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WORD to 98.9, Magic to 106.3

This is an eyebrow-raising move, for sure. On one hand, pop-based AC has struggled in this region of the Carolinas for some time (aside from the format's travails in G-SP, WKQC in Charlotte survives by being a de facto Classic Hits station, while WTCB in Columbia notches perpetually mediocre ratings). I suppose that's because Country, Christian, and rock-based formats siphon much of the potential AC market segment.

On the other hand, AC is a license to print money in most places, and 98.9 has run some version of the format for decades. The lack of effort from Entercom/Audacy in recent years seems to be as much to blame for the station's lukewarm results - if not more so - as the format itself.

Why not banish The Planet to 106.3? I suppose the local morning show might bill enough (and its male ratings may be strong enough) to justify keeping it on a 100kw signal, and the format probably relies more heavily on listening in outlying areas than AC does. All the way around...sad state of affairs when a pop format (even a gold-based one) is relegated to a second-tier signal in favor of mouth-breathing conservative talk.
 
vchimpanzee said:
WSCC isn't a translator but last time I checked it wasn't "full power" any more than 106.3. What is your definition?
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Definition: Not a translator. Not an LPFM.
 
I could understand this move to compete with the big signal WGTK at 94.5 so we can now have 2 competing news/talk stations on Full Power Signals.

But at that point I would also wanna see one of the rock stations on 106.3 (swap with 93.3 or 101.1) and the other one full signal going to Magic.

I think Magic should be on the full signals, and would be great on 93.3 and The Planet on 101.1 or 106.3 would be nice too. Signal and Ratings wise this could be great for Earth FM.

I would also like to see Earth FM (WRTH)
switch to 94.5 and have WGTK move to 103.3/95.9,
this would be a good chance.
 
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TheMusicMan said:
This is an eyebrow-raising move, for sure. On one hand, pop-based AC has struggled in this region of the Carolinas for some time (aside from the format's travails in G-SP, WKQC in Charlotte survives by being a de facto Classic Hits station, while WTCB in Columbia notches perpetually mediocre ratings). I suppose that's because Country, Christian, and rock-based formats siphon much of the potential AC market segment.

On the other hand, AC is a license to print money in most places, and 98.9 has run some version of the format for decades. The lack of effort from Entercom/Audacy in recent years seems to be as much to blame for the station's lukewarm results - if not more so - as the format itself.

Why not banish The Planet to 106.3? I suppose the local morning show might bill enough (and its male ratings may be strong enough) to justify keeping it on a 100kw signal, and the format probably relies more heavily on listening in outlying areas than AC does. All the way around...sad state of affairs when a pop format (even a gold-based one) is relegated to a second-tier signal in favor of mouth-breathing conservative talk.
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Keep in mind, Greenville-Spartanburg in the 2000s was a massive AC market. Not only was there Magic, but My 102.5 commanded a (generally larger) audience as well. Combined both could get around a 15 share at times. There are still successful AC’s in much of the southeast, just not Columbia or GSP. WSPA-FM is musically better than a lot of AC’s, so I don’t think that’s their problem. The personalities aren’t awful, but they’re very restrained with what they can say it seems. Mornings are syndicated, but many AC’s have syndicated AM drive now. Hopefully this move will give the station an opportunity to clean up old imaging, etc and have a more refreshed sound.

93.3 is one of those stations that doesn’t do great but is successful enough because of the morning show and all of their local endorsements. 93.7 is probably in the same boat. 101.1 doesn’t make it much in to WNC so it’s like 106.3. Messing with that signal would be stupid with little to no gain.

IMO WSPA-FM was sacrificed because they had the least to lose. Syndicated morning show, not a station a ton of people are extremely passionate about, can still bill well on a weaker signal. Office radios and commuters can still get it in the 2 main counties. It still hits the most important cities in the market. Fringe areas and Anderson county is where they’ll take a hit.
 
106.3 has had several formats prior to the WORD simulcast. Oldies 106.3 from 2002-2005, 106.3 The Walk from 2005-2006, female talk from 2006-2007, then Charlie FM from 2007-2008. Other than WORD it’s never been an over achieving frequency, but it’s never really had anything I cared to listen to other than Charlie FM.
 
tylerSC said:
Do we have confirmation that Vince Coakley will be departing WORD? And if so, who will the replacement be?
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Yes, he posted on his Facebook page that upstate listeners can continue to listen to him on WBT. I read a commenter on one of WORD’s post that said 3/15 would be his last day and someone was replacing him, but I forget the name now. I can check back and see if I can find it. Just a rumor about the replacement, but Vince is out.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid03mYSL5ounvNnRD5QACpYySPkzWejxho4joGTMngYMXi7UWqeeCgudnmf4p8XcSHRl&id=100057638666391


It’s a shame because Vince wasn’t as fanatical as Tara and Charlie (I know Vince is just semi local). He still used some logic - something Tara and Charlie don’t know. I’m sure another 45 boot licker will be hired.
 
101tm said:
Yes, he posted on his Facebook page that upstate listeners can continue to listen to him on WBT. I read a commenter on one of WORD’s post that said 3/15 would be his last day and someone was replacing him, but I forget the name now. I can check back and see if I can find it. Just a rumor about the replacement, but Vince is out.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid03mYSL5ounvNnRD5QACpYySPkzWejxho4joGTMngYMXi7UWqeeCgudnmf4p8XcSHRl&id=100057638666391


It’s a shame because Vince wasn’t as fanatical as Tara and Charlie (I know Vince is just semi local). He still used some logic - something Tara and Charlie don’t know. I’m sure another 45 boot licker will be hired.
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WBT is 50,000 watts, so chances are they can hear him on a conventional radio.
 
Since it'll be WBT and WYRD on nearby adjacent frequencies it would be cool if they can simulcast their programming or stations from time to time. 98.9 covers a huge area of most of the western part of the Charlotte area, some areas where even 99.3 has a weak signal. Gaffney gets a strong signal on both. Adjacent markets with a strong overlap and influence.
 
Thinking about it, I wonder if they’ll bother to swap the calls or not. WSPA-FM is synonymous with 98.9, WORD could continue to use that branding regardless with the calls (they’ve called themselves WORD for years on WYRD-FM) so it’s not really necessary. Magic doesn’t use calls on air other than the legal ID. Calls don’t really matter much anymore.
 
101tm said:
Thinking about it, I wonder if they’ll bother to swap the calls or not. WSPA-FM is synonymous with 98.9, WORD could continue to use that branding regardless with the calls (they’ve called themselves WORD for years on WYRD-FM) so it’s not really necessary. Magic doesn’t use calls on air other than the legal ID. Calls don’t really matter much anymore.
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The press release states that both stations will retain their call letters when they switch frequencies.
 
mcy919 said:
The press release states that both stations will retain their call letters when they switch frequencies.
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Interesting, I see now. It makes sense to leave the heritage WSPA-FM calls at 98.9, but would they even be able to move them to 106.3 if they wanted? It seems like they had a deal with WSPA-TV where the calls couldn’t be used on air other than for legal ID purposes. The day of the announcement I did record the legal ID’s from both stations just for keeping 😁

WYRD-FM legal ID
WSPA-FM legal ID

Sheri Taylor said the change will happen at 9am on the 28th.
 
vchimpanzee said:
WBT is 50,000 watts, so chances are they can hear him on a conventional radio.
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Since he airs during daytime hours, this may be true. But after sunset, WBT blocks their signal on 11.10 to the west of Charlotte, which is why they added 99.3. However, WBT on 99.3 is now subject to interference from WCON down in Georgia, when they increased their power a few years back. But you can selectively aim your rabbit ears on your home receiver and WBT will lock on fine in Spartanburg and parts of Greenville. Unfortunately car reception can now be problematic. But if you have an HD radio, you can also listen to WBT on WLNK-107.9HD2.
 
101tm said:
Interesting, I see now. It makes sense to leave the heritage WSPA-FM calls at 98.9, but would they even be able to move them to 106.3 if they wanted? It seems like they had a deal with WSPA-TV where the calls couldn’t be used on air other than for legal ID purposes. The day of the announcement I did record the legal ID’s from both stations just for keeping 😁

WYRD-FM legal ID
WSPA-FM legal ID

Sheri Taylor said the change will happen at 9am on the 28th.
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It sounded to me like the call letters will swap frequencies to stay with their corresponding formats. I remember that happening a few years ago in the Greensboro market when 100.3 and 105.7 swapped formats.
 
mcy919 said:
It sounded to me like the call letters will swap frequencies to stay with their corresponding formats. I remember that happening a few years ago in the Greensboro market when 100.3 and 105.7 swapped formats.
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Well, they pretty much had to. "Kiss" was WMKS and "The Buzz" was WVBZ. No one in this situation has call letters that say Magic.

Although WYRD would be better for a station calling itself WORD.
 
mcy919 said:
It sounded to me like the call letters will swap frequencies to stay with their corresponding formats. I remember that happening a few years ago in the Greensboro market when 100.3 and 105.7 swapped formats.
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It makes sense to put the WYRD-FM calls with WORD since that’s the closest thing they have to “WORD” on the station even though it doesn’t really matter. Audacy has the WORD calls still on 950, but I have a feeling eventually 1330 and 950 will be sold and 97.1/97.7 will be fed by HD2.

If the WSPA-FM calls go to 106.3, I wonder if they have to get approval from Nexstar? I forget when exactly I read it on here but I believe they have “control” in a sense over those.

I wonder if that 95.1 translator W236CD in Pickens will stay for Magic. It gives a signal to Clemson, Seneca, and Pickens but it’s directional and weak. Given the political views prevalent in that area that match WORD, the simulcast made sense, but once you put it in stereo (assuming they do) it’s not going to be of much use for Magic. I’m assuming the 101.5 translator in Anderson will stay with Magic and WSPA-HD2 will flip from the WORD simulcast to Magic to feed it (and to give alienated Magic listeners with HD radio an option to listen on its former main signal if they can’t get 106.3 well).
 
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101tm said:
Interesting, I see now. It makes sense to leave the heritage WSPA-FM calls at 98.9, but would they even be able to move them to 106.3 if they wanted? It seems like they had a deal with WSPA-TV where the calls couldn’t be used on air other than for legal ID purposes. The day of the announcement I did record the legal ID’s from both stations just for keeping 😁

WYRD-FM legal ID
WSPA-FM legal ID

Sheri Taylor said the change will happen at 9am on the 28th.
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Even listening closely, it's hard to pick out the "Y" in WYRD.
 
Hey when you think about it, News Talk WORD is already on 98.9 on the HD-2 channel which is good enough already and covers more areas than 106.3 can (need an HD Radio) so in theory perhaps magic 98.9 can swap in reverse and also maintain its presence on 98.9 via the same HD-2 channel, and maybe also 93.7 HD-4 as well, which would be cool and their current branding on there can still apply there perhaps?

Hopefully then 106.3 will add HD to their signal and turn off "mono" for a clearer stereo signal, A good HD signal from 106.3 should cover pretty much all of Greenville and Spartanburg, and reach Cowpens and Pacolet SC in the east, to Powdersville in the west, Landrum SC to the north, and Laurens SC to the South.
 
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