WWRK explained

WWRK
City:Florence, South Carolina
Branding:Rock 94.1 - 97.9
Frequency:970 kHz
94.1 MHz (WRZE)
Translator:97.9 W250BJ (Florence)
Airdate: (as WJMX)
Format:Classic rock
Power:10,000 watts (day)
31 watts (night)
Class:B
Facility Id:3112
Former Callsigns:WJMX (1947–2013)
Owner:iHeartMedia, Inc.
Licensee:iHM Licenses, LLC
Sister Stations:WDAR-FM, WDSC, WEGX, WJMX, WJMX-FM, WRZE, WZTF
Webcast:Listen Live
Website:therockfms.iheart.com
Licensing Authority:FCC

WWRK is a classic rock radio station located in Florence, South Carolina, United States. The station is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to broadcast on 970 AM with power of 10,000 watts during the day and 31 watts at night, non-directionally. WWRK is owned by iHeartMedia.

History

WWRK signed on as WJMX on July 13, 1947. This station also covered NASCAR races in the past like the 1955 Southern 500 that took place in nearby Darlington.[1] The station featured local as well as national programming from the ABC Radio Network. By the 1980s, WJMX was Top 40 under the handle "97X" but was beaten out by new upstart WPDZ (now WJMX-FM). The format migrated to its newly acquired 106.3 FM frequency (now WYNN-FM) and the station switched to Adult Contemporary before transitioning to News/Talk.

Qantum Communications Inc. purchased Florence's Root Communications Group LP stations in 2003.[2]

On July 16, 2012, WJMX announced that after carrying Rush Limbaugh for over twenty years, the station would replace him with Mike Huckabee. At the time, the station manager said that the distributor wanted too much money to air the show. Limbaugh was then picked up by WFRK.[3]

The station changed its call sign to the current WWRK on October 30, 2013, swapping calls with its sister station at 1400 AM.[4] [5] At that time, WWRK began simulcasting urban contemporary WRZE, which was branded as "Swagga 94.1 & 105.9".

On May 15, 2014, Qantum Communications announced that it would sell its 29 stations, including WWRK, to Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia), in a transaction connected to Clear Channel's sale of WALK AM-FM in Patchogue, New York to Connoisseur Media via Qantum.[6] The transaction was consummated on September 9, 2014.

In August 2017, WRZE, WWRK and the translators began simulcasting WDAR-FM, which took over the urban contemporary format.[7]

On September 14, 2017, WRZE, WWRK and the translators dropped the simulcast with WDAR-FM and switched to classic rock, branded as "Rock 94.1 - 97.9 - 105.9". The stations air the syndicated "Rover's Morning Glory" in mornings from 6 to 10 A.M.[8]

As of 2021, the simulcast on 105.9 FM had ended, as W290CD began simulcasting WJMX.[9] and that translator was used by WJMX.[10]

Translators

In addition to the main station, WWRK is relayed by a translator to widen its broadcast area.[11] [12]

External links

34.2339°N -79.7808°W

Notes and References

  1. Stock Cars of 50s & 60s - Stock Car Memories: Darlington-Southern 500 -- 1955, 1956 (DVD)
  2. News: Changing Hands. Broadcasting & Cable. 2003-03-16. 2011-10-13.
  3. News: Florence radio stations swap Limbaugh amid listener backlash. Sweeney. John. Florence Morning News. 2012-07-18. 2012-07-25.
  4. Web site: Call Sign History (WJMX). 2014-05-21.
  5. Web site: Call Sign History (WWRK). 2014-05-21.
  6. News: Venta. Lance. Qantum Sells To Clear Channel; Connoisseur Expands In Long Island. May 15, 2014. RadioInsight. May 15, 2014.
  7. Web site: iHeart's Swagga Moves & Rebrands In Florence. Venta. Lance. radioinsight. August 21, 2017. August 23, 2017.
  8. https://radioinsight.com/headlines/119747/classic-rock-trimulcast-debuts-florence/ Classic Rock Trimulcast Debuts in Florence
  9. Web site: Rock 94.1 & 97.9: The Rock FMs. https://archive.today/20211006171100/https://therockfms.iheart.com/. October 6, 2021.
  10. Web site: Newstalk 1400, 104.5 and 105.9. https://archive.today/20211006172023/https://newstalk1400online.iheart.com/. October 6, 2021.
  11. Web site: W250BJ Radio Station Information . 2012-07-26.
  12. Web site: W283AB Radio Station Information . 2012-07-26.