WNOW-FM
Encyclopedia
WNOW-FM, also known as "105.3 Poder FM", is a Regional Mexican
radio station
currently licensed to Gaffney, South Carolina
targeting the Charlotte
/Metrolina
| market. The station is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) to transmit on 105.3 FM with an effective radiated power
(ERP) of 51 kW. The current transmitter is located on the WBTV
tower, north of Gastonia, North Carolina
.
Starting in 2011, WNOW-FM aired SportsCenter
from ESPN Deportes
and hourly sports updates.
AM 1320 in Forest City, North Carolina
. The station at the time was partially owned by Raymond Parker. WAGY-FM was sold entirely to Parker, who with his wife, Bright G. Parker, formed "Gaffney Broadcasting" in the early 70's moved WAGY-FM into Gaffney
pairing it with their AM WEAC, now known as 1500 WZZQ, and changing the call letters to WAGI-FM, increasing the power to 100 kW in the process.
WAGI's longtime slogan was "The Upstate Power Station" and was nicknamed for many years by the locals as "Waggie".
The station had featured a mixture of Country
and Southern Gospel
music for many years.
WAGI broadcasted local as well as national news from the NBC Radio Network as well as local sporting events from Gaffney High School
, namely Gaffney Indians football. Also, the station had a morning show called "Carolina in the Morning" and a popular show called "Swap & Shop
" (heard at 6:35am, 12:15pm, & 5:15pm Monday to Saturday) where listeners could call in to buy, sell, or trade items.
In late April 2007, it was announced that the station was sold to local interests in order to ensure that the station remains in the community. Shortly after midnight on April 21, 2007, WAGI ceased operations and then began broadcasting a Regional Mexican format as WNOW-FM, under a Local Marketing Agreement
. Listeners were told that WAGI's former programming could be found on sister 1500 WEAC (now WZZQ). Unless the listener was in Cherokee County
, it was nearly impossible to receive the AM broadcast, due to its low power
1,000 watt daytime only transmitter. WZZQ transmits from the original WAGI studio on Providence Road in Gaffney and broadcast in the daytime only until August 23, 2009, when an FM station was added at 104.3 to add nighttime programming and a wider signal range.
A construction permit was granted to move 105.3 in order to move its transmitter location to the Kings Mountain/Gastonia area in North Carolina
, atop Crowder's Mountain
(the same location of 101.9 WBAV-FM, with similar coverage). However, this was changed; the station moved to the WBTV
channel 3 tower, north of Gastonia, North Carolina
, in June 2009.
Gaffney Indian Football moved to 103.3 WOLT, broadcasting from Greer
. The current Cherokee County coroner
, Dennis Fowler (who is a well-known WAGI personality), is still the announcer for the games. During the games, former commercials featured on WAGI could be heard. These commercials were primarily for the Gaffney area. For the 2009 season, the games moved to WZZQ's FM translator
.
Regional Mexican
Regional Mexican is a radio format for music radio, typically defined to include Banda, Ranchera, Mariachi and Norteña. It is the most popular radio format targeting Hispanic Americans in the United States....
radio station
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...
currently licensed to Gaffney, South Carolina
Gaffney, South Carolina
Gaffney is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States, in the upstate region of South Carolina. Gaffney is also sometimes referred to as the Peach capital of South Carolina. The population was 12,414 at the 2010 census...
targeting the Charlotte
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...
/Metrolina
Charlotte metropolitan area
The Charlotte metropolitan area is a metropolitan area/region of North and South Carolina within and surrounding the city of Charlotte...
| market. The station is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) to transmit on 105.3 FM with an effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
(ERP) of 51 kW. The current transmitter is located on the WBTV
WBTV
WBTV, channel 3 , is the CBS affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is one of two flagship stations of Raycom Media. WBTV's studios are located off Morehead Street just west of Uptown Charlotte, and its transmitter is located in north-central Gaston County, North Carolina...
tower, north of Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
.
Starting in 2011, WNOW-FM aired SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
from ESPN Deportes
ESPN Deportes
ESPN Deportes is a cable television and radio network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming 24 hours a day to the Spanish-speaking community in the United States...
and hourly sports updates.
History
105.3 signed on as WAGY-FM in 1959, as the FM sister to WAGYWAGY
WAGY is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Forest City, North Carolina, USA. The station is currently owned by WAGY Inc....
AM 1320 in Forest City, North Carolina
Forest City, North Carolina
Forest City, formerly known as "Burnt Chimney," is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,549 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:Forest City is located at ....
. The station at the time was partially owned by Raymond Parker. WAGY-FM was sold entirely to Parker, who with his wife, Bright G. Parker, formed "Gaffney Broadcasting" in the early 70's moved WAGY-FM into Gaffney
Gaffney, South Carolina
Gaffney is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States, in the upstate region of South Carolina. Gaffney is also sometimes referred to as the Peach capital of South Carolina. The population was 12,414 at the 2010 census...
pairing it with their AM WEAC, now known as 1500 WZZQ, and changing the call letters to WAGI-FM, increasing the power to 100 kW in the process.
WAGI's longtime slogan was "The Upstate Power Station" and was nicknamed for many years by the locals as "Waggie".
The station had featured a mixture of Country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
music for many years.
WAGI broadcasted local as well as national news from the NBC Radio Network as well as local sporting events from Gaffney High School
Gaffney High School
Gaffney High School is a public high school in Gaffney, South Carolina and is part of the Cherokee County School District. It is located at 149 Twin Lake Road. The school was founded in 1924. Prior to 2000, the school was located at 805 East Frederick Street; 2½ miles away. There are currently...
, namely Gaffney Indians football. Also, the station had a morning show called "Carolina in the Morning" and a popular show called "Swap & Shop
Tradio
Tradio is the name given to a type of talk radio show format where listeners call in to buy or sell items. The concept of is analogous to classified ads in local newspapers....
" (heard at 6:35am, 12:15pm, & 5:15pm Monday to Saturday) where listeners could call in to buy, sell, or trade items.
The end of WAGI
After Raymond Parker, the owner of WAGI, died in 2005, his will stipulated that the station be sold upon the death of his wife, Bright G. Parker. Parker's will stated that the station was to remain in Gaffney, though this was ignored by the executors of his will. Upon her death in 2006, the station was sold to Davidson Media under a lease/purchase agreement.In late April 2007, it was announced that the station was sold to local interests in order to ensure that the station remains in the community. Shortly after midnight on April 21, 2007, WAGI ceased operations and then began broadcasting a Regional Mexican format as WNOW-FM, under a Local Marketing Agreement
Local marketing agreement
In U.S. and Canadian broadcasting, a local marketing agreement is an agreement in which one company agrees to operate a radio or television station owned by another licensee...
. Listeners were told that WAGI's former programming could be found on sister 1500 WEAC (now WZZQ). Unless the listener was in Cherokee County
Cherokee County, South Carolina
Cherokee County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The county was formed in 1897 from parts of York, Union, and Spartanburg Counties. It is included in the Gaffney, South Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2010 United States Census, the county's...
, it was nearly impossible to receive the AM broadcast, due to its low power
Low-power broadcasting
Low-power broadcasting is electronic broadcasting at very low power and low cost, to a small community area.The terms "low-power broadcasting" and "micropower broadcasting" should not be used interchangeably, because the markets are not the same...
1,000 watt daytime only transmitter. WZZQ transmits from the original WAGI studio on Providence Road in Gaffney and broadcast in the daytime only until August 23, 2009, when an FM station was added at 104.3 to add nighttime programming and a wider signal range.
A construction permit was granted to move 105.3 in order to move its transmitter location to the Kings Mountain/Gastonia area in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, atop Crowder's Mountain
Crowder's Mountain
Crowders Mountain is one of two main peaks within Crowders Mountain State Park, the other peak being King's Pinnacle. The park is located in the western Piedmont of North Carolina between the cities of King's Mountain and Gastonia or about west of Charlotte...
(the same location of 101.9 WBAV-FM, with similar coverage). However, this was changed; the station moved to the WBTV
WBTV
WBTV, channel 3 , is the CBS affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is one of two flagship stations of Raycom Media. WBTV's studios are located off Morehead Street just west of Uptown Charlotte, and its transmitter is located in north-central Gaston County, North Carolina...
channel 3 tower, north of Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
, in June 2009.
Gaffney Indian Football moved to 103.3 WOLT, broadcasting from Greer
Greer, South Carolina
Greer is a city in Greenville and Spartanburg counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina, between the cities of Greenville and Spartanburg. The population was 25,515 at the 2010 census. It is projected to hit 30,000 within 4 years. Each day, more than three times that number of people pass...
. The current Cherokee County coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
, Dennis Fowler (who is a well-known WAGI personality), is still the announcer for the games. During the games, former commercials featured on WAGI could be heard. These commercials were primarily for the Gaffney area. For the 2009 season, the games moved to WZZQ's FM translator
Broadcast relay station
A broadcast relay station, relay transmitter, broadcast translator , rebroadcaster , or repeater is a broadcast transmitter which relays, repeats, or reflects the signal of another radio station or television station, usually to an area not covered by the signal of the originating station...
.