WPTF

WPTF's transmitter site is a three-tower facility off East Chatham Street, near Maynard Road NE, in Cary, North Carolina.

Three nationally syndicated talk shows are on the weekday line up: Brian Kilmeade, Rich Valdes and Red Eye Radio.

Long-time staple "The Weekend Gardener", hosted by Mike Raley and Ann Clapp, is heard for three hours on Saturday mornings.

WPTF is the Raleigh/Durham affiliate of the University of North Carolina Tar Heel Sports Network, sharing flagship status with WCHL in Chapel Hill.

[8] However, earlier that month the company had announced it was broadcasting World's Series reports,[9] and later advertised that "We built and operated said Station long before we received the license" for WFBQ.

WFBQ was the second Raleigh radio station, following the short-lived WLAC, which was licensed to the North Carolina State College from August 31, 1922, to October 29, 1923.

In 1899 he established the Raleigh Telephone Company, and prior to World War One built a radio receiver used to pick up nightly time signals broadcast by NAA in Arlington, Virginia, to accurately set the timepieces at the Jolly-Wynne Jewelry Store.

The establishment of WFBQ provided Wynne Radio Company customers an additional, local, programming source, that could be picked up during daytime hours by less expensive receivers.

[17] In the summer of 1927, WRCO was purchased by the Durham Life Insurance Company, which moved the station to 720 kHz, now with 500 watts, and changed the callsign to WPTF,[19][20] reflecting the new owner's motto of "We Protect The Family".

Students in area schools that had radios were able to listen to a daily broadcast, with topics that included "Citizenship", "Science", "Social Studies" and "Art, Music and Literature".

[29] In June 1940, WPTF was authorized to operate unlimited hours, using a directional antenna to limit westward signals after sunset in San Francisco.

Bob Kwesell, whose conservative views offended a number of listeners but attracted many newcomer and increased advertising, was dropped on November 17, 1986.

[39] NC State athletic officials cited their desire to be on an FM signal with a multi-year contract and the ability to collect more local advertising revenue, conditions that Curtis Media was unwilling to provide.

[41] On November 2, 2009, Curtis Media President Phil Zachary said that Rush Limbaugh's program would be leaving WPTF on December 31, 2009, after more than 20 years.

[42] The show moved to Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia's) FM talk radio station, 106.1 WRDU (now WTKK).

[44] On July 28, 2021, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Tar Heel Sports Network switched its Raleigh/Durham affiliate from WTKK to WPTF beginning with the 2021 football season.

[46] Although WPTF remained one of the market's dominant stations through the early 1970s,[47] the rise of FM eroded its audience, and by July 2024 its share of listeners had dropped below 1 percent.

Because of WPTF's directional nighttime signal, the station assisted the residents of Charleston, South Carolina after Hurricane Hugo hit the state in 1989.

The station and transmitter site ran on generator power, allowing residents in the Triangle and beyond to call in for storm and damage information and find out where to get needed supplies, such as ice, water, and food.

In 1977, Durham Life bought the Triangle's longtime NBC affiliate, WRDU-TV (channel 28) and changed the call letters to WPTF-TV.

July 22, 1925, advertisement for WFBQ. [ 7 ]
WPTF 's transmitter remained atop the Sir Walter Hotel until 1934. [ 18 ]
WPTF Control Room for the recently installed 50,000-watt transmitter (1941) [ 30 ]
WPTF transmitter building (2022). Originally built in 1940, the Town of Cary has characterized it as "architecturally and culturally significant". [ 31 ]
Previous WPTF logo, used until 2009
Logo with the 98.5 translator