WWNC

Infobox Radio station


name = WWNC
city = Asheville, North Carolina
area =
branding = "News Radio 570"
slogan = "The Talk Of The Mountains"
airdate = 1927
frequency = 570 kHz
format = News/Talk
power = 5,000 Watts
class =
callsign_meaning = Western North Carolina
former_callsigns =
owner = Capstar (through Clear Channel)
webcast =
website = http://www.wwnc.com
affiliations = Fox News Radio

WWNC (570 AM)) is a radio station in Asheville, North Carolina. It transmits at 5000 Watts of power. It currently has a News/Talk format and is affiliated with Fox News Radio. WWNC is under ownership of Capstar Broadcasting through Clear Channel Communications.

History

WWNC, whose call letters stand for "Wonderful Western North Carolina," signed on the air February 21, 1927, as Asheville's first radio station, broadcasting from the Vanderbilt Hotel. Other broadcast locations have included the Flat Iron Building and the Citizen-Times building.

The first time the world heard of Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys was February 2, 1939 at 3:30PM 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 when WWNC became a CBS affiliate and moved to the Asheville Citizen-Times building.

At one time, the station was home to "Amos and Andy", "Fibber McGee and Molly", and "Jack Benny". Prior to 1969, when the format changed to country music, WWNC played middle of the road music. [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]

In 2002, WWNC changed its format from country (except for the morning show) to news/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, Scotty 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. ["Rhodarmer an institution; WNC's mornings won't be the same without his voice", "Asheville Citizen-Times", December 26, 2004]

References

External links

* [http://www.wwnc.com WWNC official website]
*AMQ|WWNC
*AML|WWNC
*AMARB|WWNC