WSOC-FM

Infobox Radio Station
name = WSOC-FM


city = Charlotte, North Carolina
area = Charlotte/Metrolina
branding = "103.7 WSOC"
slogan = Charlotte's #1 Country
Home of 12 In a Row Every Hour!
airdate = 1961
frequency = 103.7 (MHz)
format = Country
erp = 94,000 watts
class =
owner = CBS Radio
website = http://www.wsocfm.com/
callsign_meaning = Dual meaning:
Sounds Of Charlotte
We Serve Our Community
(both originally taken from WSOC-AM; see WSOC-TV)
sister_stations = WBAV, WFNA/WFNZ, WKQC, WNKS, WPEG, WSOC-FM

WSOC-FM 103.7 is, a Country radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina. The station is owned by New York City-based CBS Radio. Its main competitor in the country format is 96.9 The Kat. Broadcast personalities include Tanner in the Morning, Catherine Lane, Charlie and Debbie, the Sandman at Night, and Chad Dixon Overnights.

The Program Director is Donald Stout, Music Director is Rick McKracken, and Promotion Director is Chele Fassig. The General Sales Manager is Billy Grooms.

Market Manager: William Schoening.

Although WSOC shares its callsign with the city's ABC affiliate WSOC-TV (Channel 9), the TV station is owned by Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises.

History

WSOC-FM became a country radio station in 1971Mark Price, "Roper Snags Top CMA Award - WSOC-FM Morning Host Wins As Broadcast Personality of the Year," "The Charlotte Observer", October 5, 2003.] .

Don Bell worked at WSOC-FM from 1975 to 1987, hiring many of the station's most popular announcers, and working on the air as well. He played a major role in making WSOC one of Charlotte's top radio stations. Before moving to Charlotte, Bell worked at KFRE and KMJ in Fresno, California and WIOD in Miami, Florida [Mark Washburn, "Funeral Service Set for Radio's Bell - Ex-Program Manager Led WSOC, Was Active in Humanitarian Work," "The Charlotte Observer", February 2, 2002.] .

Country music was evolving, and its popularity grew as the result of the movie "Urban Cowboy". WSOC-FM was getting ready for big changes.

Edd Robinson moved to afternoons on WSOC-FM in 1979 after 11 years at WAME, which had changed formats. He remained at WSOC until late 1987 [Jeff Borden, "WSOC Shocked by Resignation of Afternoon Drive Disc Jockey," "The Charlotte Observer", January 1, 1988. ] .

In 1980, WSOC-FM hired Bill Dollar as its morning host. Dollar had worked for WGST in Atlanta, Georgia and was familiar with WSOC-FM owner Cox Enterprises. He wanted to start his own station in Boone, North Carolina and had no plans to stay long. Bell said he liked Dollar's voice and warmth, and the fact that he wasn't funny, unlike so many morning hosts. Bell wanted WSOC-FM to be full service radio like WBT, combining information and entertainment.

In 1982, Dollar succeeded Robert Murphy of WAYS/WROQ, and unlike Murphy, he did it without attacking PTL, often called "Pass the Loot" by its critics. Dollar did not even take advantage of the situation when PTL experienced scandal in 1987 [Jeff Borden, "Born to Be Mild - Charlotte's No. 1 Deejay, Bill Dollar, Has Taken the Middle Road to the Top," "The Charlotte Observer", May 14, 1989.] .

On June 29, 1987, Bill Ellis did his midday show for the last time before leaving to do the morning show for WSSL-FM in Greenville, South Carolina after 11 years at WSOC-FM. Program director Paul Johnson said Ellis would likely not have replaced Dollar anytime soon, so if he wanted to be a morning host, he had to go elsewhere. Former WSOC general sales manager John Cullen was WSSL's general manager [Jeff Borden, "Bill Ellis Joins S.C. Radio Station," "The Charlotte Observer", July 1, 1987.] .

For seven years, Dollar was Charlotte's top DJ, and in October 1989 after three nominations, he received the Broadcast Personality of the Year award (medium markets) from the Country Music Association [Tony Brown, "Keeping Win Quiet Was Tough, Bill Dollar Says," "The Charlotte Observer", October 12, 1989.] .

In Fall 1989, Dollar returned to the no. 1 position after John Boy and Billy replaced him in the summer, a ratings period during which the market's top station lost to WPEG [Tony Brown, "John Boy, Billy Dethrone Dollar," "The Charlotte Observer", October 13, 1989.] [Tony Brown, "DJ Bill Dollar Is No. 1 Again in Mornings," "The Charlotte Observer", January 13, 1990.] . In 1991, WPEG became Charlotte's top station and remained in that position, though WSOC was still one of the top country stations in the United StatesMark Washburn, "WSOC's Fall From Radio Grace: Top Dog to Underdog," "The Charlotte Observer", April 1, 2001.] .

In 1992, Cox sold WSOC-AM and WSOC-FM but kept the TV station. The FM station went to EZ Communications (owner of WMXC), and the AM to Bible Broadcasting Network [Jennifer Ffrench Parker, "WSOC Says Swap Will Change Little," "The Charlotte Observer", September 30, 1992.] .

In August 1994, Dollar had been WSOC's morning host for 14 years, the longest of anyone in Charlotte. But Dollar's ratings with 25-54 listeners were way down, and he returned from vacation, on his 44th birthday, to find he had been moved to middays, replaced in the morning by Paul Schadt and Cindy O'Day. Program director Paul Johnson said the change would attract more younger listeners with " a more contemporary face" and "energy, entertainment and fun." The station tried to claim Dollar asked for the change, but he would not confirm that [Tim Funk, "Station's Switch Puts Dollar on Air Later, in Midday Slot," "The Charlotte Observer", August 25, 1994.] .

Claire B. Lang, who had done news on John Boy and Billy's show, replaced O'Day as Schadt's co-host in October 1996. Johnson called her "outrageous." She would continue as "Inside NASCAR" host on The Nashville Network as well as covering NASCAR for "Sports Illustrated" [Kay McFadden, "WSOC-FM Adds Morning Co-Host: Claire B. Lang," "The Charlotte Observer, The (NC) - October 10, 1996.] .

Dollar was killed in a head-on collision near Gastonia, North Carolina in November 1996, and WSOC declared a day of mourning [Kay McFadden, "Fans Mourn Death of DJ Bill Dollar - Wreck Kills Award-Winning Radio Veteran," "The Charlotte Observer", November 23, 1996.] . Music director Rick McCracken, who also worked overnights, took Dollar's slot temporarily and later returned to late night. Mike Terry, who had hosted middays before, moved back to that slot to replace Dollar, and Jason Dean took over afternoons from Terry. Dean had hosted "The Nite Shift" from Los Angeles on the Blair Garner "After Midnight Entertainment" network, and he had also worked in San Francisco and Detroit. John Crenshaw's "Country Heartlines" continued in the evenings [Kay McFadden, "WSOC-FM Kicks Off Some Changes in Talent Lineup," "The Charlotte Observer", March 25, 1997.] .

In December 1997, Schadt moved to WKKT after 16 years at WSOC [Mark Price, "Country DJ Schadt Moves to WKKT-FM," "The Charlotte Observer", January 8, 1998.] , and in February 1998, WSOC fired Schadt's partner Lang. WSOC was still number two in Charlotte, and hoping to stay that way, when the station added Big Paul and Aunt Eloise of WTQR in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The two morning hosts intended to go back and forth between the two stations, and syndication to more stations was considered. "Big Paul" Franklin was from Gastonia, while the identity of Aunt Eloise remains a mystery [Jeri Rowe, "Big Paul and Aunt Eloise: Charlotte to Air WTQR Show," "Greensboro News & Record", February 26, 1998.] . The pairing lasted eight months. Dave Temple and Terry Blake took over.

In Fall 2000, WSOC was no. 12 in the Charlotte market, while WKKT was no. 5. Infinity Broadcasting, the latest owner, needed to make changes. Kevin O"Neal became program director and WSOC began playing 12 songs in a row, hired top Columbia, South Carolina DJ Jeff Roper as morning host (with Blake as sidekick), and cut back on commercials.

The strategy worked--at least for a while. In Summer 2001, WSOC was Charlotte's top station for the first time in about 10 years [Mark Washburn, "WSOC Regains Top Spot - Station Credits Contests, NASCAR, and a New Morning Show for Gains," The Charlotte Observer", October 25, 2001.] .

Roper was named Country Music Association Broadcast Personality of the Year (large markets) in 2003.

Roper made it to number two among morning hosts in the ratings but eventually fell back to no. 7 [Mark Washburn, "Radio Ratings Notes," "The Charlotte Observer", January 23, 2004 ] . Then Carrie Ann Boggess, Roper's co-host, filed suit against Roper for harassment, and when his contract ended in 2004, Roper returned to Columbia to do mornings on a new station, WWNU [Mark Washburn, "Roper Leaves Charlotte As Deal Expires - Morning Host Returns to S.C. with Harassment Suit Pending," "The Charlotte Observer", January 8, 2005.] .

References

External links

* [http://www.wsocfm.com Official Website]
*fmq|WSOC