WWRK is a classic rock radio station located in Florence, South Carolina, United States. The station is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to broadcast on 970 AM with power of 10,000 watts during the day and 31 watts at night, both non-directional. WWRK is owned by iHeartMedia.

WWRK
Frequency970 kHz
94.1 MHz (WRZE)
BrandingRock 94.1 - 97.9
Programming
FormatClassic rock
Ownership
Owner
WDAR-FM, WDSC, WEGX, WJMX, WJMX-FM, WRZE, WZTF
History
First air date
July 13, 1947; 77 years ago (1947-07-13) (as WJMX)
Former call signs
WJMX (1947–2013)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID3112
ClassB
Power10,000 watts (day)
31 watts (night)
Translator(s)97.9 W250BJ (Florence)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websitetherockfms.iheart.com

History

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WWRK signed on as WJMX on July 13, 1947. This station also covered NASCAR races in the past like the 1955 Southern 500 that took place in nearby Darlington.[2] The station featured local as well as national programming from the ABC Radio Network. By the 1980s, WJMX was Top 40 under the handle "97X" but was beat out by new upstart WPDZ (now WJMX-FM). The format migrated to its newly acquired 106.3 FM frequency (now WYNN-FM) and the station switched to Adult Contemporary before transitioning to News/Talk.[citation needed]

Qantum Communications Inc. purchased Florence's Root Communications Group LP stations in 2003.[3]

On July 16, 2012, WJMX announced that after carrying The Rush Limbaugh Show for over twenty years, the station would replace him with The Mike Huckabee Show. At the time, the station manager said that the distributor wanted too much money to air the show. Limbaugh was then picked up by WFRK.[4]

The station changed its call sign to the current WWRK on October 30, 2013, swapping calls with its sister station at 1400 AM.[5][6] At that time, WWRK began simulcasting urban contemporary WRZE, which was branded as "Swagga 94.1 & 105.9".

On May 15, 2014, Qantum Communications announced that it would sell its 29 stations, including WWRK, to Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia), in a transaction connected to Clear Channel's sale of WALK AM-FM in Patchogue, New York to Connoisseur Media via Qantum.[7] The transaction was consummated on September 9, 2014.

In August 2017, WRZE, WWRK and the translators began simulcasting WDAR-FM, which took over the urban contemporary format.[8]

On September 14, 2017, WRZE, WWRK and the translators dropped the simulcast with WDAR-FM and switched to classic rock, branded as "Rock 94.1 - 97.9 - 105.9". The stations air the syndicated "Rover's Morning Glory" in mornings from 6 to 10 A.M.[9]

As of 2021, the simulcast on 105.9 FM had ended, as W290CD began simulcasting WJMX.[10] and that translator was used by WJMX.[11]

Translators

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In addition to the main station, WWRK is relayed by a translator to widen its broadcast area.[12][13]

Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) Class FCC info
W250BJ 97.9 FM Florence, South Carolina 158024 250 D LMS

References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WWRK". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ Stock Cars of 50s & 60s - Stock Car Memories: Darlington-Southern 500 -- 1955, 1956 (DVD)
  3. ^ "Changing Hands". Broadcasting & Cable. 2003-03-16. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
  4. ^ Sweeney, John (2012-07-18). "Florence radio stations swap Limbaugh amid listener backlash". Florence Morning News. Retrieved 2012-07-25.
  5. ^ "Call Sign History (WJMX)". Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  6. ^ "Call Sign History (WWRK)". Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  7. ^ Venta, Lance (May 15, 2014). "Qantum Sells To Clear Channel; Connoisseur Expands In Long Island". RadioInsight. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  8. ^ Venta, Lance (August 21, 2017). "iHeart's Swagga Moves & Rebrands In Florence". radioinsight. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  9. ^ Classic Rock Trimulcast Debuts in Florence Radioinsight - September 14, 2017
  10. ^ "Rock 94.1 & 97.9: The Rock FMs". Archived from the original on October 6, 2021.
  11. ^ "Newstalk 1400, 104.5 and 105.9". Archived from the original on October 6, 2021.
  12. ^ "W250BJ Radio Station Information". Retrieved 2012-07-26.
  13. ^ "W283AB Radio Station Information". Retrieved 2012-07-26.
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34°14′02″N 79°46′51″W / 34.23389°N 79.78083°W / 34.23389; -79.78083