WKQC

Infobox Radio Station
name = WKQC


city = Charlotte, North Carolina
area = Charlotte/Metrolina
branding = "K104.7"
slogan = Cool Songs/Charlotte's Cool Music Station
airdate =
frequency = 104.7 MHz
format = Adult Contemporary
erp = 100,000 watts (directional with beam tilt)
class =
owner = CBS Radio
website = [http://www.k1047.com/ http://www.k1047.com/]
callsign_meaning = W
K104.7 (branding)
Queen City
(nickname for Charlotte)
sister_stations = WBAV, WFNA/WFNZ, WKQC, WNKS, WPEG, WSOC-FM

WKQC-FM is K-104.7, an adult contemporary radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina. It features the hits of yesterday and today, similar to Charlotte's other AC radio station, main competitor Lite 102.9. Its slogan is "Cool Songs," and K-104.7 plays Christmas music from mid-November to Christmas year annually.

The station changed its name and call letters from WSSS-FM, Star 104.7 in 2004 due to market share loss. It is owned by New York City-based CBS Radio and shares office, studio and production space and resources with fellow CBS owned WNKS-FM "Kiss 95.1" near the Clanton Road interchange of Interstate 77 in Charlotte.

This station receives exceptional interference from another 104.7 (WNOK) in Columbia, just 75 miles south. The Chester & Lancaster areas are affected the most with interference from both stations.

History

In the 1970s, Charlotte had two beautiful music stations--WYFM and WBT-FM. By the mid-70s, WYFM was WEZC "EZ-104" and had a 100,000-watt signal. In September 1978, WBT-FM changed to rock and became WBCY, leaving WEZC as the city's only beautiful music station. In December 1982, even though the area had two other soft adult contemporary FM stations--WLVV "Love 97" and WZXI--WEZC changed to soft adult contemporary as well. The switch generated so many protests that WZXI moved to fill the gap.

During the 1980s, WEZC gradually evolved from soft adult contemporary to mainstream adult contemporary. The station's most famous personality was controversial morning host Chuck Boozer.

In 1989, WEZC completed its transition with a name change to WMXC "Mix 104.7", and the WEZC call letters were picked up by a new AC station on the 102.9 frequency. [Jeff Borden, "WEZC Has New Format, Call Letters - New Playlist Aims at Both Sexes", The Charlotte Observer, March 21, 1989] In 1994, with WLNK (formerly WBT-FM) and WLYT (formerly the "new" WEZC) competing, WMXC became WSSS "Star 104.7", playing "Super Sounds of the Seventies". 80s music was added later [ Bill Keveney, "Star 104.7 Tweaks Its '70s Format", Charlotte Observer, January 25, 2000 ] and the station later went all-80s. Classic hits was also tried. But even though format changes generated brief ratings improvement, nothing worked until the station returned to adult contemporary music, with an emphasis on older songs. The switch to the current name and call letters came after the station played just Christmas music during the 2004 holiday season.

In January 2007, former Boston-area programming legend Tom Jeffries, who had been Program Director/Morning Host since the station's flip in 2004, resigned to go into semi-retirement. In April 2007, the station picked up local TV meteorologist Derek James as the new morning host, while promoting Scarlet C. to Asst. Program Director and T. Edward Bensen to Music Director. The station eliminated its entire on-air staff in October 2008, with the only exceptions being Scarlet C. from 10am-3pm and Holly Haze from 7pm-12am weekdays. Some other positions were cut as well at the same time. It is rumored that a format change is imminent.

"Christmas K-104.7"

When K-104.7 starts playing Christmas music, it is renamed "Christmas K-104.7". The station also uses holiday-themed jingles, which usually include lines such as "Season's Greetings", "Happy Holidays" and "Merry Christmas". The station's logo is also changed to a red and green color scheme, with "Christmas" appearing above "K-104.7" (in the regular blue and purple logo, the line "Cool Songs" appears below the station's name). Initially, it airs the all-Christmas format only on weekends leading up to Thanksgiving, with a mix of regular and Christmas songs on the weekdays. On the week of Thanksgiving, the all-Christmas format runs on a full-time basis. The station bills itself as the Carolinas' radio home for the holidays, a title that Lite 102.9 once held exclusively until 2004, when both stations started going head-to-head.

References

External links

* [http://www.k1047.com Station website]
*FMQ|WKQC