WSML

Last updated

WSML
Broadcast area Piedmont Triad
Frequency 1200 kHz
BrandingMaverick 95.1★94.3
Programming
Format Classic Country
Affiliations Compass Media Networks
Ownership
Owner
  • Charles and Rebecca Marsh
  • (Alamance Media Partners, Inc.)
History
First air date
December 2, 1967;57 years ago (1967-12-02)
Former call signs
  • WSML (1967–1981)
  • WWOK (1981–1982)
Former frequencies
1190 kHz (1967–1991)
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID 740
Class B
Power
  • 10,000  watts (day)
  • 1,000 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
36°8′1.49″N79°28′13.08″W / 36.1337472°N 79.4703000°W / 36.1337472; -79.4703000
Translator(s)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website maverickradionc.com

WSML (1200 AM) is a commercial radio station in Graham, North Carolina. The license is held by Alamance Media Partners and it airs a classic country radio format branded as Maverick 95.1-94.3. The studios are on University Drive in Burlington.

Contents

By day, WSML is powered at 10,000 watts non-directional. Because 1200 AM is a clear channel frequency reserved for WOAI San Antonio, WSML must avoid interference at night. It reduces power to 1,000 watts and uses a directional antenna with a four-tower array. [2] Programming is also heard on two FM translators: 94.3 W232DT in Mebane and 95.1 W236BO in Burlington. [3]

History

WSML signed on the air on December 2, 1967. [4] The station was a daytimer operating at 1190 AM, owned by Smiles of Graham, Inc. [5] In its early years, the station had a top 40 format, but by 1970 it had become a country music station. [5] This gave way to an album rock format by 1973. [6] It switched to a blend of country and rock soon thereafter. [7]

By 1975, WSML had integrated beautiful music into the format and cut back its country music programming. [8] However, after a sale of the station to Acme Communications in 1976, it reverted to a full-time country music format. [9] [10] [11]

In 1981, the station was sold to Graycasting, Inc. [12] and became WWOK; [13] a year later, Evans Communications Corporation took over the station [14] and reinstated the WSML call sign. [13] By this time, the station had added religious programming to its country music format. [14] It became a full-time Christian radio station by 1987, after having been acquired by Gray Broadcasting Company (unrelated to Gray Television) two years earlier. [15]

WSML moved to 1200 AM in 1991. Switching its frequency allowed the station to begin operating around the clock. [16] [17] [18] [19] By the 1990s, programming consisted of gospel music.

What had become Graycasting Media sold WSML to Clear Channel Communications in 1998. [20] Clear Channel converted the station to a talk radio format, largely simulcasting sister station 600 WSJS in Winston-Salem. Adding 1200 AM helped fill a gap in WSJS' coverage of Greensboro and the eastern part of the Piedmont Triad (especially at night). There was some separate programming — predominantly NC State Wolfpack sports and Sunday morning programming.

After Clear Channel was forced to divest some of its stations in order to merge with AMFM Broadcasting, WSML and WSJS were sold in 2000 to Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, which also purchased 1230 WMFR in High Point from AMFM. [21] CBS Radio (which Infinity became in 2005), in turn, sold the three stations to Curtis Media Group in 2007. [22] Curtis dropped the WSJS simulcast from WSML on July 15, 2010, replacing it with sports radio programming. [23]

Effective February 11, 2019, Curtis Media Group sold WSML and translators W232DT and W236BO to Alamance Media Partners, Inc. The price tag was $397,500. Alamance Media then switched WSML to a classic country format.

Translators

Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) Class Transmitter coordinatesFCC info
W232DT94.3 FM Mebane, North Carolina 203181100D 36°3′56.5″N79°13′45.1″W / 36.065694°N 79.229194°W / 36.065694; -79.229194 (W232DT) LMS
W236BO95.1 FM Burlington, North Carolina 141747250D 36°5′51.5″N79°29′10.1″W / 36.097639°N 79.486139°W / 36.097639; -79.486139 (W236BO) LMS

References

  1. "Facility Technical Data for WSML". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. Radio-Locator.com/WSML
  3. Radio-Locator.com/W236BO
  4. Broadcasting/Cable Yearbook 1989 (PDF). 1989. p. B-214. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 9, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  5. 1 2 Broadcasting Yearbook 1971 (PDF). 1971. p. B-130. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2010. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  6. Broadcasting Yearbook 1974 (PDF). 1974. p. B-151. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2010. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  7. Broadcasting Yearbook 1975 (PDF). 1975. p. C-136. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2010. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  8. Broadcasting Yearbook 1976 (PDF). 1976. p. C-143. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2010. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  9. Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 (PDF). 1977. p. C-151. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2010. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  10. Broadcasting Yearbook 1978 (PDF). 1978. p. C-157. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 9, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  11. Broadcasting Yearbook 1979 (PDF). 1979. p. C-159. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 9, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  12. "Application Search Details (1)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission . Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  13. 1 2 "Call Sign History". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission . Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  14. 1 2 Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1983 (PDF). 1983. p. B-178. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2010. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  15. Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1988 (PDF). 1988. p. B-203. Retrieved July 19, 2010.[ permanent dead link ]
  16. "Application Search Details (2)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  17. "Application Search Details (3)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  18. "Application Search Details (4)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  19. "Application Search Details (5)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  20. Brown, Saa (June 1, 1998). "RADIO: AM.(radio station transactions)". Broadcasting & Cable . Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  21. "Spun cities". Broadcasting & Cable. April 16, 2000. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  22. "Curtis completes deal to buy three Triad radio stations". The Business Journal. February 16, 2007. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  23. "Curtis Forms Triad Sports Network". Radio Ink. July 14, 2010. Archived from the original on February 27, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2010.