WBAV
Encyclopedia
WBAV-FM is an Urban Adult Contemporary
radio station licensed to Gastonia, North Carolina
and serving the Charlotte
market on 101.9FM. Syndicated programs include Steve Harvey
in mornings, and Michael Baisden
in afternoons. WBAV can be heard throughout the Piedmont and Foothills, including the Greenville-Spartanburg, SC market.
WBAV competes with sister station, longtime heritage Urban station WPEG
(Power 98) and its current Urban AC rival, WQNC
.
-1450 AM and was the only FM station ever licensed to Gastonia. The station normally ran a broadcast day of 5:00am to 12:00 midnight until the late 1970s when it began operating 24 hours daily.
In 1975, it broke off from its AM sister and began airing an adult contemporary "soft rock" automated format. The call letters were changed to WZXI in 1978. The station was one of three soft adult contemporary stations in the Charlotte
market. Protests over the programming change by WEZC
led WZXI to change to beautiful music
.
In 1987 WZXI became WLIT and later switched to satellite-delivered MOR.
In the late 80s WLIT became WCKZ "Kiss 102", a churban station similar in style to what is known today as Rhythmic CHR
. Artists included Lionel Richie
, Shalamar
, Chicago
, Lisa Lisa, Phil Collins
and Jody Watley
. The station also added to its tower on Crowder's Mountain
and moved its studio from Gastonia to Charlotte. The current name and format were adopted in 1994.
The WBAV call letters were assigned in 1993 to a co-owned station formerly known as WGIV
at 1600 AM. Following a format change, the AM station returned to the WGIV call sign in late 1994.
On January 22, 2004, WBAV dropped Tom Joyner
, who moved to WQNC
.
Urban Adult Contemporary
Urban adult contemporary is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have rap music on their playlists. The format was designed by Barry Mayo when he, Lee S. Simonson and Bill Pearson organized Broadcast...
radio station licensed to Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
and serving the Charlotte
CHARLOTTE
- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...
market on 101.9FM. Syndicated programs include Steve Harvey
Steve Harvey
Broderick Steven "Steve" Harvey is an American actor, comedian, entertainer, television and radio personality and best-selling author. He is best known as the star of the WB sitcom The Steve Harvey Show, and as one of the four comedians featured in the Spike Lee film The Original Kings of Comedy...
in mornings, and Michael Baisden
Michael Baisden
Michael Baisden is an American author, motivational speaker, host of the TV One talk show Baisden After Dark, and host of his own nationally-syndicated radio show.-Career:...
in afternoons. WBAV can be heard throughout the Piedmont and Foothills, including the Greenville-Spartanburg, SC market.
WBAV competes with sister station, longtime heritage Urban station WPEG
WPEG
WPEG is a Mainstream Urban-formatted radio station in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. It broadcasts at 97.9 FM, and is owned by CBS Radio.-History:...
(Power 98) and its current Urban AC rival, WQNC
WQNC
WQNC "My 92.7" is an urban adult contemporary radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina that is owned and operated by Radio One Inc. with the tagline "R&B from the 80s, 90s and Now"...
.
History
The station signed on in 1947 as WGNC-FM. It was locally owned by the McSwain Family. The station was a full simulcast of co-owned WGNCWGNC
WGNC is a radio station broadcasting a News, Talk, and Sports format. Licensed to Gastonia, North Carolina, USA, it serves the Gastonia area....
-1450 AM and was the only FM station ever licensed to Gastonia. The station normally ran a broadcast day of 5:00am to 12:00 midnight until the late 1970s when it began operating 24 hours daily.
In 1975, it broke off from its AM sister and began airing an adult contemporary "soft rock" automated format. The call letters were changed to WZXI in 1978. The station was one of three soft adult contemporary stations in the Charlotte
CHARLOTTE
- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...
market. Protests over the programming change by WEZC
WKQC
WKQC is a CBS Radio adult contemporary radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina. The station goes by the name "K 104.7" with the slogan "Cool Songs."The station receives exceptional interference from another 104.7 in Columbia, just 75 miles south...
led WZXI to change to beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
.
In 1987 WZXI became WLIT and later switched to satellite-delivered MOR.
In the late 80s WLIT became WCKZ "Kiss 102", a churban station similar in style to what is known today as Rhythmic CHR
Rhythmic Contemporary
Rhythmic contemporary, also known as rhythmic top 40, rhythmic contemporary hit radio or rhythmic crossover, is a music radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip-hop and R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary rarely uses rock music or country music in its airplay, but it may...
. Artists included Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...
, Shalamar
Shalamar
Shalamar was an American music group, primarily of the 1970s and 1980s, that was originally a disco-driven vehicle created by Soul Train booking agent Dick Griffey and show creator Don Cornelius. They went on to be an influential dance trio, masterminded by Soul Train producer Don Cornelius...
, Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
, Lisa Lisa, Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
and Jody Watley
Jody Watley
Jody Vanessa Watley is an American, singer, songwriter, record producer, and founder of Avitone Records whose music crosses genres from Pop, R&B, Jazz, Dance and Electronic Soul....
. The station also added to its tower on Crowder's Mountain
Crowder's Mountain
Crowders Mountain is one of two main peaks within Crowders Mountain State Park, the other peak being King's Pinnacle. The park is located in the western Piedmont of North Carolina between the cities of King's Mountain and Gastonia or about west of Charlotte...
and moved its studio from Gastonia to Charlotte. The current name and format were adopted in 1994.
The WBAV call letters were assigned in 1993 to a co-owned station formerly known as WGIV
WGIV
WGIV is an African american formatted radio station currently found at 1370 on the AM radio dial. Its city of license is Pineville, North Carolina...
at 1600 AM. Following a format change, the AM station returned to the WGIV call sign in late 1994.
On January 22, 2004, WBAV dropped Tom Joyner
Tom Joyner
Thomas "Tom" Joyner is an American radio host, host of the nationally syndicated The Tom Joyner Morning Show, and also founder of REACH Media Inc., the Tom Joyner Foundation, and BlackAmericaWeb.com.-Early life:...
, who moved to WQNC
WQNC
WQNC "My 92.7" is an urban adult contemporary radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina that is owned and operated by Radio One Inc. with the tagline "R&B from the 80s, 90s and Now"...
.
Line-Up
| SHOW | TIME |
|---|---|
| Inspirational Music | Monday - Friday 5:00 AM – 5:20 AM |
| The Front Page w/ Bea Thompson | Monday - Friday 5:20 AM – 6:00 AM |
| The Steve Harvey Morning Show | Monday - Friday 6:00 AM – 10:00 AM |
| Chirl Girl | Monday - Friday 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM |
| The Michael Baisden Show | Monday - Friday 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM |
| Preston Miles | Sunday - Thursday 7:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| DJ Chase | Friday - Saturday 9:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Gospel Traxx w/ Walt 'Baby' Love | Sunday 5:00 AM – 7:00 AM |
| Larry Tinsley | Sunday 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM |
| Sunday Morning Glory w/ Modesty | Sunday 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM |
| Straight Talk w/ Bea Thompson | Sunday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Smooth Jazz Brunch w/ Marvin Ross | Sunday 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM |
| Neo Soul Mix w/ DJ Chase | Sunday 7:00 PM – 7:20 PM |