WBZK
Encyclopedia
WBZK is an American radio station
licensed by the FCC to serve the community of York, South Carolina
. The station license is currently owned by 980 AM, Inc.
WBZK airs various forms of religious programming, consisting largely of talk shows. Its programming is a simulcast of the programming airing on WCRU
of Dallas, North Carolina.
, signed on in 1969.
For five years prior to the 1986-87 season, WDZK aired Winthrop
men's basketball.
On January 20, 1988, after 31 years as a daytime-only station, WBZK broadcast at night for the first time, reducing its power after dark from 1000 watts to 290 watts. This meant better coverage of local government and sports, which included Clemson Tigers
basketball and York Comprehensive High School
football. The station continued to simulcast the adult contemporary music
of sister FM WDZK except for Sunday morning religious programming. York High games had aired the next day on tape; WDZK had aired Chester High School football for 20 years.
In 1990, WDZK moved from a tower three miles south of Chester to a 495-foot tower, the highest in the area, 10 miles north of Chester. WDZK also increased its power from 3000 to 6000 watts. WBZK also moved to two new towers south of Rock Hill
and increased power to 3500 watts, giving the station six times as many listeners.
In 1993, WBZK and WDZK aired several Clemson women's basketball games, the first area stations to do so. Also that year, WDZK aired Charlotte Knights
baseball.
In 1995, the Sigmon family sold WBZK-FM to the owners of WBT in nearby Charlotte, North Carolina
after owning the station for 26 years. The family kept the AM, which played oldies
and beach music
.
In July 2000, Carolina Metro Radio LLC (Edward A. Baker, managing member/33.33% owner) reached an agreement to purchase WBZK from York Clover Broadcasting Co. (C. Curtis Sigmon, president) for a reported sale price of $500,000. At the time of the sale, WBZK broadcast a beach music
format.
At one time, WBZK aired Spanish
Christian
programming.
Osiris Collazos hosted the "Amanecer en America" ("Wake Up America") morning show on "La Maxima".
980 AM Inc acquired WBZK in September 2008. According to the documention of the sale, 980 AM Inc was owned by Michael B. and Dara Glinter. WBZK was exchanged for station WPYR in Louisiana with no money changing hands, according to the agreement filed with the FCC.
Prior to its switch to Christian talk, WBZK's programming consisted largely of Contemporary Christian music. The music was programmed on an automated basis rather than featuring live-on air personalities. WBZK featured relatively few interruptions between songs for commercials or other non-musical items. Songs were often played back-to-back with no bumpers in-between.
According to industry reports, the Glinters have relocated to South Carolina from Florida and wanted to operate a radio station near their new home. Truth Broadcasting paid $400,000, minus a security deposit and credit for the tower lease, for WBZK and began operating the station August 16, 2010, airing the same programming as WCRU
in Dallas, North Carolina
.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
licensed by the FCC to serve the community of York, South Carolina
York, South Carolina
York is a small city in York County, South Carolina, United States. The city of York is also the county seat of York County. The population was approximately 6,985 at the 2000 census and the 2009 population estimate for the city...
. The station license is currently owned by 980 AM, Inc.
WBZK airs various forms of religious programming, consisting largely of talk shows. Its programming is a simulcast of the programming airing on WCRU
WCRU
WCRU is a radio station licensed to Dallas, North Carolina and serving the Charlotte area. The station is currently owned by Truth Broadcasting Corporation.-History:...
of Dallas, North Carolina.
History
Curtis Sigmon signed on WYCL at 1580 AM April 19, 1956, with 250 watts. The station later moved to 980 AM, increased power to 1000 watts, and became WBZK. WDZK, at 99.3 FM in ChesterChester, South Carolina
Chester is a small city in Chester County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 6,476 at the 2000 census and a center urban cluster population of 11,140...
, signed on in 1969.
For five years prior to the 1986-87 season, WDZK aired Winthrop
Winthrop University
Winthrop University is a public, four-year liberal arts university in Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA. In 2006-07, Winthrop University had an enrollment of 6,292 students. The University has been recognized as South Carolina's top-rated university according to evaluations conducted by the South...
men's basketball.
On January 20, 1988, after 31 years as a daytime-only station, WBZK broadcast at night for the first time, reducing its power after dark from 1000 watts to 290 watts. This meant better coverage of local government and sports, which included Clemson Tigers
Clemson Tigers
The Clemson Tigers are any team that represents Clemson University as a member of the NCAA's Division I or in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference....
basketball and York Comprehensive High School
York Comprehensive High School
York Comprehensive High School is the sole high school in York County School District 1. Diane Howell serves as principal.Due to growth and aging of the original building, a new high school was built. The new high school is on Alexander Love Highway. The new campus will accommodate grades 9-12...
football. The station continued to simulcast the adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
of sister FM WDZK except for Sunday morning religious programming. York High games had aired the next day on tape; WDZK had aired Chester High School football for 20 years.
In 1990, WDZK moved from a tower three miles south of Chester to a 495-foot tower, the highest in the area, 10 miles north of Chester. WDZK also increased its power from 3000 to 6000 watts. WBZK also moved to two new towers south of Rock Hill
Rock Hill, South Carolina
Rock Hill is the largest city in York County, South Carolina and the fourth-largest city in the state. It is also the third-largest city of the Charlotte metropolitan area, behind Charlotte and Concord, North Carolina. The population was 71,459 as of . Rock Hill has undergone rapid growth between...
and increased power to 3500 watts, giving the station six times as many listeners.
In 1993, WBZK and WDZK aired several Clemson women's basketball games, the first area stations to do so. Also that year, WDZK aired Charlotte Knights
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
baseball.
In 1995, the Sigmon family sold WBZK-FM to the owners of WBT in nearby Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
after owning the station for 26 years. The family kept the AM, which played oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
and beach music
Beach music
Beach music, also known as Carolina beach music, is a regional genre which developed from various musical styles of the forties, fifties and sixties. These styles ranged from big band swing instrumentals to the more raucous sounds of blues/jump blues, jazz, doo-wop, boogie, rhythm and blues,...
.
In July 2000, Carolina Metro Radio LLC (Edward A. Baker, managing member/33.33% owner) reached an agreement to purchase WBZK from York Clover Broadcasting Co. (C. Curtis Sigmon, president) for a reported sale price of $500,000. At the time of the sale, WBZK broadcast a beach music
Beach music
Beach music, also known as Carolina beach music, is a regional genre which developed from various musical styles of the forties, fifties and sixties. These styles ranged from big band swing instrumentals to the more raucous sounds of blues/jump blues, jazz, doo-wop, boogie, rhythm and blues,...
format.
At one time, WBZK aired Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
Christian
Christian radio
Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
programming.
Osiris Collazos hosted the "Amanecer en America" ("Wake Up America") morning show on "La Maxima".
980 AM Inc acquired WBZK in September 2008. According to the documention of the sale, 980 AM Inc was owned by Michael B. and Dara Glinter. WBZK was exchanged for station WPYR in Louisiana with no money changing hands, according to the agreement filed with the FCC.
Prior to its switch to Christian talk, WBZK's programming consisted largely of Contemporary Christian music. The music was programmed on an automated basis rather than featuring live-on air personalities. WBZK featured relatively few interruptions between songs for commercials or other non-musical items. Songs were often played back-to-back with no bumpers in-between.
According to industry reports, the Glinters have relocated to South Carolina from Florida and wanted to operate a radio station near their new home. Truth Broadcasting paid $400,000, minus a security deposit and credit for the tower lease, for WBZK and began operating the station August 16, 2010, airing the same programming as WCRU
WCRU
WCRU is a radio station licensed to Dallas, North Carolina and serving the Charlotte area. The station is currently owned by Truth Broadcasting Corporation.-History:...
in Dallas, North Carolina
Dallas, North Carolina
Dallas is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina and a suburb of both Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 3,402 at the 2000 census. It was named for George M. Dallas, Vice President of the United States of America under James K. Polk.-Geography:...
.