WOIC
Encyclopedia
WOIC is a News/Talk radio station licensed to Columbia, South Carolina
. It serves the Columbia market. The Inner City Broadcasting outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) to broadcast at 1230 kHz with an effective radiated power
(ERP) of 1 kW full time. The station goes by the name WOIC 1230.
1230 AM signed on January 1, 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 1960s. (WNOK-TV was sold 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 1950s and early 1960s, WNOK programmed various music genres known then as "Block Programming." In the end Top 40 won out and by the mid 1960s it was full time Top 40. However, after making little headway against WCOS, it tried "The Now Sound" in 1967, a mix of MOR and light rock/pop. It also affiliated with CBS during that time. In late 1970, it returned to Top 40 and briefly gave WCOS
a good run for its money. In 1980, the station changed to 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 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 1990s as well as the early 2000s under various urban-lavored 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. Tigers(WOIC) versus Gamecocks
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.
Until January 25, 2010, WOIC was in a unique position because of the nationally syndicated liberal shows (Air America) that contrasted with the local population. Even though Columbia, South Carolina is relatively progressive compared to the rest of South Carolina the state is viewed as the 'reddest state' and generally conservative to paleo-conservative with small enclaves of progressives. WOIC's programming was a mix of liberal(progressive)nationally syndicated Air America shows and locally produced public interest shows. The weekend show lineup is mostly local programming and helps balance the nationally syndicated overall flavor of the station. There were a number of daily center-left local programs that are heard Monday through Friday. WOIC's line-up serves the people of Columbia, better than most, because of the amount of local programming and the ability of listeners to be able to interact with the local show hosts. Especially on the weekends WOIC is 'Friends and Neighbors' radio.
Changes began to the lineup on January 25, 2010 due to the bankruptcy filing of Air America
.
Dr. Gene Garris' Americas Radio Show has its flagship station and originates from WOIC 1230AM in Columbia. Dr. Garris and frequent Co-Host Dangerous Doug Kendall talk about American Exceptionalism, liberty issues, 2nd Amendment issues, Shooting sports, and the best things about being an American. The show streams audio and video at http://stream.americasradioshow.com. The show's website http://www.americasradioshow.com. Randy Eargle is an editor tasked to outdoor activities and shooting sports. The show has local and national guests.
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.
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
. It serves the Columbia market. The Inner City Broadcasting outlet 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 broadcast at 1230 kHz 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 1 kW full time. The station goes by the name WOIC 1230.
History
WNOKWNOK
WNOK is a CHR radio station licensed to Columbia, South Carolina and serves the Columbia, South Carolina market. The Clear Channel Communications outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 104.7 MHz with an ERP of 90 kW...
1230 AM signed on January 1, 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 1960s. (WNOK-TV was sold by 1977, becoming WLTX
WLTX
WLTX, is the CBS-affiliated television station in Columbia, South Carolina. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 17 from a transmitter located in Lugoff, South Carolina. Syndicated programming on the station includes: The Andy Griffith Show, The Doctors, The Ellen DeGeneres...
.) Also, an FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
station on 104.7 was added in 1958, which is where WNOK's call letters reside today.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, WNOK programmed various music genres known then as "Block Programming." In the end Top 40 won out and by the mid 1960s it was full time Top 40. However, after making little headway against WCOS, it tried "The Now Sound" in 1967, a mix of MOR and light rock/pop. It also affiliated with CBS during that time. In late 1970, it returned to Top 40 and briefly gave WCOS
WCOS (AM)
WCOS is a sports talk radio station licensed to Columbia, South Carolina and serves the Columbia market. The Clear Channel Communications outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 1400 kHz with an ERP of 1 kW...
a good run for its money. In 1980, the station changed to 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 disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
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
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
) 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
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
/Classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
hybrid as "Rock 1230". However FM station WMFX
WMFX
WMFX is a Classic rock radio station licensed to St. Andrews, South Carolina and serves the Columbia, South Carolina market. The Inner City Broadcasting outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 102.3 MHz with an effective radiated power of 6 kW...
signed on shortly afterwards with a similar format, taking away the station's potential audience. In September 1988, the station became "Oldies 1230" under the WODE call letters featuring a 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....
format. Unfortunately, FM WPRH became WOMG
WOMG
WOMG is an Oldies radio station licensed to Lexington, South Carolina and serves the Columbia, South Carolina market. The Cumulus Media outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 98.5 MHz with an effective radiated power of 6 kW...
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
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
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 1990s as well as the early 2000s under various urban-lavored formats. In 2003, WOIC became an affiliate of ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
. This lasted until 2005 when the ESPN programming was moved to sister FM station WZMJ
WZMJ
WZMJ is an all-sports station licensed to Batesburg, South Carolina and serves the Columbia, South Carolina market. The Inner City Broadcasting outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 93.1 MHz with an effective radiated power of 3 kW...
and WOIC was re-launched as a Air America Radio
Air America Radio
Air America was an American radio network specializing in progressive talk programming...
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. Tigers(WOIC) versus Gamecocks
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.
Until January 25, 2010, WOIC was in a unique position because of the nationally syndicated liberal shows (Air America) that contrasted with the local population. Even though Columbia, South Carolina is relatively progressive compared to the rest of South Carolina the state is viewed as the 'reddest state' and generally conservative to paleo-conservative with small enclaves of progressives. WOIC's programming was a mix of liberal(progressive)nationally syndicated Air America shows and locally produced public interest shows. The weekend show lineup is mostly local programming and helps balance the nationally syndicated overall flavor of the station. There were a number of daily center-left local programs that are heard Monday through Friday. WOIC's line-up serves the people of Columbia, better than most, because of the amount of local programming and the ability of listeners to be able to interact with the local show hosts. Especially on the weekends WOIC is 'Friends and Neighbors' radio.
Changes began to the lineup on January 25, 2010 due to the bankruptcy filing of Air America
Air America
Air America was an American passenger and cargo airline established in 1950 and covertly owned and operated by the Central Intelligence Agency's Special Activities Division from 1950 to 1976...
.
Dr. Gene Garris' Americas Radio Show has its flagship station and originates from WOIC 1230AM in Columbia. Dr. Garris and frequent Co-Host Dangerous Doug Kendall talk about American Exceptionalism, liberty issues, 2nd Amendment issues, Shooting sports, and the best things about being an American. The show streams audio and video at http://stream.americasradioshow.com. The show's website http://www.americasradioshow.com. Randy Eargle is an editor tasked to outdoor activities and shooting sports. The show has local and national guests.
The station is owned by Inner City Broadcasting, which also owns Urban Contemporary
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
WHXT
WHXT
WHXT is an urban contemporary radio station licensed to Orangeburg, South Carolina and serves the Columbia, South Carolina market. The Inner City Broadcasting outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 103.9 MHz with an effective radiated power of 9.2 kW...
, Urban AC
Urban Adult Contemporary
Urban adult contemporary is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have rap music on their playlists. The format was designed by Barry Mayo when he, Lee S. Simonson and Bill Pearson organized Broadcast...
WWDM
WWDM
WWDM is a Urban Adult Contemporary radio station licensed to Sumter, South Carolina and serves the Columbia, South Carolina market. The Inner City Broadcasting outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 101.3 MHz with an effective radiated power of 100 kW...
, Classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
WMFX
WMFX
WMFX is a Classic rock radio station licensed to St. Andrews, South Carolina and serves the Columbia, South Carolina market. The Inner City Broadcasting outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 102.3 MHz with an effective radiated power of 6 kW...
, Alternative
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
WARQ
WARQ
WARQ is a Modern Rock radio station licensed to Columbia, South Carolina and serves the Columbia market. The Inner City Broadcasting outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 93.5 MHz with an effective radiated power of 2.8 kW...
, and ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
outlet WZMJ
WZMJ
WZMJ is an all-sports station licensed to Batesburg, South Carolina and serves the Columbia, South Carolina market. The Inner City Broadcasting outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 93.1 MHz with an effective radiated power of 3 kW...
in the Columbia radio market.