Previous logo
| Broadcast area | Greensboro, North Carolina |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 105.7 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Real Rock 105.7 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Mainstream rock |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WPTI, WMAG, WTQR, WMKS | |
| History | |
First air date | 1947 (as WSIC-FM) |
Former call signs | WSIC-FM (1947-?) WFMX (?-9/25/2006) WMKS (9/25/2006-1/3/2014) [1] |
Call sign meaning | W VBuZz (former branding) |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 501 |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 30,000 watts |
| HAAT | 472 meters (1,549 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 36°22′28″N80°22′31″W / 36.37444°N 80.37528°W |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | realrock1057.iheart.com |
WVBZ (105.7 FM, "Real Rock 105.7") is a mainstream rock radio station serving the Piedmont Triad region. The station is a part of iHeartMedia, Inc.'s cluster in the Greensboro/Winston-Salem market and is licensed to Clemmons, North Carolina. It has studio facilities and offices located on Pai Park in Greensboro, and a transmitter site is located atop Sauratown Mountain near Pinnacle, North Carolina.
105.7 FM, originally WFMX, was a well known and popular country station licensed to Statesville, North Carolina. WFMX was popular for its coverage of NASCAR, dubbing itself as "The Racin' Station". The station started service on May 3, 1947 as WSIC-FM. It, along with its sister station WSIC, was the first AM and FM radio station simulcast combo to sign on simultaneously in the nation.
The station is also credited as the first FM radio station in the United States to program the country music format.
While the call letters have no specific meaning, they were purchased by then owner Statesville Broadcasting Company from the American Broadcasting Company in New York in 1958.
Starting in the late 1980s, WFMX broadcast from a tower in Rowan County and its 100,000-watt signal covered the Charlotte, Greensboro-High Point-Winston-Salem, and Raleigh-Durham markets. As a result, the station would see their ratings show up in the Arbitrons in each of the three markets, yet they remained true to the roots of serving the Piedmont of North Carolina. The station's signal could, also, be heard in portions of South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee.[ citation needed ]
After Hurricane Hugo, WFMX broadcast from its transmitter site, since the studios had no power, using a panel truck. Information about affected areas was relayed to WFMX through ham radio. [2]
WFMX was owned by Texas-based Mercury Broadcasting Inc. and operated in a J.S.A. (Joint Sales Agreement) with Clear Channel Communications. With the move to Greensboro/Winston-Salem, Clear Channel purchased the facility.
On July 19, 2006, WFMX signed off from its Statesville location after nearly 50 years, and prepared for a move to a community of license of Clemmons, North Carolina. This move was extremely controversial for several reasons. WFMX was a staple of the Statesville community and was considered to be one of the most popular radio stations in the Charlotte market. The town switch would move the station from the Charlotte market to the Greensboro-High Point-Winston-Salem market. Many listeners were also under the impression that after the station moved to Clemmons that it would remain a country station and keep many of the same programs and DJs.
105.7 KISS-FM
When the station returned to the air on July 24, 2006 to the Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point market, [3] after several days of stunting with a loop of song clips and sound blurbs centered around the word "Kiss", WFMX flipped to an Adult R&B format, taking on the WMKS calls and using the "105.7 KISS-FM" moniker/slogan. It became the Piedmont Triad region's second Adult R&B outlet as they took on the more-established WQMG, which is owned by Entercom. They also were the second station in the Clear Channel family to adopt the "KISS-FM" brand as an Adult R&B, the other being WKUS out of Norfolk, Virginia.[ citation needed ] Kiss FM aired Steve Harvey and Michael Baisden. The same "Kiss" stunt loop used for the format flip would later be incorporated into a longer stunt loop in December 2006 in Raleigh, when soft-AC WRSN "Sunny 93.9" (now country-flavored WNCB "B93.9") flipped to rhythmic AC as WKSL "93.9 KISS-FM." In February 2007, the WFMX calls would go to an AC station in Skowhegan, Maine, dubbed "Mix 107.9." [3]
105.7 Hit Music NOW
On May 22, 2009, WMKS changed their format to a rhythmic-leaning Top 40, branded as "105.7 Hit Music Now". For the first few months of the station's launch, WMKS played more than 20,000 songs in a row, before taking a commercial break, which occurred in the following August. It became the second Top 40 station in the Triad, competing with Dick Broadcasting's longtime (and more mainstream focused) Top 40 station, WKZL. On August 17, 2009, they became the first station outside the Triangle area to broadcast Bob and the Showgram during morning drive. However, in June 2010, due to poor ratings, WMKS ceased airing the Showgram and switched to "Brotha' Fred" in the mornings, which originates from WKSC-FM. It also had competition with Urban rival WJMH, another factor in their reason to play rhythmic hits, but stay within the Top 40/CHR realm.
105.7 the Buzz
105.7 Now moved to 100.3 FM on January 1, 2014 at 5 p.m., taking the spot of sister station WVBZ and rebranded as "100.3 KISS FM." WMKS then became "The Buzz" and shifted its format to Alternative rock. [4] [5] On January 3, 2014 the call letters switched to WVBZ. [1] On February 24, 2014, WVBZ added Woody & Wilcox from WEND in the morning. [6]
The Triad's 105.7/Man Up!
On May 22, 2015, at 6 a.m., WVBZ changed to mainstream rock, branded as "The Triad's 105.7", though most verbal references identify the station as "105.7 Man Up!". The previous format caused the station to fall to 1.6 in the Nielsen ratings. WVBZ had the same playlist as WROO in Greenville and shared some of the same talents [7] [8] This move marks the fourth different format on the 105.7 frequency since the move from Statesville.
Real Rock 105.7
On March 1, 2021, WVBZ rebranded as "Real Rock 105.7". The station added current rock product to its mix of rock hits from the past forty years moving to a straight up mainstream rock. [9]
The Piedmont Triad is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of North Carolina anchored by three cities: Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. This close group of cities lies in the Piedmont geographical region of the United States and forms the basis of the Greensboro–Winston-Salem–High Point, NC Combined Statistical Area. As of 2012, the Piedmont Triad has an estimated population of 1,611,243 making it the 33rd largest combined statistical area in the United States.
WXII-TV is a television station licensed to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, serving the Piedmont Triad region as an affiliate of NBC. It is owned by Hearst Television alongside Lexington-licensed CW affiliate WCWG. WXII-TV and WCWG share studios on Coliseum Drive in Winston-Salem; through a channel sharing agreement, the stations transmit using WXII-TV's spectrum from an antenna on Sauratown Mountain in Stokes County.
WPTI is a commercial radio station, owned by iHeartMedia, licensed to Eden, North Carolina, and serving the Piedmont Triad, including the Greensboro–Winston-Salem–High Point media market. The station broadcasts a talk radio format; its studios and offices are located on Pai Park near Interstate 40 in Greensboro.
WQMG is an urban adult contemporary station licensed to Greensboro, North Carolina and serves the Piedmont Triad region, which also includes High Point and Winston-Salem. The Audacy, Inc. outlet broadcasts with an ERP of 100 kW. The station's studios are located near the Piedmont Triad International Airport, and a transmitter site is in unincorporated south Guilford County.
WTQR is a country music station licensed to Winston-Salem, North Carolina and serves the Piedmont Triad region, including Greensboro and High Point. Owned and operated by iHeartMedia, the station broadcasts at 104.1 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW. It has studio facilities and offices located on Pai Park in Greensboro, and a transmitter site is located atop Sauratown Mountain near Pinnacle, North Carolina. They are one of three country music outlets in the market; WPAW and WBRF are the others.
WPAW is a country music radio station licensed to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and serving the Piedmont Triad region, which includes Greensboro and High Point. The Audacy, Inc. with an ERP of 100 kW. The station's studios are located near the Piedmont Triad International Airport, and a transmitter site is near Stokesdale, North Carolina.
WMKS, is a top 40 radio station licensed to High Point, North Carolina, that serves the Piedmont Triad region, including Greensboro and Winston-Salem. The iHeartMedia, Inc. outlet broadcasts with an ERP of 100 kW. It has studio facilities and offices located on Pai Park in Greensboro, and a transmitter site is located south of Greensboro in unincorporated Guilford County.
WSMW is an adult hits station licensed to Greensboro, North Carolina and serving the Piedmont Triad region, including High Point and Winston-Salem. The Audacy, Inc. outlet uses the slogan "We Play Everything!"
WNAA is a radio station broadcasting a Variety format. Licensed to Greensboro, North Carolina, United States, the station serves the Piedmont Triad area. The station is currently owned by North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University.
KISS-FM is the brand name of a Top 40 music format heard on FM radio stations in many cities in the United States and overseas. iHeartMedia claims ownership of the KISS-FM brand in the United States and operates most KISS-FM formatted stations there, though not KISS-FM in San Antonio, Texas, or KISS-FM America on TuneIn.
WSJS is a commercial radio station licensed to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and broadcasting to the Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point media market. It airs a talk and sports radio format. WSJS is owned by the Truth Broadcasting Corporation, with studios and offices in The Factory Building on North Main Street in Kernersville.
WSIC is a commercial radio station in Statesville, North Carolina. The station carries a talk radio format and is owned by Real Talk Studios, LLC. Justin Ckezepis is the President and CEO. WSIC-TV is broadcast over-the-web via the internet and social media. WSIC airs live programs from a radio/TV hybrid studio at 1117 Radio Road in Statesville.
WCOG is an AM radio station broadcasting an oldies format. Licensed to Greensboro, North Carolina, United States, the station serves the Piedmont Triad area. The station is owned by Winston-Salem-Greensboro Broadcasting Co LLC. The station used to be a sports affiliate of Curtis Media Group but was sold in March 2021.
WTRU is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Kernersville, North Carolina, and serving the Piedmont Triad. It is owned by Truth Broadcasting and carries a Christian talk and teaching radio format. Truth Broadcasting is owned by Stuart Epperson, Jr., son of Stuart Epperson, founder of Salem Communications. The station is the flagship of the "Truth Network," including WDRU in the Research Triangle, WCRU in Charlotte, WLES in Richmond, Virginia, and KUTR in Salt Lake City.
WWLV is a radio station licensed to Lexington, North Carolina, and serving the Piedmont Triad metropolitan area. The station is an affiliate of K-LOVE.
WXRI is a radio station broadcasting a Southern Gospel format. Licensed to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, the station serves the Piedmont Triad area. The station is currently owned by Positive Alternative Radio and features programming from Salem Communications.
Charlotte, North Carolina is a U.S. city that serves as a hub for numerous media sources.
WPCM is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a Contemporary Christian radio format. Licensed to Burlington-Graham, North Carolina, the station covers the Greensboro metropolitan area and part of the Raleigh-Durham metropolitan area. It is owned by Chuck Marsh, through licensee Triad Media Partners, Inc., and calls itself "Hope 104.5." The studios and offices are on North Main Street in Kernersville, North Carolina.
WBFJ 1550 AM is a radio station broadcasting a Christian teaching and talk format. Licensed in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, it serves the Piedmont Triad area and is currently owned by Triad Family Network, Inc.
WNCB, known as "B93.9", is a country music radio station that serves the Raleigh-Durham market of North Carolina. It is owned and operated by iHeartMedia, Inc., whose sister stations include WDCG, WTKK, WRDU, and W237BZ.
