WBBB

WBBB
City Raleigh, North Carolina
Broadcast area Raleigh/Durham
Research Triangle
Branding Radio 96.1
Slogan More Music. Less Blah, Blah, Blah
Frequency 96.1 MHz
First air date 1949 (as WNAO-FM)
Format Adult hits
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 300 meters
Class C0
Facility ID 889
Transmitter coordinates 35°41′7″N 78°43′14″W / 35.68528°N 78.72056°W / 35.68528; -78.72056
Callsign meaning We're Building a Better Burlington (used by another station)[1]
Former callsigns WNAO-FM (1949-1959)
WKIX-FM (1959-1972)
WYYD (1972-1985)
WYLT (1985-1993)
WKIX-FM (1994-1998)[2][3]
Owner Curtis Media Group
Sister stations WKIX-FM, WQDR-FM, WKJO, WWPL, WFNL, WPTF, WPTK
Webcast Listen Live
Website radio961.com

WBBB ("Radio 96.1"), is an adult hits radio station based in Raleigh, North Carolina, owned by Curtis Media Group. Its studios are located in Raleigh, and the transmitter tower is near Garner close to Lake Wheeler.

History

The station was signed on in 1949 by the Raleigh News and Observer as WNAO-FM to simulcast sister station WNAO, 850 AM. The stations were sold to Sir Walter Television effective February 13, 1953.[4] In 1959 the station became WKIX-FM, simulcasting much of sister AM WKIX's top 40 format. This move was out of necessity as WKIX-AM's 10 kW signal was powered down to a directional 5 kW at night, preventing the station from having full area coverage. In 1972, WKIX-FM changed format to easy listening WYYD. The station became a satellite MOR station in 1983 and two years later changed its letters to WYLT ("Lite 96.1"), playing soft adult contemporary music.

In 1992, WYLT had a disco show called "Saturday Night Fever" airing on Saturday evenings.[5]

In 1993, WYLT as "Y-96" tried a variation of adult album alternative,[6] playing traditional AC during the day and alternative rock at night, including artists such as Pearl Jam, 10,000 Maniacs, Shawn Colvin, John Hiatt, The Breeders, and R.E.M.. Several area college radio stations played alternative music, but WYLT was a commercial station and had a stronger signal.[7][8]

WYLT started 1994 by stunting as "W-Garth", playing only Garth Brooks. On January 5, WYLT traded call letters with WKIX; both stations were owned by Alchemy Communications.[8] The FM station switched to country as a result of the increased popularity of WQDR-FM, but distinguished itself from its competitor with "country your grandparents just wouldn't understand."[7] General manager Rennold Madrazo described the new sound as "very hot, high energy and uptempo, with lifestyle promotions" and targeting yuppies and other upscale listeners.[7] The result was a decline in ratings, followed by a slight increase.[6]

When the station switched to mainstream rock on January 28, 1998, the WBBB letters were taken from a Burlington, North Carolina radio station at 920 AM (which had originally signed on as WPCM). WBBB was called "Real Rock, 96rock" then transitioned to "The Rock Station, 96rock". They later dropped the first half of their name and became known simply as 96rock and went by the motto "Everything That Rocks."

On November 21, 2011, at midnight, WBBB flipped to Adult Hits as "Radio 96.1: More Music, Less Blah, Blah, Blah", playing music from the 1970s-2000s. The final song on 96Rock was Wild Side by Mötley Crüe, while the first song on Radio 96.1 was One Way or Another by Blondie.

In June 2012, Radio 96.1 became the highest rated radio station amongst adults aged 25–54 in the Raleigh-Durham Arbitron market.

(WBBB's logo under previous "96rock" branding)

References

  1. ↑ "Callsign Cryptology". Archived from the original on 2009-10-22. Retrieved 2008-07-28.
  2. ↑ "Call Sign History (WBBB)". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
  3. ↑ David Menconi, "Station Opts for Format of 'Real Rock'", The News & Observer, January 29, 1998.
  4. ↑ Teresa Leonard, "TV makes debut in Raleigh," News & Observer, July 10, 2013, p. 1B.
  5. ↑ David Menconi, "Making new waves -- again: Nostalgia's eye turns to the '80s," The News & Observer, December 18, 1992, p. W4.
  6. 1 2 David Menconi, "What's Wrong With Radio - And why it's not likely to get any better," The News & Observer, July 10, 1994, p. G1.
  7. 1 2 3 David Menconi, "Dialing for dollars: WYLT's format change may make cents, but it's a betrayal to the listeners," The News & Observer, January 14, 1994, p. WUP14.
  8. 1 2 David Menconi, "WYLT Changes Format, Call Letters - Station Chucks Alternative Rock for Country Digs", The News & Observer, January 5, 1994, p. D1.
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