WSPA-FM
Broadcast areaUpstate South Carolina
Frequency106.3 MHz
BrandingMagic 106.3
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatAdult contemporary
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
July 10, 1989 (1989-07-10)
Former call signs
  • WNMX (1988–95)
  • WDXZ (1995–99)
  • WGVC (1999–2008)
  • WYRD-FM (2008–2023)
Call sign meaning
"Watch Spartanburg Push Ahead"[1]
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID53623
ClassC3
ERP25,000 watts
HAAT100 meters (330 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
34°50′33.00″N 82°09′59.00″W / 34.8425000°N 82.1663889°W / 34.8425000; -82.1663889
Repeater(s)98.9-2 WYRD-HD2 (Spartanburg)
93.7-4 WFBC-HD4 (Greenville)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live (via Audacy)
Websitewww.audacy.com/magic1063

WSPA-FM (106.3 MHz), known on-air as Magic 106.3, is an adult contemporary-formatted radio station in the Greenville-Spartanburg area of Upstate South Carolina. The Audacy, Inc. outlet is licensed by the FCC to Simpsonville, South Carolina, and broadcasts at with an ERP of 25 kW. Its studios are in Greenville and its transmitter is located east of Five Forks.

History

It was reported in late 1990 that Tony Brooks, owner of WORD (AM) from 1970 to 1982, Linda Brooks and Polly Davis formed a partnership to buy WNMX Mix 106.3 in Newberry, which planned to increase its power to 25,000 watts, giving the station a better signal in Greenville and Spartanburg Counties[3] Under Brooks the station became WDXZ.[4] In December 1996, Caring in Action Inc. purchased WDXZ "Dixie 106.3", which had played country and adult contemporary, and switched it to Southern gospel. Special shows on Sundays included "Senior Saints" for senior citizens, "Kidz Now" with Sunday school for children, and "Call the Pastor", an advice show.[5][6]

Art Sutton bought WDXZ, moved it to Greenville, and sold it to Barnstable Broadcast Group.[7]

In September 2002, Barnstable changed WGVC-FM to a rhythmic oldies format described as "Greatest Hits of the '60s and '70s" and "Motown Soul & Rock & Roll." This was the first oldies station since WOLI and WOLT changed format two years earlier.[8]

On March 21, 2005, Entercom announced its purchase of WGVC, WROQ and WTPT for $45 million from Barnstable.[9] Entercom sold WSPA,[10] WOLI and WOLT to Davidson Media Group and moved the Contemporary Christian format called "The Walk" from those stations to WGVC.[11] The company also owned WSPA-FM, WYRD and WORD.[9]

In late November 2006, a computerized “countdown” (including various phrases and quotes from entertainment, pop culture, and history were played every 30 seconds) broadcast on 106.3, which ran for almost one week, counting down until a new station would sign on 106.3 on a Thursday at 6am.[12] The new format was GreenStone Media's female-oriented talk, known only as “106.3 WGVC”, which was one of only eleven stations in the country to carry the format backed by Jane Fonda and Gloria Steinem.[13][14]

GreenStone Media, the main provider for WGVC's programming, would cease operations on August 17, 2007. On August 18, the station started playing a feed of various genres music, including rock from the 1970s and 1980s ("106.3 The Big Hair"), boy band music ("Backstreet 106.3"), a mix of rap and hip-hop, leaning towards old school rap ("Booty 106.3"), country ("Cryin’ County 106.3"), and even Christmas music ("Santa 106.3"). On August 20, 2007, at 12:00 noon ET, the station's new format was revealed to be adult hits under the name "106.3 Charlie FM".[15][16]

On June 13, 2008, WGVC became WYRD-FM, a second simulcast partner to WYRD and WORD, "News Radio WORD".[17] The talk radio format included local hosts Russ Cassell and Lisa Rollins as well as syndicated Mike Gallagher, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, George Noory and Jim Bohannon. The simulcast continued until the switch from talk to sports by the AM stations on March 29, 2014.[18]

In November 2019 WYRD-FM began simulcasting on translator W270AM (101.5 FM) in Anderson.[19] In May 2020, W236CD (95.1 FM) began serving Clemson, Pickens and Seneca.[20]

Entercom became Audacy in 2021.[21] On March 6, 2023, Audacy announced that WYRD-FM and WSPA-FM would swap formats and call signs beginning March 28. The move was intended to put WYRD-FM's programming on the larger 98.9 signal, a signal that reaches Asheville, North Carolina, while allowing WSPA-FM to maintain its focus on Greenville and Spartanburg counties on 106.3.[22] WSPA-FM's original format will continue to be available in Asheville on 98.9's HD2 subchannel.

References

  1. ↑ Neely, Emily Crow (September 14, 2005). "The ups and downs of WSPA's 75 years". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WSPA-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ↑ "MIX 106.3 FM may change owners". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. December 6, 1990. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  4. ↑ Henderson, Gary (April 30, 1998). "Many remember decade as a 'wholesome era': Peaceful times 1950s". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. pp. 48–49, 58.
  5. ↑ Lambert, Yon (January 10, 1997). "Turnipseed, WCTG Sowing New Seeds on Airwaves". The State. p. Weekend 7.
  6. ↑ "Regional concerts". Greenville News. May 24, 1996. p. Time Out 16 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Jacobson, Adam (December 29, 2021). "The AM Radio Die-Off: 'It Makes Sense' To Sutton". RBR.com. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  8. ↑ Hudson, Eileen Davis (March 17, 2003). "Market Profile: Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.". Mediaweek. Vol. 13, no. 11. p. 18.
  9. 1 2 "Entercom to add three local FM stations". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. June 26, 2005. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  10. ↑ Orr, Susan (June 18, 2005). "WSPA stations to get new ownership". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Need2Know". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. June 26, 2005. p. B3.
  12. ↑ "What's Going On In Greenville?". All Access. November 1, 2006. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  13. ↑ "The Greenstone Story: Radio that talked to women". AllAccess. November 28, 2007. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  14. ↑ "106.3/Greenville now Charlie FM". AllAccess. August 20, 2007. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  15. ↑ "106.3 Greenville, SC now Charlie FM". All Access. August 20, 2007. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  16. ↑ "106.3/Greenville, SC In Stunt Mode". All Access. August 17, 2007. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Greenville's WORD Gets FM Simulcast". All Access. June 16, 2008. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Entercom launches new sports brand". Inside Radio. March 29, 2014. Archived from the original on March 29, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  19. ↑ 106.3 WORD Adds Simulcast in Anderson SC Radioinsight - November 6, 2019
  20. ↑ "The Upstate's No. 1 News Talk Radio Station Can Now Be Heard on 95.1 FM in Clemson, Pickens and Seneca". Audacy. May 4, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  21. ↑ Spangler, Todd (March 30, 2021). "Entercom Changes Name to Audacy, Kills Off Radio.com Brand". Variety. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  22. ↑ Magic 98.9 And 106.3 WORD To Swap Frequencies
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.