WRTH (FM)

WRTH is a classic hits radio station broadcasting as "103-3/95-9 Earth FM WRTH" and located in Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina. The station is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to the town of Greer and broadcasts on 103.3 FM with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 2,700 watts.

"WLTE" redirects here. For the Minneapolis, Minnesota radio station previously known as WLTE, see KMNB.
See also: WSHP-FM
WRTH
CityWRTH: Greer, South Carolina
WLTE: Pendleton, South Carolina
Broadcast areaUpstate South Carolina
FrequencyWRTH: 103.3 MHz
WLTE: 95.9 MHz
Branding103-3/95-9 Earth FM WRTH
SloganThe Greatest Hits on Earth!
Programming
FormatClassic Hits
AffiliationsWeather channel radio, Earth View Traffic
Ownership
OwnerSalem Media Group
(Salem Communications Holding Corporation)
WGTK-FM
History
First air date
WRTH: January 1993 (as WLYZ)
WLTE: March 2015
Former call signs
WRTH:
WRDQ (1991–1992)
WLYZ (1992–1995)
WXWZ (1995–1996)
WOLT (1996–2014)[1]
Call sign meaning
WRTH: EaRTH
Technical information
Facility IDWRTH: 73241
WLTE: 170949
ClassWRTH: A
WLTE: A
ERPWRTH: 2,700 watts
WLTE: 6,000 watts
HAATWRTH: 151 meters
WLTE: 71 meters
Transmitter coordinates
WRTH:
34°59′54″N 82°08′17″W
WLTE:
34°41′19″N 82°36′16″W
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websiteearthfmwrth.com

History

103.3 signed on in January 1993 as WLYZ, simulcasting WLWZ (103.9 FM)'s urban contemporary format to the Spartanburg part of the market as "Double Z". For history of the urban contemporary format on 103.9 prior to the sign-on of 103.3, see WSHP-FM.

In late 1994, the station's then-owner, Emerald City Broadcasting, purchased WWMM (107.3 FM) and moved the urban format to the new station since it had a much stronger signal than the 103.3/103.9 simulcast. WWMM was relaunched as WJMZ "107.3 Jamz", while the 103 simulcast became alternative rock "103-X" with 103.3 picking up the WXWZ call sign and 103.9 picking up the WXWX call sign in early 1995. 103-X was the first alternative rock station in the market, but the same signal problems that the station(s) had remained.

On January 1, 1996, 103-X added Howard Stern's radio show for mornings, but was faced with a backlash from both radio listeners and advertisers that lasted for weeks. During that time Emerald City decided to sell out to Entercom, so 103-X changed formats to oldies in February 1996; a few months later, 103.9 became WOLI and 103.3 became WOLT. The station(s) were on satellite for the next few years and in late 1999, a local airstaff was finally added.

In November 2000 the station jumped on the 1980s oldies bandwagon that was going on at the time, becoming "Star 103", but retained the call letters for both stations. The syndicated Bob and Sheri radio show was added as well as a new airstaff. Over time, the station slowly evolved toward Classic Hits, but kept the Star 103 handle. In late 2003, WOLT and WOLI changed its format to a Contemporary Christian/country hybrid as "The Walk."

In 2005, Entercom sold WOLT, WOLI, and WSPA (910 AM, now WOLI) to Davidson Media Group (a company that specializes in Latino formats; however, some other formats are carried), while retaining "The Walk" and placing it on its newly acquired 106.3 (WGVC) signal. Davidson Media Group time-brokered the entire station out, with Mon-Sat 5:00AM–10:00AM and Sunday mornings going to Spartanburg legend Bill Drake, and the rest of the airtime going to a company that carried an urban contemporary gospel format, branding the station as "Praize 103.3" (this started in October 2005).

In 2006, following differences between Davidson Media Group and the company managing "Praize 103.3", the urban contemporary gospel format was abruptly dropped on August 10, 2006. The following morning, after Bill Drake's program, WOLT debuted an oldies format, programmed by Davidson. The station was known, when not airing brokered programming, as "103.3 WOLT - The Best of the 60s and 70s." Longtime upstate South Carolina disc jockey "Brother Bill" Prather was the Operations Manager for WOLT and recorded many of the voice overs and was heard live on the air from time to time. WOLT subsequently brokered a large part of its airtime out to various other music/local affairs programming, and also became the flagship station for Furman football, basketball, baseball, and coaches shows (which moved to WGOG)[2] and no longer carries Clemson basketball,[3] In November 2010, WOLT became known as "Carolina's Classic 103.3 WOLT." Classic hits was the underlying 'format' of the station outside of brokered time, as an attempt to give the station an identity that tied in with all of the other classic based programs.

In January 2012, WOLT began running CHR mix programming in certain dayparts, using syndicated programming from Chicago-based company Jamtraxx, billing their dayparted hours as "103-3 SPIN FM." During all other hours, they broadcast and identify simply as "103-3 WOLT."[4]

Earth FM

On March 1, 2013, the Earth FM oldies format on 910 WOLI and later an accompanying translator on 105.7, which had been launched by Davidson Media in 2012, moved to 103.3, and all brokered programming was removed.[5]

In February 2014, Davidson Media Group sold WOLT to Earth Radio Broadcasting LLC.[6] The purchase was consummated on February 24, 2014 at a price of $1 million. On March 12, 2014, Salem Communications, through licensee Caron Broadcasting, Inc., purchased WOLT from Earth Radio Broadcasting.[7] The purchase was consummated on May 6, 2014 at a price of $1.125 million. On April 24, 2014, WOLT changed its call letters to WRTH.

On March 15, 2015, WRTH began simulcasting on WLTE 95.9 FM Pendleton, South Carolina. Throughout 2015 and 2016, the station's playlist was adjusted, removing most 1960s titles, reducing the airplay for some 1970s titles, especially softer ones; and emphasizing on 1980s music with 1990s titles by acts like Sheryl Crow, Hootie and the Blowfish, and Goo Goo Dolls added to the rotation.

References
  1. "Call Sign History (WOLT)". Retrieved 2010-04-21.
  2. "WGOG FM"
  3. "Clemson Radio Networks"
  4. "WOLT/Greenville, SC Debuts Spin-FM Format" from All Access (January 15, 2012)
  5. "WOLT/Greenville,SC Debuts Earth FM" Oldies from Radio Insight (March 1, 2013)
  6. "WOLT-FM FCC LIC"
  7. "Salem Communications"
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