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In December 1999, [[Entercom]] bought 41 radio stations from Sinclair.<ref>{{cite news|title=Entercom completes purchase of Sinclair|work=Spartanburg Herald-Journal|date=December 17, 1999}}</ref> Entercom became Audacy in 2021.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/entercom-rebrands-audacy-1234939320/|title=Entercom Changes Name to Audacy, Kills Off Radio.com Brand|last=Spangler|first=Todd|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=March 30, 2021|access-date=March 29, 2023}}</ref>
In December 1999, [[Entercom]] bought 41 radio stations from Sinclair.<ref>{{cite news|title=Entercom completes purchase of Sinclair|work=Spartanburg Herald-Journal|date=December 17, 1999}}</ref> Entercom became Audacy in 2021.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/entercom-rebrands-audacy-1234939320/|title=Entercom Changes Name to Audacy, Kills Off Radio.com Brand|last=Spangler|first=Todd|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=March 30, 2021|access-date=March 29, 2023}}</ref>


By 2002, WSPA-FM was "Magic 98.9, The Upstate's Best Variety",<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/195814936/?terms=%22Magic%2098.9%22&match=2|title=RiverPlace Arts Festival Features|work=The Greenville News|via=newspapers.com|date=April 28, 2002|page=260}}</ref>with a [[Adult contemporary|mainstream adult contemporary]] format.<ref>{{cite news|title=Market Profile: Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.|last=Hudson|first=Eileen Davis|work=[[Mediaweek (American magazine)|Mediaweek]]|date=March 17, 2003|volume=13|issue=11|page=18}}</ref>
By 2002, WSPA-FM was "Magic 98.9, The Upstate's Best Variety",<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/195814936/?terms=%22Magic%2098.9%22&match=2|title=RiverPlace Arts Festival Features|work=The Greenville News|via=newspapers.com|date=April 28, 2002|page=260}}</ref> with a [[Adult contemporary|mainstream adult contemporary]] format.<ref>{{cite news|title=Market Profile: Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.|last=Hudson|first=Eileen Davis|work=[[Mediaweek (American magazine)|Mediaweek]]|date=March 17, 2003|volume=13|issue=11|page=18}}</ref>


On March 6, 2023, Audacy announced that WSPA-FM and [[WSPA-FM|WYRD-FM]] (106.3) would swap formats and call signs beginning March 28. The move was intended to put WYRD-FM's [[Talk radio|news/talk]] programming on the larger 98.9 signal.<ref>[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/249475/magic-98-9-and-106-3-word-to-swap-frequencies/ Magic 98.9 And 106.3 WORD To Swap Frequencies]</ref>
On March 6, 2023, Audacy announced that WSPA-FM and [[WSPA-FM|WYRD-FM]] (106.3) would swap formats and call signs beginning March 28. The move was intended to put WYRD-FM's [[Talk radio|news/talk]] programming on the larger 98.9 signal.<ref>[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/249475/magic-98-9-and-106-3-word-to-swap-frequencies/ Magic 98.9 And 106.3 WORD To Swap Frequencies]</ref>

Revision as of 21:45, 30 March 2023

WYRD-FM
Broadcast areaUpstate South Carolina
Western North Carolina
Frequency98.9 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingNews Talk 98.9 WORD
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatTalk radio
SubchannelsHD2: Adult contemporary (WSPA-FM)
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
August 29, 1946 (1946-08-29)
Former call signs
WSPA-FM (1946–2023)
Call sign meaning
derived from sister station WYRD
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID66400
ClassC
ERP100,000 watts (analog)
3,980 watts (digital)[2]
HAAT581.4 meters (1,907 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
35°10′11.40″N 82°17′27.40″W / 35.1698333°N 82.2909444°W / 35.1698333; -82.2909444 (WSPA-FM)
Translator(s)HD2: 105.9 W290BW (Greenville)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live (via Audacy)
Websitewww.audacy.com/989word

WYRD-FM (98.9 MHz, "98.9 WORD") is a talk radio station licensed to serve Spartanburg, South Carolina, and covering the Upstate region, including Greenville and Spartanburg. The Audacy, Inc. outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to broadcast at with an ERP of 100 kW. The station goes by the name "News Talk 98.9 WORD".

"98.9 WORD" carries local programs The Tara Show (with Tara Servatius).[3]

History

Logo as Magic 98.9

WSPA-FM was the first FM station in South Carolina[4] on August 29, 1946, and on August 1, 1961 added the first stereo signal in the Southeastern United States.[5] The beautiful music format included some classical music, such as The Metropolitan Opera, and 'The Classical World of Stereo" and other shows on Sundays.[6]

WSPA-FM became the strongest station in the United States with a move to Hogback Mountain, 3200 feet in elevation, with a 100,000-watt signal, as one of the first stations to use a new system of vertical and horizontal antennas. The station would be heard from Asheville, North Carolina to Augusta, Georgia and from Gainesville, Georgia to Charlotte. The station broadcast from 8 A.M. to midnight seven days a week, with light music during the day, dinner music in the evening, and "featured works" at night.[4]

As of 1976 WSPA-FM used the FM 100 format.[7]

WSPA-FM ranked third in the Arbitron ratings and second with adults in Fall 1984, with midday numbers taking a significant jump. Though still considered beautiful music, WSPA-FM added more contemporary artists such as Captain and Tennille and John Denver and dropped group vocals. The station was making an effort to stop being considered background music.[8][9]

With the switch by WZXI in the Charlotte area from beautiful music, WSPA-FM showed up in the Spring 1986 Arbitron ratings for Charlotte, the only beautiful music station serving the area.[10]

On February 19, 1991, WSPA-FM made the switch to "Lite",[11] which according to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal was "the first format change since Harry Truman". WSPA-FM had always played easy listening music and was the area's only remaining station of that type. Though still seventh with listeners 25-54, WSPA-FM needed to reach younger listeners, and WSPA-FM was doing this with soft vocals and a few instrumentals as "Lite FM, 98.9", which was still the area's softest station. Many people liked the new sound, which included lots of 70s music, but some complained to the newspaper and to the morning show of Mike Vassy, who had worked at the station since 1968.[12] The change improved the station's ratings from eighth in Fall 1990 to fifth in Winter 1991, and from sixth to fourth with adults.[11]

In Fall 1994, Spartan Radiocasting, owner of WSPA and WSPA-FM, made a local marketing agreement with Augusta, Georgia-based Keymarket Communications. Early in 1995, WSPA-FM, described as "light-rock", was moving to Greenville, South Carolina with WFBC and WORD (AM), while WSPA would move in with WSPA-TV.[13]

River City Broadcasting, which bought Keymarket, also purchased an option to buy the radio stations. Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of WFBC-TV and WLOS-TV, bought River City and on July 1, 1998 bought "Light Rock 98.9", WFBC-FM, WYRD (formerly WFBC), WORD, WOLI-FM and WOLT.[14]

In December 1999, Entercom bought 41 radio stations from Sinclair.[15] Entercom became Audacy in 2021.[16]

By 2002, WSPA-FM was "Magic 98.9, The Upstate's Best Variety",[17] with a mainstream adult contemporary format.[18]

On March 6, 2023, Audacy announced that WSPA-FM and WYRD-FM (106.3) would swap formats and call signs beginning March 28. The move was intended to put WYRD-FM's news/talk programming on the larger 98.9 signal.[19]

References

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WYRD-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Full Power FM Digital Notification Application [WSPA-FM], Imported Letter Attachment". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. May 26, 2010. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  3. ^ "The Tara Show". Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  4. ^ a b "S.C. Station to Up Its Power". The State. December 6, 1964. p. 14C – via newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "WSPA ad". The Greenville News. August 2, 1961. p. 13. Retrieved March 29, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Nutt, Karen (May 9, 2001). "History of radio in Sparkle City". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. p. D1.
  7. ^ "WSPA ad". The Greenville News. November 14, 1976. p. 7F. Retrieved March 29, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Harrison, Tom (February 27, 1985). "Dialing for ratings". The Greenville News. p. 1B – via newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Harrison, Tom (February 27, 1985). "Dialing for ratings". The Greenville News. p. 6B – via newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Borden, Jeff (August 12, 1986). "S.C. Stations Gain Entry into Charlotte Radio Ratings". The Charlotte Observer. p. 13A.
  11. ^ a b "Country still area favorite". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. April 27, 1991.
  12. ^ "WSPA change strands older listeners". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. April 13, 1991.
  13. ^ "Keymarket takes over WSPA radio". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. January 5, 1995.
  14. ^ Franco, Jose (August 11, 1998). "Upstate radio stations have new owner". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. p. B1.
  15. ^ "Entercom completes purchase of Sinclair". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. December 17, 1999.
  16. ^ Spangler, Todd (March 30, 2021). "Entercom Changes Name to Audacy, Kills Off Radio.com Brand". Variety. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  17. ^ "RiverPlace Arts Festival Features". The Greenville News. April 28, 2002. p. 260 – via newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Hudson, Eileen Davis (March 17, 2003). "Market Profile: Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.". Mediaweek. Vol. 13, no. 11. p. 18.
  19. ^ Magic 98.9 And 106.3 WORD To Swap Frequencies
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