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WDNC

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Coordinates:35°58′4.52″N78°53′16.03″W/ 35.9679222°N 78.8877861°W/35.9679222; -78.8877861
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Not to be confused withUnited States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.
WDNC
Broadcast area
Frequency620kHz
BrandingThe Buzz
Programming
FormatSports
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
WCLY,WCMC-FM,WRAL,WRAL-TV,WRAZ,WNGT-CD
History
First air date
1928(1928)(as 1370 WRBT,Wilmington)
Former call signs
  • WRBT (1928–1931)
  • WRAM (1931–1934)
Former frequencies
  • 1370 kHz (1928–1934)
  • 1500 kHz (1934–1941)
  • 1490 kHz (1941–1948)
Call signmeaning
Durham, North Carolina (city of license)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID17762
ClassD
Power
  • 1,500wattsday
  • 41 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
35°58′4.52″N78°53′16.03″W/ 35.9679222°N 78.8877861°W/35.9679222; -78.8877861
Translator(s)104.5W283DE (Durham)
Repeater(s)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live
WebsiteThe Buzz website

WDNC(620AM) is asportsradio stationlicensed toDurham, North Carolinabut based inRaleigh, North Carolina.Owned and operated byCapitol Broadcasting Companyas part of a cluster withNBCaffiliateWRAL-TV,FoxaffiliateWRAZ,and sister radio stationsWCLY,WCMC-FMandWRAL,the station's studios are in Raleigh, and the transmitter site is in Durham. WDNC is branded asThe Buzzand is affiliated withESPN Radio.In addition, WDNC is the flagship station for theDuke Blue Devilsand is the local affiliate of theCharlotte Hornets.

History

[edit]

What is now WDNC was first licensed June 19, 1928, as WRBT (1370 AM) inWilmington, North Carolina,which changed its call sign to WRAM in 1931.[2]Durham's first radio station went on the air in February 1934, when then-Mayor W.F. Carr and several investors saw the need for a radio station in what was then the state's third-largest city. They bought WRAM and moved its license and equipment to studios in Durham atop the Washington Duke Hotel downtown at the corner of Corcoran and Chapel Hill Streets (later known as the Carolina and the Jack Tar Hotel; the structure was imploded in 1975). The newly relocated station signed on with 100wattsat 1500 AM asCBSaffiliate WDNC. In 1936, WDNC was purchased by theHerald-Sun Newspapers,publishers of theDurham Morning HeraldandThe Durham Sun.At this time, the station's studios were moved into the Herald-Sun's building at 138 East Chapel Hill Street, literally next door to the Washington Duke Hotel. In 1938, WDNC increased its power from 100 to 250 watts.

TheNARBA frequency realignment of 1941saw the station relocate to 1490 AM. During this time, their antenna was located near present-day Forest Hills Park on South Street. WDNC's last broadcast from this site came on February 28, 1948. On the next day, which wasLeap Day,WDNC abandoned its 1490 dial position and 250-watt signal for a new three-tower directional array on Shocoree Drive in western Durham which operated with 5,000 watts daytime and 1,000 watts nighttime at a new frequency on the other end of the dial, 620 AM. Leap Day 1948 turned out to be a very eventful day in Durham broadcasting history: As WDNC fired up their new, more powerful plant, they also signed on WDNC-FM, at 105.1 MHz. Making the day even more memorable was that WDNC's old 1490 dial position was immediately occupied by a new station, WSSB (nowWDUR).

In 1952, WDNC's parent company, the Herald-Sun Newspapers, applied to build a TV station in Durham on the city's newly allotted VHF channel 11. The owners of cross-town competitorWTIKhad also applied for channel 11. The two parties later joined their efforts under the banner "Durham Broadcasting Enterprises" and signed onWTVD,channel 11 on September 2, 1954.[citation needed]In 1957, Durham Broadcasting sold WTVD toAlbany, New York-basedCapital Cities Broadcastingin 1957 (the same Capital Cities which bought theABC TV networkin the mid-1980s).[citation needed]

In October 1954,Raleigh, North Carolinahad significant damage fromHurricane Hazel.All of the city's radio stations were off the air, so WDNC aired news for the city's residents.[3]

In the late 1970s, Buddy Poole, a former employee of WTIK, hosted the "Country Lovin'" morning show and worked in sales.[4]

WDNC remained a CBS affiliate and the home ofbig bandandpopular standardsuntil 1991, when their focus shifted towards more talk-based programming. In 1992, WDNC and its FM sister station, by now known asWDCG"G-105", relocated to Park Forty Plaza, just offInterstate 40alongNC Highway 55in southeastern Durham, as the newspaper abandoned their downtown building for a new facility at 2828 Pickett Road in southwestern Durham. Shortly thereafter, the newspaper, wanting to focus more on its publishing divisions, put the two radio properties on the market. It was around this time that radio ownership rules were being relaxed.

WDCG was sold in 1993, but there were no takers for WDNC. In 1994, the company entered into a local marketing agreement withCapitol Broadcasting Company(CBC), which allowed the Raleigh-based company control over WDNC's sales, marketing and programming with an option to buy. Capitol, already in the process of moving their minor league baseball team, theDurham Bulls,into the newDurham Bulls Athletic Parkbeing built by the city, announced plans to move WDNC into the ballpark upon its completion in 1995. In the meantime, the station would operate from the basement of the new Herald-Sun building. Capitol redubbed the station the "Smart Choice for News and Sports", and, in late 1995, implemented an all-news format under the handle, "The News Station", using theAssociated Press' all-news network supplemented with reports from theWRAL-TVnewsroom. After three years, the agreement proved non-profitable for CBC. In 1997,Curtis Media Grouptook over theLMAfrom Capitol, replacing the news-centered schedule with more syndicated talk shows and paid programming until it bought the WDNC license from the Herald-Sun in 2000.[citation needed]

In November 2002, WDNC began a simulcast with Raleigh station WDNZ (nowWQDR), 570 AM. That arrangement lasted until November 1, 2005, when WDNC entered into yet another LMA, this time withMcClatchey Broadcasting,then-owner ofWRBZ"850 the Buzz", a more locally oriented sports talk station. The station flipped to sports talk as "620 The Bull".[5]

From July 2006 to June 2007, WDNC was home to an afternoon talk show featuring formerECU footballhead coachSteve Logan,before moving on to take theoffensive coordinatorposition atBoston College.[6]

Late in 2008,Don Imusreturned to the Triangle for the first time since the incident involving theRutgers women's basketball team.Imus replacedMike and Mike in the Morningas WDNC de-emphasizedESPN Radioprogramming.[7]

On August 10, 2009, Curtis Media (which still owned the station) sold WDNC and sister stationWCLYto Capitol Broadcasting Company, in exchange for theNorth Carolina News Network.The move enabled Capitol to concentrate its sports programming across three channels, with WDNC andWCMC-FMreceiving some carry-over programming from WRBZ (which Curtis Media received from McClatchey Broadcasting), while WCLY would carry Spanish-language sports programming fromESPN Deportes Radio.WDNC was expected to change its handle to 620 the Buzz beginning in September 2009,[8][9]but the official changeover happened on November 2 with Adam Gold and Joe Ovies transferring their morning show over from WRBZ.[10]

In 2013, WDNC joinedCBS Sports Radiobut continued to airDan Patrick.

In April 2014, WDNC signed on a translator at 99.3 FM inMorrisville,serving Raleigh. In October, it added another translator at 96.5 FM in Durham. They serve mainly to fill in the gaps in the main signal.

On April 25, 2017, the Federal Communications Commission issued aconstruction permitfor Capitol Broadcasting to move WDNC's transmitter from the station's long-time West Durham location on Shocorree Drive to a diplex arrangement with WDUR 1490 AM, at the latter's transmitter site on Nixon Street in southeastern Durham. This also authorized WDNC to reduce its 5,000 watt daytime power to 1,500 watts non-directional, and its 1,000 watt nighttime power to 41 watts non-directional.[11]By late June 2017, WDNC had built out the construction permit and was broadcasting from its new site. The three towers at its former Shoccoree Drive transmitter site were removed in late October/early November 2017.

On May 1, 2018, WDNC rebranded from "The Buzz" (which continued on WCMC-FM HD2 and the 96.5 and 99.3 translators) to "The Ticket" (which moved from WCLY, which flipped to adult album alternative).[12]On July 31, 2022, WDNC switched back to "The Buzz" branding, in a simulcast with WCLY and WCMC-FM HD2.[13]

Translator

[edit]
Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP(W) Class Transmitter coordinates FCC info
W283DE 104.5 FM Durham, North Carolina 200547 180 D 35°51′59″N79°10′0.5″W/ 35.86639°N 79.166806°W/35.86639; -79.166806(W283DE) LMS

WDNC past on-air staff

[edit]

WDNC has a storied history developing personalities. Many of these on-air figures become long-time Raleigh-Durham favorites, and others moved to bigger markets. Below are some of a few.

  • Jim Sackett (????-1997)
  • Tom Britt
  • Tom Gongaware
  • Will Vickers
  • Melinda Stubbee
  • Tom Guild
  • Rob Friedman
  • Bill Hard
  • Doc Searls(weekends, 1974)
  • Rita Chapman (1980 - 1983)
  • Tony Wike
  • Gaylord "Jay" Wood (1958–1962)
  • Pat Patterson
  • Cabell Smith
  • Eddie Crabtree
  • Bo Bierly
  • Barry Brown
  • Kathy Reid
  • Andy Poe
  • Bob Harris
  • Jeff Dantre
  • Tony Peters
  • Rollye James
  • Tom Young (novelist)
  • Easy Gwynn (moved toWIBCIndianapolis)
  • Fred Hazeltine (moved toWRNLRichmond, Virginia)
  • John Dean (morning personality after World War Two)
  • Woody Woodhouse (sports director 1940s)
  • Ed Higgins (news director)
  • Tony Rigsbee
  • Steve Logan
  • Frank Morock
  • Morgan Patrick (MoJo In The Morning)
  • Joe Ovies (MoJo In The Morning)
  • Mark Thomas (Mornings)
  • Mike Maniscalco (Mornings)
  • Lauren Brownlow (Mornings)
  • Demetri Ravanos (Mornings)
  • Bomani Jones
  • Eroll Reese (The Sports Shop)
  • Kevin "K-Mac" McClendon (The Sports Shop)

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Facility Technical Data for WDNC".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^"WDNC history cards"(PDF).CDBS Public Access.Federal Communications Commission.RetrievedJune 3,2024.
  3. ^Leonard, Teresa (October 15, 2014)."Hurricane Hazel's fury hit North Carolina 60 years ago".News & Observer.
  4. ^"Poole celebrates 50 years in radio, is grand marshal of Faith parade".Salisbury Post.July 3, 2014.RetrievedJuly 3,2014.
  5. ^Hooley, Danny (October 27, 2005). "WDNC Turns to Sports".The News & Observer.
  6. ^Megargee, Steve (June 21, 2007). "B.C.'s Logan goes from radio booth to sideline".Rivals.
  7. ^Van Der Horst, Roger (October 15, 2008). "Imus Returning to Triangle Radio".The News & Observer.
  8. ^"Deal reshapes Triangle radio market".WRAL.August 10, 2009.Retrieved2009-08-10.
  9. ^Baysden, Chris (August 10, 2009)."Sports radio shakeup: Capitol Broadcasting buys 620 the Bull; Curtis gets WRBZ 850".Triangle Business Journal.Retrieved2009-08-11.
  10. ^Huffman, Dane (October 28, 2009)."Sports radio changes coming Monday".WRALSportsFan.Retrieved2009-10-28.
  11. ^AM Query Results (WDNC)BP-20170126ADD, expires April 25, 2020 (fcc.gov)
  12. ^Capitol Broadcasting Launches That Station in RaleighRadioinsight - May 1, 2018
  13. ^Venta, Lance."Buzz Moves in Raleigh".Radioinsight.
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