WCSZ
Encyclopedia
WCSZ is a radio station
in Greenville, South Carolina
, and is one of the only three 50kW AM radio stations in the state, the other two being WLFJ-AM
, also in Greenville, and WAGL
-AM in Lancaster. It currently broadcasts a Spanish
format.
format in the 1980s. The station's main studios were destroyed by a fire in the late 1960s; the station has been broadcasting from a mobile home off of Highway 25 in Greenville ever since. For many years, the station was daytime-only. The station broadcasted using a three-tower directional antenna system, with changing patterns, day and night.
WCSZ was Sports Talk until the early 2000s, urban contemporary gospel
, and Oldies
, with the last two formats being entirely satellite-fed.
On July 19, 2007, the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) issued a "STA" which is the process that allows a station to officially remain off the air for up to six months, at the end of which the station must have returned to the air or surrender its broadcasting license. The station applied for another "STA" in 2008. . The justification for the STA was "to conserve assets while pursuing funding, the licensee respectfully requests authority to remain silent for 180 days.". The application was filed in September 2008, and not granted by the FCC as of January 2009. In September 2009, the STA was denied; this meant the station, which had had not operated on a regular basis since 2007, was forced to return to the air. Should the station not sign back on, it would have been forced to permanently go dark.
Entercom Communications
purchased the station in 2000, eventually selling it to Tama Broadcasting.
In December 2009, the station's abandoned building was robbed twice and many items were stolen, and the transmitter was picked apart for parts. No arrest has been made in the robberies.
As of January 2011, WCSZ has been granted an STA for 2000 watts during the day and 350 at night, non-directional.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
in Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
, and is one of the only three 50kW AM radio stations in the state, the other two being WLFJ-AM
WLFJ (AM)
-External links:*...
, also in Greenville, and WAGL
WAGL
WAGL is a radio station broadcasting a Oldies format.Licensed to Lancaster, South Carolina, USA. The station is currently owned by Palmetto Broadcasting System, Inc.....
-AM in Lancaster. It currently broadcasts a Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
format.
History
WCSZ was known by the calls of WHYZ-AM, signing on the air May 26, 1966. WHYZ in the 1960s and 1970s had featured a Top-40 format and later an Urban ContemporaryUrban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
format in the 1980s. The station's main studios were destroyed by a fire in the late 1960s; the station has been broadcasting from a mobile home off of Highway 25 in Greenville ever since. For many years, the station was daytime-only. The station broadcasted using a three-tower directional antenna system, with changing patterns, day and night.
WCSZ was Sports Talk until the early 2000s, urban contemporary gospel
Urban contemporary gospel
Traditional black gospel is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
, and Oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
, with the last two formats being entirely satellite-fed.
On July 19, 2007, the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) issued a "STA" which is the process that allows a station to officially remain off the air for up to six months, at the end of which the station must have returned to the air or surrender its broadcasting license. The station applied for another "STA" in 2008. . The justification for the STA was "to conserve assets while pursuing funding, the licensee respectfully requests authority to remain silent for 180 days.". The application was filed in September 2008, and not granted by the FCC as of January 2009. In September 2009, the STA was denied; this meant the station, which had had not operated on a regular basis since 2007, was forced to return to the air. Should the station not sign back on, it would have been forced to permanently go dark.
Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications Corporation is the fourth-largest broadcasting company in the United States. As of November 2009, Entercom operates 110 radio stations in 23 markets across the United States....
purchased the station in 2000, eventually selling it to Tama Broadcasting.
In December 2009, the station's abandoned building was robbed twice and many items were stolen, and the transmitter was picked apart for parts. No arrest has been made in the robberies.
As of January 2011, WCSZ has been granted an STA for 2000 watts during the day and 350 at night, non-directional.