WPCM

WPCM (920 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a Sports radio format. Licensed to Burlington-Graham, North Carolina, the station is owned by Alamance Media Partners.

For the FM station, see WYMY.
WPCM
CityBurlington-Graham, North Carolina
Frequency920 kHz
600 kHz (WSJS)
BrandingSports Triad Radio
Slogan"Everything Country"
Programming
FormatSports
Ownership
OwnerAlamance Media Partners
Sister stationsWCOG, WMFR, WSJS, WSML, WYMY
History
First air dateSeptember 15, 1941
Call sign meaningWe Play Country Music (previous format)
Technical information
Facility ID9082
ClassD
Power5,000 watts day
55 watts night
Transmitter coordinates36°5′50.00″N 79°29′3.00″W
Translator(s)104.5 W283BT (Burlington)
Links
Websitemaverickradionc.com

WPCM is also heard on FM translator 104.5 MHz W283BT in Burlington.[1]

Programming

The station went online at 5:00PM on Friday March 1, 2019.

History

Burlington and Alamance County's first radio station signed on the air on September 15, 1941 as WBBB.[2] WBBB had its studios above Lamb's Clothing on South Main Street as a daytime-only station with 1,000 watts of power. Its transmitter was on Tower Drive at the same location the station airs from today.[3] In 1946, WBBB added an FM station at 101.3 (later 101.1). It later became a separate station known as WNCB, then WPCM and it is currently WYMY.[4]

In 1952, WBBB increased its power to 5,000 watts, but still as a daytimer.[3] The WBBB call sign moved to an FM station in Raleigh in January 1998.[5][6]

WBBB 920 later started a news/talk format that included Ken Hamblin and G. Gordon Liddy, switching its call letters to WPCM. Although the area had several country radio stations, WPCM began playing classic country by artists such as Dolly Parton, George Jones, Willie Nelson and Patsy Cline. The new slogan was "We Don't Forget Who Made Country Music Great."[7]

By 2001, WPCM was playing oldies.[8] In June 2004, WPCM changed its format from beach music. On May 14, 2005, WPCM went back to its beach music format, including operations manager/morning host Byron Tucker and afternoon DJ Charlie Brown.[9]

In 2009, Brown became an honorary member of the Association of Beach and Shag Club DeeJays' DJ Hall of Fame.[10] In 2010, WPCM won the Carolina Beach Music Association's AM Station of the Year award for the third time in four years.[11]

In 2014, WPCM added W236BO, an FM translator at 95.1 MHz which previously belonged to Liberty University. The music also changed but remained oldies.

On December 26, 2014, WPCM switched from oldies to country music. Imaging promos on the air said "WPCM. We Play Country Music." The station's Facebook page [12] had this explanation: "...Today we begin an exciting new chapter in our life as a radio station as we bring you the best in country music...." and "...Alamance County has a love of country music and it is our responsibility to the community and to ourselves to play the music that you want to hear and that our advertiser's clients want to hear...."

In 2018, WPCM switched to an all sports format, simulcast from co-owned AM 600 WSJS Winston-Salem.

In early 2019, WPCM (920 kHz) was broadcasting all-sports radio format. Licensed to Burlington-Graham, North Carolina, the station was owned by the Carolina Radio Group, a subsidiary of the Curtis Media Group.[13]

Previous Logos

(WPCM's logo under previous oldies format)

(WPCM's logo under previous country format)

(WPCM's logo under Maverick country format - now used for WSML)

References
  1. https://www.rbr.com/curtis-cuts-in-the-carolinas/
  2. Broadcasting Yearbook 1942 page 162
  3. http://midcarolinaradio.com/WBBB.html
  4. "Raleigh-Durham FM Dial". Archived from the original on 2003-02-01. Retrieved 2010-05-05.
  5. "Call Sign History (WBBB)". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
  6. David Menconi, "Station Opts for Format of 'Real Rock'", The News & Observer, January 29, 1998.
  7. Jeri Rowe, "WFMY Introduces New Weekend Anchors," Greensboro News & Record, July 9, 1998.
  8. "Radio Stations," Greensboro News & Record, August 2, 2001.
  9. Charity Apple, "Burlington-area radio station makes switch back to beach music," Times-News, May 13, 2005.
  10. "Honorary Members of the Beach Music Hall". Retrieved 2011-04-20.
  11. "WPCM Bringing Home The Hardware Again!". WSJS. Retrieved 2011-04-20.
  12. https://www.facebook.com/951WPCM/posts/755559241146517
  13. "WPCM Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
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