles away! Was it a relayed
> STL?

Over the air. The STL was put in service in the late 90s when they started playing separate ads on each station. And wow did that thing suck... until 2000 or so there were outages almost daily.

There is a really good story about some of the first owners of 103.7 who literally went bankrupt, left the carrier on, shut the studio off, and skipped town. Someone here has got to know it... this is the first place I read it.<P ID="signature">______________

Eastern NC & Raleigh/Greensboro Board Moderator</P>
 
I do remember the days of 103.7 being 'Hot 104'. I am almost sure that was under previous ownership. Is that the owner that skipped town? It was a pretty decent CHR station in the late 80's/early 90's. I remember them becoming 'The Hot FM' in the early 90's, as well..around 91 and 92 (I was commuting to Atl. Christian). They had reverb on the mics and, I think I acutally recall them branding it as 'The Hot FM's' before the 'Hot FM'.

To go back further...who remembers the old 'J-96' (WMBJ) days on 95.9...then they flipped to 96.3 and became 'WRHT, The Right FM' with a Soft AC format? For some time, WMBL AM 740 and 'J96' were a simulcast...when MBJ became WRHT, WMBL began programming an MOR/Standards format. Too bad that AM isn't around. That was a killer 1000 watt signal!

> As wrong as I know I'll be I'm going to answer some of
> these...
>
> > When did The Hot FM started simulcasting their signal on
> the
> > 103.7 frequency in Williamston. Was it a full simulcast,
> or
> > certain dayparts with Williamston-based airshifts as well?
>
>
> It was around 1995 or 1996 I think... it was a complete
> simulcast from the start though. I do know that much.
>
>
> > When did the simulcast end and became it's own station (as
>
> > Hot 103.7)?
>
> Huh? It has been a simulcast ever since it began as one...
>
>
> > I vaguely remember when 103.7 went Alternative as WCBZ,
> but
> > it last for a very short time. What happened, and when did
>
> > they return as a simulcast of The Hot FM?
>
> Now I see... Hot 103.7 and 96.3 The Hot FM were two totally
> different things.
>
> But "The Music Wave, 103.7" wasn't Alternative... they
> played Jimmy Buffett... I'm sorry but that ain't altrock.
>
> > Finally, how in the world did WRHT relay a signal to WHTE
> > back then? That is over 100 miles away! Was it a relayed
> > STL?
>
> Over the air. The STL was put in service in the late 90s
> when they started playing separate ads on each station. And
> wow did that thing suck... until 2000 or so there were
> outages almost daily.
>
> There is a really good story about some of the first owners
> of 103.7 who literally went bankrupt, left the carrier on,
> shut the studio off, and skipped town. Someone here has got
> to know it... this is the first place I read it.
>
 
103.7 ran a religious format briefly after the Hot 104 people skipped town and left a mono carrier running. I remember running TV commercials for it at Channel 9 in the early 90's. Was that just a filler/stopgap thing to keep the frequency alive during an ownership transition, or did it also fail for monetary reasons? It came and went so fast I didn't have a chance to check it out.

KL

<a href="http://home.nc.rr.com/gttyson/lastradio.html">The Last Radio Station<a>

<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
Ok. It was a simulcast in 1993 when I got there. The HOT FM's 96.3 and 103.7 and later became 96.3 and 103.7 the HOT FM. They split in 1994 when Dave Mack and Johnny Dive convinced the owner of 103.7 (WHTE) to let them run it. That worked, NOT! It then bacame WCBZ and was terrible excuse for an Alternative/Local band station. Gene Gray and Frank Styers bought it from the bank in Mid 1995. The story goes that the owner and former business partner of Genes' did not want to sell to him although the bank was going to take it and the lights were getting shut off. Anyway, it then became 96.3 and 103.7 The HOT FM once again. As far as I remeber the simulcast started in late 1991, but I'm not sure.

> 103.7 ran a religious format briefly after the Hot 104
> people skipped town and left a mono carrier running. I
> remember running TV commercials for it at Channel 9 in the
> early 90's. Was that just a filler/stopgap thing to keep
> the frequency alive during an ownership transition, or did
> it also fail for monetary reasons? It came and went so fast
> I didn't have a chance to check it out.
>
> KL
>
> The Last Radio Station
>
 
and the lights were getting shut off. Anyway, it then became
> 96.3 and 103.7 The HOT FM once again. As far as I remeber
> the simulcast started in late 1991, but I'm not sure.

It was simulcasting im 1991 when I took a beach trip there. At that point, the talent and music programming sounded better than any Charlotte CHR. Come to think of it, I don't think Charlotte had a CHR at that point.
 
Thanks for the info, everyone.

> It was simulcasting im 1991 when I took a beach trip there.
> At that point, the talent and music programming sounded
> better than any Charlotte CHR. Come to think of it, I don't
> think Charlotte had a CHR at that point.


1991 was when I first learned that these stations existed, but was unable to hear the stations for myself until early 1993. By that time, they had split apart with 103.7 calling themselves "103.7, The New Sound Of WHTE", while 96.3 was just going by "The Hot FM" handle. I've noticed musically that WHTE was more Rhythmic based, but their on-air presentation was rather dry, almost AC oriented. Meantime, WRHT was sounding like a major market CHR.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

Robyn<P ID="signature">______________
"They say you better listen to the voice of reason. But they don't give you any choice 'cause they think it's treason." Elvis Costello "Radio Radio"</P><P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by RobynWatts on 11/14/05 11:55 PM.</FONT></P>
 
Re: Thanks for the info, everyone.

1991 was when I first learned that these stations existed,
> but was unable to hear the stations for myself until early
> 1993. By that time, they had split apart with 103.7 calling
> themselves "103.7, The New Sound Of WHTE", while 96.3 was
> just going by "The Hot FM" handle.



Note, the split did not come until late 1994 and started up again in early 1995.
 
The ORIGINAL Hot FM

93.3 was known as 93DLX The Hot FM back in the mid-late 80's. When it gave up CHR for AC ("Lite Rock 93.3") in '90, Hot 104 came on, and Sunny 96.3 flipped to CHR as The Hot FM.
 
Re: The ORIGINAL Hot FM

> 93.3 was known as 93DLX The Hot FM back in the mid-late
> 80's. When it gave up CHR for AC ("Lite Rock 93.3") in '90,
> Hot 104 came on, and Sunny 96.3 flipped to CHR as The Hot
> FM.

Sunny also had some years as Sunny 95.9. There will still some signs around ENC long after the switch. WMBL was Sunny 95.9. Imagine making a living off a 3kw signal.
 
> It was simulcasting im 1991 when I took a beach trip there.
> At that point, the talent and music programming sounded
> better than any Charlotte CHR. Come to think of it, I don't
> think Charlotte had a CHR at that point.
>

Charlotte had a CHR/Rhythmic-Dance at that point called Kiss 102, didnt it?
 
> > It was simulcasting im 1991 when I took a beach trip
> there.
> > At that point, the talent and music programming sounded
> > better than any Charlotte CHR. Come to think of it, I
> don't
> > think Charlotte had a CHR at that point.
> >
>
> Charlotte had a CHR/Rhythmic-Dance at that point called Kiss
> 102, didnt it?
>

Yes it did. I believe that comment was in reference to the lack of a Mainstream CHR in Charlotte at the time. 95 Double-Q (WAQQ) didn't sign on until around September of '91.

Robyn
<P ID="signature">______________
"They say you better listen to the voice of reason. But they don't give you any choice 'cause they think it's treason." Elvis Costello "Radio Radio"</P>
 
Some audio proof...WRHT 1993-94.

>> Note, the split did not come until late 1994 and started up
> again in early 1995.
>

I beg to differ! Both stations were running separate formats by early 1993. WHTE/Williamston was calling themselves "103.7 The New Sound Of WHTE" (complete with Mark Driscoll sweepers), while WRHT was called 96.3 The Hot FM and was using Brian James sweepers as well as JAM's "Z-World" package.

Here is a link to an short audio file of WRHT from 1993-94 that's only good for a limited time (about a week)

http://d48.yousendit.com/D/084PNTBKU0Y971IBZDMY537815/96.3%20The%20Hot%20FM%20WRHT%20(1993-94).wma

Robyn<P ID="signature">______________
"They say you better listen to the voice of reason. But they don't give you any choice 'cause they think it's treason." Elvis Costello "Radio Radio"</P>
 
What happened to WSEC-FM 103.7

I remember in the early 80's that 103.7 FM in Williamston had the call letters WSEC and I believe it simulcasted with WIAM-AM 900. When and how did that station go under. Also, I remember there was a night jock from 6pm-1am, Tuesday-Saturday, who went by the name "Little Willie" and he played soul/R&B music. What happen to him? I haven't heard anything about him since the mid 80s. <P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by The RadioFan on 12/14/05 01:30 AM.</FONT></P>
 
Re: What happened to WSEC-FM 103.7

> I remember in the early 80's that 103.7 FM in Williamston
> had the call letters WSEC and I believe it simulcasted with
> WIAM-AM 900. When and how did that station go under. Also,
> I remember there was a night jock from 6pm-1am,
> Tuesday-Saturday, who went by the name "Little Willie" and
> he played soul/R&B music. What happen to him? I haven't
> heard anything about him since the mid 80s.
>

Was this freq called WKKE ("Key 103") at one time? I believe Campbell-Hauser had it.
 
Re: What happened to WSEC-FM 103.7

> > I remember in the early 80's that 103.7 FM in Williamston
> > had the call letters WSEC and I believe it simulcasted
> with
> > WIAM-AM 900. When and how did that station go under.
> Also,
> > I remember there was a night jock from 6pm-1am,
> > Tuesday-Saturday, who went by the name "Little Willie" and
>
> > he played soul/R&B music. What happen to him? I haven't
> > heard anything about him since the mid 80s.
> >
>
> Was this freq called WKKE ("Key 103") at one time? I believe
> Campbell-Hauser had it.
>
Here is a audio clip at http://www.mcsittel.com/assets/images/wkke1037id.mp3<P ID="signature">______________
Tidewater MediaZone</P>
 
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