WOIC

Infobox Radio Station
name = WOIC | city = Columbia
airdate = January 1st, 1947
frequency = "1230" (KHz) | area = South Carolina
format = News/Talk
owner = Inner City Broadcasting
erp = 1kW full-time, nondirectional
branding = "WOIC 1230" | slogan = "Columbia's Air America Station"
callsign_meaning = We Originate In Columbia
class = C
website = [http://www.woic.com woic.com]
sister_stations = WARQ, WHXT, WZMJ, WMFX, WOIC, WWDM
affiliations = Air America Radio

WOIC is a radio station located in Columbia, South Carolina. It broadcasts on 1230 AM with an ERP of 1,000 Watts, fulltime.

Station History

WNOK 1230 AM signed on January 1st, 1947 featuring local as well as national programing from the Mutual Radio Network. In the early 1950s WNOK had added a UHF TV station on Channel 67, eventually changing to Channel 19 by the early 60s (Eventually, WNOK-TV was sold off by 1977, becoming WLTX). Also, an FM station on 104.7 was added in 1958, which is where WNOK's call letters reside today.

In the late 50's and early 60's, WNOK programmed various music genres known then as "Block Programming." In the end Top 40 won out and by the mid 60's they were full time Top 40. However, after making little headway against WCOS, they tried "The Now Sound" in 1967, a mix of MOR and light rock/pop. They also affiliated with CBS during that time. In late 1970, they returned to Top 40 and briefly gave WCOS a good run for their money. In 1980, the station changed over to brief Country and Disco formats under the call letters of WXAP. Neither format lasted more than 6 months and the WNOK call letters were reclaimed at the end of the year. The station eventually simulcasted parts of WNOK-FM's Top 40 (now known as CHR) format, although much of the remaining broadcast day was still automated under Adult Contemporary and CHR formats. By the fall of 1985, the automation was finally done away with and WNOK was simulcasting full-time with the FM.

In the fall of 1987, WNOK-AM dropped the simulcast, becoming an AOR/Classic rock hybrid as "Rock 1230". However FM station WMFX signed on shortly afterwards with a similar format, taking away the station's potential audience. In September of 1988, the station became "Oldies 1230" under the WODE call letters featuring a Oldies format. Unfortunately, FM WPRH became WOMG in the spring of 1989 with a similar format, again taking away much of the station's audience.

In the fall of that year, Price Broadcasting, then-owners of longtime Urban Contemporary outlet WOIC 1320 AM announced that they were dropping the call letters and format for a simulcast of sister FM WOMG. In order to prevent any public outcry, arrangements were made with WODE to move the WOIC call letters, format, and staff over to 1230 AM.

WOIC has spent much of the 90s as well as the early 2000s under various Urban flavored formats. In 2003, WOIC became an affiliate of ESPN Radio. This lasted until 2005 when the ESPN programming was moved to sister FM station WZMJ and WOIC was re-launched as a Air America Radio affiliate.

At times, WOIC's ratings have surpassed WISW's, especially during sporting events, because of the performance of teams on WISW, compared to the performance of teams on WOIC.

In the 2007 calendar year, teams broadcast on WOIC carried postseason football and basketball coverage; teams broadcast on rival WISW did not, leaving more revenue and higher ratings for these events, which have helped WOIC's ratings against WISW, even though the postseason months are not calculated on Arbitron ratings for the specific days. It is expected WOIC's advantage on WISW will increase with the national rankings of their teams, while WISW's will decrease with a last-place team.

The station is owned by Inner City Broadcasting, which also owns Urban Contemporary WHXT, Urban AC WWDM, Classic rock WMFX, Alternative WARQ, and ESPN Radio outlet WZMJ in the Columbia radio market.

External links

* [http://www.woic.com WOIC official website]
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