WAYS (AM) explained

WAYS
City:Conway, South Carolina
Area:Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Branding:Fox Sports Radio 1050
Frequency:1050 kHz
Translator:101.9 W270BZ (Conway)
Airdate:February 23, 1977 (as WJAL)
Format:Sports
Class:B
Facility Id:17484
Coordinates:33.849°N -79.084°W
Affiliations:Fox Sports Radio
Owner:Cumulus Media
Licensee:Cumulus Licensing LLC
Sister Stations:WDAI, WSYN, WLFF, WSEA
Website:WAYS Online
Licensing Authority:FCC

WAYS is a sports radio station in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It is owned by Cumulus Media. Its studios are located on U.S. Highway 17 in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, and its transmitter is located in the station's city of license, Conway, South Carolina.

History

WAYS originally signed on February 23, 1977,[1] as WJAL. That August, the call sign became WJXY,[2] a call sign that stayed with the station for many years. WJXY was a daytime-only country music station in the 1970s. An FM sister station at 93.9 was added around 1990, at which time the AM switched to Southern gospel. In 1995, the format changed to adult standards, with most of the music coming from the AM Only satellite format. By this time, the station had a limited nighttime signal.

In Fall 1999, Hurricane Floyd damaged WJXY's studios and transmitter site and forced WJXY-FM, WXJY and WSEA to move to the WSYN/WDAI studios near Inlet Square Mall. At the time, WJXY aired Conway High School football; those games moved to WRNN-FM. WJXY was off the air for several months.[3] Early in 2000, the station was back, but not in stereo. Many listeners had complained.[4]

The station was assigned the WIQB call letters by the Federal Communications Commission on November 16, 2000.[5] For a time, WIQB aired the same programming as oldies WSYN.

On February 15, 2003, WIQB became part of "The Team" all sports format along with WJXY-FM.[6]

On April 30, 2010, WIQB switched to southern gospel and changed its letters to WHSC.[5]

On March 5, 2012, WHSC became the new Myrtle Beach affiliate of Fox Sports Radio. Dan Patrick would air live in the market rather than on tape, and Jim Rome would follow. WHSC became the new station for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.[7]

The station changed its call sign to WRWM on December 26, 2017, and to WAYS on February 13, 2020.[8]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999. 1999. D-394. January 14, 2018.
  2. Web site: WJXY FCC history cards. CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. January 14, 2018.
  3. Toby Eddings, "WJXY-AM silent thanks to Floyd," The Sun News, October 3, 1999.
  4. Toby Eddings, "Holli Heart replaces Tab Allen at WYAK," The Sun News, January 16, 2000.
  5. Web site: Call Sign History. January 25, 2011.
  6. Ryan Elswick, "ESPN Radio to Return to Strand," The Sun News, January 26, 2003.
  7. News: ESPN Radio moves, grows on the Grand Strand. Kelly. Amanda. The Sun News. February 28, 2012. February 28, 2012.
  8. https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=17484&Callsign=WAYS17484 Call Sign Changes