WTMT (105.9 FM, "105.9 The Mountain") is an American classic rock radio station located in Asheville, North Carolina. The station is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to the nearby community of Weaverville and transmits with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 9.5 kW.

WTMT
Broadcast areaAsheville & Western North Carolina
Frequency105.9 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding105.9 The Mountain
Programming
FormatClassic rock
Subchannels
AffiliationsUnited Stations Radio Networks
Ownership
Owner
  • Saga Communications
  • (Saga Communications of North Carolina, LLC)
WISE, WOXL-FM
History
First air date
1988 (1988) (as WFSM)
Former call signs
  • WFSM (1988–1993)
  • WCTU (1993–2005)
Call sign meaning
"The Mountain"
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID72070
ClassC2
ERP9,500 watts
HAAT339 meters (1,112 ft)
Translator(s)
  • HD2: 100.3 W262CO (Asheville)
  • HD3: 105.5 W288CQ (Asheville)
Links
Public license information
Webcast
Website

Asheville Radio Group, a subsidiary of Saga Communications, operates 105.9 The Mountain as well as adult contemporary WOXL and ESPN Radio 1310 WISE/970 WEZZ. Artists include AC/DC, Rush, Linkin Park and Korn.[2]

History

edit

105.9 signed on the air in 1988 as WFSM licensed to Tazewell, Tennessee. It became WCTU in 1993.

Saga Communications purchased WCTU in 2005 and changed the call-sign to WTMT and its city of license to Weaverville, North Carolina, while preparing a move into the Asheville radio market during 2006 and early 2007.

On May 24, 2007, 105.9 signed on at its new transmitting site under test authority with various songs from different formats, nicknaming the station "The Lazer" during the stunt[citation needed]. On May 31 at 6:15 P.M, "105.9 The Mountain" officially signed on as a mainstream rock station under the slogan "Everything That Rocks". The first song was "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses.[2] 105.9 has changed their playlist back to being mostly classic rock favorites, meanwhile there is very little recent or new rock songs that are played on air in its database as for right now.

 
Previous logo

The station's regularly scheduled weekday deejays include Lex and Terry, 6-10 a.m., and Craig Debolt, 3-7 p.m.[3]

HD channels

edit

In June 2015, W262CO began airing 80s-based classic hits as "Rewind 100.3". The station began by playing 10,000 songs in a row by such artists as Michael Jackson, Madonna, INXS and Bon Jovi.[4]

On November 20, 2015, W288CQ and WTMT-HD3 launched as "Legends and The Young Guns, 105.5 The Outlaw", with a mix of current and classic country, as well as a smidgen of Southern rock.[5] Artists will include Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Zac Brown, Marshall Tucker Band, The Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd.[6]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WTMT". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ a b Tony Kiss, "New Radio Station Now on Air," Asheville Citizen-Times, June 1, 2007.
  3. ^ "105.9 The Mountain". WTMT official website. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
  4. ^ Patrick, Emily (June 24, 2015). "New Asheville radio station plays '80s hits". Asheville Citizen-Times.
  5. ^ Saga Launches Asheville Outlaw
  6. ^ Patrick, Emily (November 23, 2015). "Outlaw country station launches in Asheville". Asheville Citizen-Times. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
edit

35°36′04″N 82°39′07″W / 35.601°N 82.652°W / 35.601; -82.652