WAZS (AM)

On March 31, 1960, Radio Summerville, Inc., applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a construction permit to build a new radio station in Summerville, which would operate as a 500-watt, daytime-only outlet. The FCC approved the application on October 11, 1961,{{cite web|url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/170fdc0b-66ad-378e-b57e-47da90888e2b|title=FCC History Cards for WAZS|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=September 8, 2022|archive-date=September 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908135752/https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/170fdc0b-66ad-378e-b57e-47da90888e2b|url-status=live}} and WAZS began broadcasting as Summerville and Dorchester County's first radio station on June 7, 1962, featuring what its owner called "a middle-of-the road format of good music".{{Cite news|page=11-A|work=The News & Courier|title=Summerville Radio Station Opens Today|url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings//sxwhqruspeiunboaglerycjzqvzpgtnf_wma-gateway015_1662618645180|date=June 7, 1962|access-date=September 8, 2022|archive-date=September 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908133748/https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2:13CCA871AD118D5A@GB3NEWS-159537D865DB92F1@2437823-1595321B4B1B93B6@10-1595321B4B1B93B6?clipid=sxwhqruspeiunboaglerycjzqvzpgtnf_wma-gateway015_1662618645180|url-status=live}} The original controlling owner of Radio Summerville, N. H. Hamilton, transferred control to Sam E. Felkel in 1965; under Felkel, the station was approved to increase its daytime power to 1,000 watts.{{r|hc}} The format remained country music with local sports coverage.{{cite news|title=Kornblut returns Friday - but can you hear him?|page=C4|date=July 4, 1996|work=The Post & Courier|first=Frank|last=Wooten}}

In 2000, Radio Summerville sold WAZS to Thomas Daniels, Inc. (Jabar Communications). At this time, the station ran religious programming and was known as "Spirit 980".{{cite news|url=http://www.allbusiness.com/transportation-communications/communications-radio/4354603-1.html |title=WWBZ Charleston, S.C., Chef Cook Hopes To Make Mincemeat Of Z93 |last=Hall |first=Dana |work=allbusiness.com |date=2000-12-08 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014114640/http://www.allbusiness.com/transportation-communications/communications-radio/4354603-1.html |archivedate=October 14, 2007 }} This changed in June 2001 with the launch of WAZS as a Spanish-language station, the first in the Charleston area.{{cite news|title=Hispanic radio station WAZS tunes up|page=7|first=Katherine|last=Lowrie|work=The Post and Courier|date=October 11, 2001}}

WAZS returned to English-language programming for a time beginning in 2005, when it switched to jazz music as a result of Jabar's purchase the year before of FM station WWBZ, which became WAZS-FM and began simulcasting.{{cite news|page=F7|first=Prentiss|last=Findlay|work=The Post and Courier|date=August 11, 2005|title=All that jazz in the 'AM'}} With listener response being scant to the jazz format, an afternoon beach music program was added the next year.{{cite news|page=B10|date=March 31, 2006|title=Summerville station featuring beach music|first=Prentiss|last=Findlay|work=The Post and Courier}} Before eventually reverting to full-time Spanish-language programming, an oldies format was instituted in 2007 as "The Rocket 980".{{cite news|title=AM Radio Revival: Local stations and DJs are thriving and surviving in a digital world|first=Rob|last=Young|page=F20|date=April 9, 2009|work=The Post and Courier}}

In 2017, Jabar Communications, whose Charleston operations had grown to two Spanish-language radio stations and two low-power TV stations, sold its business in that city to Norsan Media—owned by Norberto Sánchez of Charlotte, North Carolina—for $850,000.{{cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/118728/station-sales-week-77/|date=July 7, 2017|work=RadioInsight|title=Station Sales Week Of 7/7|first=Lance|last=Venta|access-date=September 8, 2022|archive-date=September 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908102437/https://radioinsight.com/headlines/118728/station-sales-week-77/|url-status=live}}

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• {{AM station data|54839|WAZS}}

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{{Charleston SC Radio}}

{{Spanish Radio Stations in South Carolina}}

AZS

AZS

Category:Radio stations established in 1962

Category:1962 establishments in South Carolina

Category:Regional Mexican radio stations in the United States