WLYT

Infobox Radio Station


name = WLYT
frequency = 102.9 (MHz)
city = Hickory, North Carolina
area = Charlotte, North Carolina
format = Adult Contemporary
owner = Clear Channel Communications
website = [http://www.wlyt.com wlyt.com]
callsign_meaning = LYT = a play on Light or Lite
sister_stations = WEND, WIBT, WKKT, WRFX

WLYT is Lite 102.9, an adult contemporary music station serving the Charlotte, North Carolina area. Although licensed to Hickory, NC, the main studios are located at 801 Woodridge Center Drive, just off the Billy Graham Parkway near Charlotte/Douglas International Airport. The station is owned and operated by Clear Channel Worldwide.

Lite 102.9 serves its listeners an extra long set of "The Best Variety of Yesterday and Today," and during the holiday season, it treats its listeners to "Continuous Christmas Favorites." Lite 102.9 had featured a "70's Flashback Weekend" every weekend since late 2004 through 2005, but discontinued this tradition after the slogan changed from "Continuous Lite Favorites" to "The Best Variety of Yesterday and Today." The station plays Christmas music annually, with 'preview weekends' from early November through Thanksgiving, then a 24-hour Christmas format from Thanksgiving through Christmas day. WLYT's main competitor is CBS Radio's WKQC, K104.7.

History

The station's history in Charlotte began in 1987 with a signal boost and a move from Hickory, North Carolina (where it was WHKY-FM). Prior to the move, "Y-102.9" had played Top 40 with a heavy emphasis on album-oriented rock, a format that made people notice at a time when rock radio was in decline. Before that, WHKY-FM had aired Christian programming.

WRLX "Relax 102.9", a beautiful music station, promoted itself with images of a pair of retirement-age punk rockers, intended to humorously illustrate how the competition apparently viewed the station's target audience. In 1989, the station changed its call letters to WEZC and its name to EZ 102.9, gradually adding more vocals during the summer to make the transition from beautiful music to MOR. In 1993, the name changed again to Lite 102.9 as the station moved to soft adult contemporary, and the letters switched to WLYT in 1995. Over the years, as the definition of soft adult contemporary has changed, WLYT has evolved. In fact, "soft" can no longer be used to describe some of the older songs in special programs, such as the "80s at 8" on the morning show, the "Retro Lunch" on weekdays, "Disco Inferno" on Friday afternoons, and special weekend programs of classic songs.

In late January 2008, WLYT changed its morning show to more closely resemble the "Today" show on NBC, with more talk geared toward women 25 to 54. During the first hour, the talk was more hard news, becoming lighter as the morning show progressed and adding more music during work hours. [Mark Washburn, "Morning hosts will double up with afternoon gig," Charlotte Observer, Jan. 26, 2008.] The program schedule was altered as well.

Program Schedule

Weekdays:

*5:00AM-11:00AM - AM Carolina w/ Jen Byrum and Jim Shafer
*1:00PM-7:00PM - Phil Harris
*7:00PM-12:00AM - Delilah After Dark

References

External links

*FMQ|WLYT
*FML|WLYT
*FMARB|WLYT