WWNC

WWNC is Asheville's oldest radio station, and among the oldest in North Carolina. It was first licensed, as WABC, on June 24, 1925, to the Asheville Battery Company at 19 Haywood Street.[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112106763060&seq=125 "New stations"], Radio Service Bulletin, July 1, 1925, page 3. As of June 30, 1926, the station was listed on 1180 kHz with a transmitter power of 20 watts.[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b3221813&view=1up&seq=349 Commercial and Government Radio Stations of the United States], June 30, 1926, edition, page 67.

In late 1926, it was announced that an application had been filed to transfer ownership of WABC to the Asheville Chamber of Commerce, and change its call sign to WWNC,"Asheville Assured Government Permit For Radio Station", Asheville (North Carolina) Times, December 2, 1926, page 1.[https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=68889 "FCC History Cards for WABC / WWNC"]: "Application Record - Broadcasting", Card No. 1 (scanned card #11), the application dated 11-30-26 reads: "Renewal & assignment license in name Asheville Chamber of Commerce, loc. Chamber of Commerce-requesting call letters WWNC." which stood for "Wonderful Western North Carolina". This allowed A. H. Grebe to transfer the WABC call sign to a New York City station, which was licensed to the Atlantic Broadcasting Company.[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112106763060&seq=450 "Alterations and corrections"], Radio Service Bulletin, December 31, 1926, page 8.

File:Radio station WWNC (1928).jpg The Chamber also financed a major upgrade, which included a power increase to 1,000 watts, and relocated the transmitter site to atop the Flatiron Building. This new configuration made its debut broadcast on February 21, 1927, at 7:00 pm.{{cite news|url=http://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2016/01/03/visiting-past-recognizing-history-happens/78232006/|title=Visiting Our Past: Recognizing history as it happens|last=Neufeld|first=Rob|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|date=January 3, 2016|access-date=January 5, 2016}} The station has traditionally recognized this as its founding date.[https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Station-Albums/WWNC-Ashville-1928-Anniversary.pdf "First Anniversary: Radio Station WWNC]", 1928. On November 11, 1928, WWNC was moved to its current frequency of 570 kHz, as part of the implementation of the Federal Radio Commission's General Order 40.[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.c021003683&view=1up&seq=236 "Revised list of broadcasting stations, by frequencies, effective 3 a. m., November 11, 1928, eastern standard time"], Second Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission for the Year Ended June 30, 1928, Together With Supplemental Report for the Period From July 1, 1928, to September 30, 1928, page 200. The Citizen Broadcasting Company acquired the station on February 4, 1929.

The studios were at the Vanderbilt Hotel.{{cn|date=May 2024}} Other broadcast locations have included the Flatiron Building{{cite news|url=https://www.citizen-times.com/story/life/2024/05/15/tour-flat-iron-hotel-luminosa-restaurant-opens-in-downtown-asheville/73546211007/|title=Flat Iron Hotel, Luminosa restaurant opens in downtown Asheville|last=Kennell|first=Tiana|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|date=May 15, 2024}} and the Citizen-Times Building when it was owned by the daily newspaper.{{cn|date=May 2024}} For most of its early years, WWNC was powered at 1,000 watts.[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1935/1935-BC-YB.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1935] page 48, Broadcasting & Cable

In its early days, WWNC provided weather and road reports, and music at night. Country legend Jimmie Rodgers{{cite news|url=https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2023/01/22/visiting-our-past-toasting-ups-and-downs-of-the-1920s-in-wnc/69819529007/|title=Visiting Our Past: Toasting ups and downs of the 1920s in WNC|last=Neufeld|first=Rob|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|date=January 23, 2023}} and Bascom Lamar Lunsford were among the stars who performed on the station. Information included "local sporting events, crop futures and farmers markets, and social and economic affairs (billed as being everything 'from house work to bridge')."{{cite news|url=https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2024/05/24/wnc-history-ashevilles-flatiron-building-from-1926-to-todays-hotel/73819272007/|title=WNC History: Asheville's Flatiron Building, from 'Human Fly's' 1926 climb to today's hotel|last=Chesky|first=Anne|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|date=May 24, 2024}} WWNC also aired church services. Because the station could be heard throughout the Eastern United States and even in Canada and Mexico, WWNC became valuable in attracting tourists. On October 10, 1931, WWNC changed its affiliation from CBS Radio to the NBC Red Network.{{cite news|title=WWNC, WIS Join NBC|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1931/1931-10-15-BC.pdf|access-date=September 29, 2014|agency=Broadcasting|date=October 15, 1931}}

On September 10, 1936, President Franklin Roosevelt spoke at McCormick Field. WWNC broadcast the speech.{{cite news|url=http://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2015/09/10/today-asheville-history-sept/71943090/|title=Today in Asheville history, Sept. 10|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|date=September 10, 2015|access-date=October 6, 2015}} The station was the Western North Carolina home to Amos and Andy, Fibber McGee and Molly and Jack Benny. In 1938, WWNC was one of the many stations broadcasting Orson Welles' The War of the Worlds.

The first time the world heard Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys was February 2, 1939, at 3:30 pm when the group played a fifteen-minute segment on Mountain Music Time. At the time, WWNC was an NBC affiliate, owned by the Asheville Citizen-Times. Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys played the daily 3:30-3:45 Mountain Music spot until April 1, 1939. On that date, WWNC left NBC and rejoined CBS.{{cite news |title=Minnesota Group, WKBO Added to NBC |work=Broadcasting–Broadcast Advertising |date=March 15, 1939 |page=30}}

On September 28, 1953, the Asheville Citizen-Times and WWNC were sold to Roger C. Peace and J. Kelly Sisk, owners of the Greenville News and Piedmont and WFBC in Greenville, South Carolina;{{cite news |title=Greenville Group to Buy Asheville Newspapers |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=12ksAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TssEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2839%2C3391211 |access-date=October 27, 2024 |work=The Spartanburg Herald |agency=Associated Press |date=September 29, 1953 |page=3}} the $2.3 million deal was approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that November.{{cite news |title=KCMO Sale Among FCC Approvals |work=Broadcasting–Telecasting |date=November 16, 1953 |page=56}} In September 1967, the News-Piedmont Company and its associated companies announced that they would merge to form Multimedia, Inc., by January 1, 1968.{{cite news |title=Stockholders Favor Merger Of Papers, TV |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bHMsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vssEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6232%2C2648182 |access-date=October 27, 2024 |work=The Spartanburg Herald |agency=Associated Press |date=September 16, 1967 |page=3}}

As network programming moved from radio to television, WWNC switched to a full service, middle of the road (MOR) format, including popular adult music, news and sports.Tony Kiss, "WWNC radio celebrates three-quarters of a century", Asheville Citizen-Times, February 17, 2002."Rhodarmer an institution; WNC's mornings won't be the same without his voice", Asheville Citizen-Times, December 26, 2004.Rob Neufeld, "Toasting ups and downs of the 1920s in WNC," Asheville Citizen-Times, January 13, 2014, p. B4. In 1969, WWNC switched from MOR to country music.

In the days before FM became popular, WWNC was sometimes the highest-rated station in the United States with an Arbitron share over 40 percent, occasionally as high as 50 percent for morning drive time disc jockey Scotty Rhodarmer. It was the top station in the Asheville radio market for many years.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/200103644/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Tune in new tunes across local airwaves|last=Kiss|first=Tony|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|date=April 17, 1994|page=1L}}

Heritage Broadcast Group purchased WWNC from Multimedia, Inc., for $7.25 million in 1987.{{cite news |title=Multimedia selling station |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cIUyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ma4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1201%2C8273210 |access-date=October 27, 2024 |work=The Sumter Daily Item |agency=Associated Press |date=April 16, 1987 |page=8B}} Heritage already owned WISE and WKSF in Asheville;{{cite news |title=$230 Million Taft Sale Detailed; Compass, WIN Sell 3 Stations |work=Radio & Records |date=June 19, 1987 |pages=10, 12}} it would sell WISE to United Broadcasting Enterprises a few months later.{{cite news |title=$380 Million Station Trading Bonanza |work=Radio & Records |date=July 17, 1987 |pages=10, 12}} In 1993, Heritage sold WWNC and WKSF to Osborn Communications, in a $22.5 million deal that also included WAAX and WQEN in Gadsden, Alabama; WFKS in Palatka, Florida; and WOLZ in Fort Myers, Florida.{{cite news |title=SRN-Heftel Merger Creates $150 Million Spanish Group |work=Radio & Records |date=December 10, 1993 |pages=6, 8}} Capstar Broadcasting Partners purchased Osborn for $100 million in 1996.{{cite news |title=Capstar Takes Osborn Group |work=Radio & Records |date=July 26, 1996 |pages=1, 30}}

Capstar and Chancellor Media announced in August 1998 that they would merge (Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst was a major shareholder in both companies);{{cite news |last1=Littleton |first1=Cynthia |title=Chancellor, Capstar ink merger |url=https://variety.com/1998/biz/news/chancellor-capstar-ink-merger-1117479917/ |access-date=April 9, 2023 |work=Variety |date=August 28, 1998}} upon the merger's completion in July 1999, the combined company was named AMFM Inc.{{cite news |title=Chancellor/Capstar merger creates AMFM Inc. |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/1999/07/12/daily6.html |access-date=April 9, 2023 |work=Austin Business Journal |date=July 13, 1999}} AMFM was in turn acquired by Clear Channel Communications (forerunner to iHeartMedia) in a deal announced on October 4, 1999,{{cite news |title=Clear Channel, AMFM deal |url=https://money.cnn.com/1999/10/04/deals/clear/ |access-date=April 9, 2023 |work=CNN Money |date=October 4, 1999}} and completed in August 2000.{{cite news |author=Variety Staff |title=Clear Channel brings AMFM into focus |url=https://variety.com/2000/more/news/clear-channel-brings-amfm-into-focus-1117785751/ |access-date=April 9, 2023 |work=Variety |date=August 30, 2000}}

In 2002, WWNC changed its format from country music (except for the Scotty Rhodarmer morning show) to all-talk, taking over talk shows previously heard on WTZY (now WPEK).Tony Kiss, "Local radio stations swap formats Monday", Asheville Citizen-Times, March 15, 2002 In 2004, Rhodarmer retired as WWNC morning host after more than 40 years in the position and 50 years as a station employee. In 1979, he had 56 percent of the audience according to Arbitron, more than any other local radio personality. His theme song was "Carolina in the Morning". On June 18, 2010, many of the former DJs had a reunion. They included Rhodarmer, Frank Byrd, Wiley Carpenter, John Roten, John Anderson and Randy Houston.Tony Kiss, "WWNC stars of yesteryear remember the 'magic' they created in Asheville", Asheville Citizen-Times, June 19, 2010.

Western Carolina University broadcast a program in December 2010 on WWNC recreating Welles' 1938 broadcast of A Christmas Carol, including Arthur Anderson, who at age 16 performed with Welles in the original broadcast.Tony Kiss, "Tickets on sale for WCU's re-creation of radio 'Carol'", Asheville Citizen-Times, August 6, 2010.

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://wwnc.iheart.com/}}

{{AM station data|2946|WWNC}}

• [https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=68889 FCC History cards for WWNC] (covering 1925-1978 as WABC / WWNC)

{{Asheville Radio}}

{{News/Talk Radio Stations in North Carolina}}

{{IHeartMedia}}

{{Authority control}}

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Category: 1925 establishments in North Carolina

Category:IHeartMedia radio stations

Category:News and talk radio stations in the United States

Category:Radio stations established in 1925

WNC