WRHT

Infobox Radio Station


name = WRHT/WRHD
airdate =
frequency = 96.3 (MHz) 103.7 (MHz)
city = Morehead City/Williamston
area = Greenville/New Bern Jacksonville
format = Country
owner = Inner Banks Media
erp = 100,000 Watts (each)
branding = "96.3 & 103.7 Thunder Country"
sister_stations = WWHA, WWNK, WRHD, WLGT
slogan = Country Music
class = C1
website = http://www.thundercountryonline.com
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns = 96.3 WMBL-FM (1978-1981) WMBJ (1981-1986) 103.7 WKKE (1987-1988) WHTE (1988-1994) WCBZ (1994-2004)

WRHT and WRHD, also known as "Thunder Country" are the 2 radio stations with a combined total of 200,000 Watts that cover the Greenville/New Bern area with a Country music format. WRHT is licensed to Morehead City, and WRHD is licensed to Williamston. Both stations are owned and operated by Inner Banks Media, owned by Henry Hinton. "Thunder Country" consistantly ranks behind WRNS, of NextMedia.

History

96.3

WRHT started in the 1970's as WMBL-FM on 95.9 FM. For a time the station used to simulcast on WMBL-AM 740 with a MOR/Standards format. In 1981 WMBL-FM changed there calls to WMBJ as "J-96" and later 'Sunny 95.9'. In the mid 1980's, WMBJ moved to 96.3 and became "Sunny 96.3". In the late 1980's 96.3 changed calls to WRHT and became a CHR music station as the '96.3 The Hot FM'.

103.7

The station signed on in the late 60s or early 70s as WIAM-FM running a Top 40 format and simulcasting with then-sister station WIAM-FM

Later , in Early 80s, it was a station called "Hot 104" Back in the late 80s. In 1990, the station switched to a sattlite delivered religious format until 1991 when they were simulcasting with 95.9 as switched to CHR as The Hot FM .They separted in 1993 with 103.7 WHTE playing the Hip hop music , until 1994 They switched Again to "Z 103.7" FM until April 24,1995 they hook up with 96.3 Together and they are playing the Top 40 music.

In September 1991 WRHT joined WHTE in Williamston and began a CHR simulcast as 'The Hot FM's'.

In the early 2000s WRHT/WCBZ were known as "Hot 96 and 103-7".

In January 2004, WCBZ changed callsign to WRHD. That same year while under ownership of Archway Broadcasting, the station's studios moved to New Bern.

In September 2005, both stations became "The HOT FM" again as part of there 15th Anniversary.

Inner Banks Media bought WRHT as part of a cluster of stations from Archway Broadcast Group for $4.5 million in March 2007.

On April 25 2007, The HOT FM moved to the weaker frequencies of WWHA-FM 94.1 Oriental and WWNK-FM 94.3 Farmville. Both were the home of country "94 HANK-FM". The Country format moved to the stronger 96.3/103.7 frequencies and became now known as "Thunder Country".

External links

* [http://www.thundercountryonline.com/ 96.3/103.7 Thunder Country official website]
*FMQ|WRHT
*FML|WRHT
*FMARB|WRHT

*FMQ|WRHD
*FML|WRHD
*FMARB|WRHD