WFNZ (AM)
WFNZ (610 kHz), known on air as "102.5 The Block", is a commercial AM radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina.
At night, it reduces power to 1,000 watts, sending most of its signal to the east, to avoid interfering with other stations on AM 610 and adjacent frequencies.
WAYS was owned by the Inter-City Advertising Company and was an affiliate of the NBC Blue Network and Mutual Broadcasting System.
[7] Beginning in June of that year, "61 Big WAYS" aired an energetic Top 40 format which was considered by older residents to be "an alien sound in the Carolinas".
It went to number one, surpassing longtime leader WBT, eventually becoming one of the highest-rated Top 40 stations in the country.
WAYS jocks who went on to greater fame included Morton Downey Jr., actor Jay Thomas,[6] and Robert Murphy (who had success in Chicago).
WAYS was one of 24 affiliates carrying programming from KABC and KGO such as Michael Jackson, Dr. Irene Kassoria, Dr. Toni Grant and Owen Spann.
After 18 months, on June 27, 1988, WAES began airing the "AM Only" adult standards satellite format during the day, and talk show hosts Bruce Williams, Neil Myers and Larry King at night.
[23] In March 1993, AT&T temporarily acquired WAQS and its FM sister station, WAQQ, while a permanent owner was being sought.
American Radio Systems acquired EZ Communications in July 1997, followed by Infinity Broadcasting's acquisition of ARS in September.
From 2006 to 2012, WFNZ was the Charlotte-area home of North Carolina Tar Heels football and basketball, previously heard on WBT.
WBT sales director Steve Sklenar said the games pre-empted John Hancock's show and, during the ACC Tournament, Rush Limbaugh.
WBT wanted the games, Sklenar said, because its powerful 50,000-watt signal brought the Tar Heels to most of the East Coast at night.
[26] For many years, WFNZ boasted the second-strongest signal in the Charlotte area, at 5,000 watts (which is stronger at 610 AM than it would be on a higher frequency).
However, it must power down to 1,000 watts at night due to a large glut of clear-channel stations on nearby channels.
This makes WFNZ hard to hear even in some parts of Mecklenburg County and all but unlistenable in much of the South Carolina portion of the market.
WFNZ ran a tailgate prior to Carolina Panthers home games at the station's "Doghouse" located near Bank of America Stadium.
A new show featuring former Carolina Panthers players Frank Garcia and Brentson Buckner began airing on October 6, 2008.
[33] On October 18, 2016, Beasley announced that WFNZ and its FM translator would be sold to Entercom, pending FCC approval.
[34] Upon the completion of the Greater Media-Beasley merger on November 1, Entercom began operating the stations via a time brokerage agreement, which lasted until the sale was consummated on January 10, 2017.
[37] Since the Hornets had priority on WFNZ, when both teams were playing at the same time, the Charlotte FC broadcast moved to sister station WBT.
Following a transition period, sister station WFNZ-FM (92.7), which (as WQNC) had served as the previous outlet for "The Block", became the new FM simulcast of WFNZ.
