WKOO (710 AM, "100.5 Kix FM") is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Rose Hill, North Carolina.
WKOO's main signal on 710 AM reaches all of Duplin County as well as the cities of Benson, Burgaw, Clinton, Elizabethtown, Goldsboro, Greenville, Kinston, Jacksonville, New Bern, Smithfield, and Wilmington.
Depending on weather conditions, WKOO can be heard as far away as Durham, Fayetteville, Raleigh, and even Florence (South Carolina).
The original construction permit for 710 AM in Rose Hill, North Carolina, was applied for on August 13, 1966, by Duplin County Broadcasters, founded by Jeff Barnes Wilson, and was granted on June 9, 1970.
The call letters were intended to reflect the poultry industry, which was next door to the radio station, as well as the local landmark, The World's Largest Frying Pan.
The station operates at 710 AM, which is designated a clear channel, in which WOR in New York City has priority over the frequency in the night hours.
In 1995, Jeff Barnes Wilson died, and Duplin County Broadcasters sold WEGG and sister station, WBSY, to Conner Media Corporation on June 7, 1996.
After Fundamental Broadcasting Network elected not to renew its lease in July 2006, Conner Media Corporation intended to close WEGG.
However, general manager Suzanne Wilson, in an attempt to save the radio station, brought back the traditional black gospel music format, along with the former on-air personality, Ann Faison.
These two stations, along with WEGG, became known as "The Light", with a Contemporary Christian Music format under LMA, broadcasting from a studio above the Pepsi Store in New Bern, North Carolina.
In June 2008, WEGG and WSTK were rebranded with the moniker “Joy”, offering a traditional black gospel music format, simulcasting 1490 WWIL (AM).
[citation needed] From March 2011 to December 2011, WEGG rebroadcast the audio from "The Great Awakening" revival services at The River Church in Tampa, Florida, with an immediate repeat overnight.
A new translator, W263BE at 100.5 FM, was launched in its stead, broadcasting from a taller tower outside of Wallace to provide improved reception in Duplin County.
[6] On November 15, 2014, Surge Media, LLC flipped the format rhythmic hot adult contemporary as “Surge 100”, under guidance by Michael Oaks, owner of internet radio station Energy 98, former Program Director at KNRJ-Energy 92.7 & 101.1 in Phoenix, Arizona and former Music Director at KVBE-Vibe 94.5 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
However, Ken Santarelli, owner and manager of Surge Media, refused, stating that the new format was to reach a larger group of people, better serve the needs of the community, and build a stronger income to help keep the radio station alive.
[citation needed] WEGG continued to offer Gospel music and Christian talk programming from local ministries on Sundays.
As of January 2015, “Garage Sound System” from Moscow on Saturday nights was replaced by DJ Perry from Phoenix, Arizona, and “House of Grooves Radio” with Miss Kay Dee and Audio Jacker.
“The Listening Room with Mikeo” (Michael Oaks), which also runs on Mike's other stations Energy 98 and KXJM-HD2-Too Wild 107.5-HD2, was added on Sunday nights.
Gospel Tunes with Robert Osborne (formerly of the now-defunct WTRQ in Warsaw, North Carolina) was added to the Sunday lineup.
Osborne also hosted another program on Saturdays, titled “The Fantastic Voyage”, which blends the regular playlist with more of an Urban Contemporary flavor.
Turtle, shortly after, left the evening shift and was replaced by Lisa G, who is also an on-air personality with internet radio station Energy 98.
The next day WEGG relaunched with a Dance Hits format, with music programmed by Ken Santarelli, owner of Surge Media.
On January 10, 2017, at 11:59 p.m., Surge Radio ceased broadcasting on WEGG with the final song, “So This Is Goodbye” (Pink Ganter Remix) by William Fitzsimmons.
On January 16, 2017, at 7:15 a.m., after playing The Black American National Anthem, WEGG became Rhythmic Oldies as “100.5 The Dream”, with the first song being Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now by McFadden & Whitehead.
Shortly after the acquisition, Unique Media fell into financial difficulties and began failing to support the radio station.
Owner Ken Santarelli accepted an LMA offer from The Vine Connection based in Washington, North Carolina since the Rhythmic Oldies format was generating less than 20% of the station's operating costs.
On September 1, 2017, WEGG became Urban Contemporary Gospel “The Vine Connection” with Mae Rodgers as program director, once again simulcasting with WSTK 104.5 FM.
On July 1, 2019, WEGG broke away from its simulcast with WSTK and flipped to a classic country music format, as “100.5 Kix FM” with Clay McCauley as program director.
Clay McCauley had previously hosted a Sunday program on WEGG called “The Big Kahuna's Gospel Train” from 2009 to 2017.