WRNN (AM)
Encyclopedia
WRNN is a radio station
licensed to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
, USA, serving the Myrtle Beach area. The station is currently owned by NextMedia Broadcasting.
A portion of WRNN's broadcast day is simulcast of sister station 99.5 WRNN-FM
from 12:00AM-10:00AM. WRNN-AM airs Mike Gallagher
, Dr. Laura, Clark Howard
, Lars Larson
, and a local sports talk program during the daytime and evening hours.
Tom Fowler, later vice president for radio with South Carolina Educational Television
, made his debut on WMYB the night of the fire that killed three Apollo 1
astronauts. In 2002 he said, "The Teletypes went nuts. I thought we were at war. That was the real start of an adventure."
WMYB's format was adult contemporary during most of its later years, when it used the call letters WQOK and WCSE. The format was oldies
in 1985. The letters WKEL were approved but never used, since the station signed off in the late 1980s.
On December 23, 1996, WKZQ-AM moved from 1520 to 1450, giving the station a nighttime signal (though daytime power was reduced from 5000 to 1000 watts), and continuing the FM simulcast, as well as NASCAR
. At first, WKZQ-AM played rock. Then it went to sports talk. The station also aired the Atlanta Braves
. Tony Kornheiser
replaced The Fabulous Sports Babe
late in 1999. Also heard on the station at that time were three NFL games each Sunday, Monday Night Football
, UNC Tar Heel
football and basketball, some East Carolina University
games, other Westwood One
and CBS
college football, and the Charlotte Hornets.
When NextMedia Group
bought the station in 2000, the WJYR letters were moved from 92.1 FM, and most of the station's programming was adult standards
from the Music of Your Life
network. Since few people listened (other stations played similar music), sports talk returned. In 2002, the call letters changed to WQJM. ESPN Radio
aired 24 hours a day prior to August 2002 but remained on the station in the overnight hours and on weekends until February 2003; and talk radio
other than sports was part of the format. The station now serves as a "companion" to talk station WRNN-FM
. Programming includes the morning show hosted by Dave Priest and Tara Servatius.
operators started WTGR, a 250-watt station at 1520 AM, in 1965. Tiger Radio became "the hallmark radio station" for Myrtle Beach, playing Top 40 and beach music
. DJs included Billy Smith, Bill Hennecy, Big Al Irvin, Bill Connell, Bruce Miller, Steve Mims and J. Patrick Milan.
WTGR began a simulcast of WKZQ-FM
in the early 1980s and eventually became WKZQ-AM. On December 23, 1996, WKZQ-AM moved to 1450.
Banana Jack Murphy and Bob Scarborough of Waccamaw Media started TigerRadioOnline.com, an Internet radio station, in 2000, with jingle
s and music from the former WTGR. This station stayed on the air until 2005, operating from Waccamaw Media studios on Wesley Street near what is now Freestyle Music Park.
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...
licensed to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...
, USA, serving the Myrtle Beach area. The station is currently owned by NextMedia Broadcasting.
A portion of WRNN's broadcast day is simulcast of sister station 99.5 WRNN-FM
WRNN-FM
WRNN-FM is a News/Talk radio station licensed to Socastee, South Carolina and serves the Grand Strand area. The NextMedia outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 99.5 MHz with an effective radiated power of 21.5 kW...
from 12:00AM-10:00AM. WRNN-AM airs Mike Gallagher
Mike Gallagher
Mike Gallagheris an American radio host and conservative political commentator. He is the host of The Mike Gallagher Show, a nationally-syndicated radio program that airs throughout the United States on Salem Radio Network and is also a FOX News Channel Contributor and guest host...
, Dr. Laura, Clark Howard
Clark Howard
Clark Howard , is a popular U.S. talk radio host of the nationally syndicated consumer advocate program The Clark Howard Show. The show covers consumer and financial news, with advice on how to spend less, save more and avoid rip-offs...
, Lars Larson
Lars Larson
Lars Larson is a conservative U.S. talk radio show host based in Oregon. Larson hosts a national talk radio show, which as of 2009 is syndicated by Compass Media Networks...
, and a local sports talk program during the daytime and evening hours.
History of 1450 AM
WMYB was the first radio station in Myrtle Beach in the early 1950s.Tom Fowler, later vice president for radio with South Carolina Educational Television
South Carolina Educational Television
South Carolina Educational Television is the statewide public television and public radio network in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It consists of all the Public Broadcasting Service member [television stations and National Public Radio member radio stations in the state...
, made his debut on WMYB the night of the fire that killed three Apollo 1
Apollo 1
Apollo 1 was scheduled to be the first manned mission of the Apollo manned lunar landing program, with a target launch date of February 21, 1967. A cabin fire during a launch pad test on January 27 at Launch Pad 34 at Cape Canaveral killed all three crew members: Command Pilot Virgil "Gus"...
astronauts. In 2002 he said, "The Teletypes went nuts. I thought we were at war. That was the real start of an adventure."
WMYB's format was adult contemporary during most of its later years, when it used the call letters WQOK and WCSE. The format was 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....
in 1985. The letters WKEL were approved but never used, since the station signed off in the late 1980s.
On December 23, 1996, WKZQ-AM moved from 1520 to 1450, giving the station a nighttime signal (though daytime power was reduced from 5000 to 1000 watts), and continuing the FM simulcast, as well as NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
. At first, WKZQ-AM played rock. Then it went to sports talk. The station also aired the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. Tony Kornheiser
Tony Kornheiser
Anthony Irwin "Tony" Kornheiser is an American sportswriter and former columnist for The Washington Post, as well as a radio and television talk show host...
replaced The Fabulous Sports Babe
The Fabulous Sports Babe
Nanci Donnellan, best known by her title of "The Fabulous Sports Babe," is an American sports radio broadcaster, currently broadcasting on WHBO in the Tampa Bay, Florida area. She is best known nationally for being syndicated across the United States on both ESPN Radio and ESPN2, from 1994 until 2001...
late in 1999. Also heard on the station at that time were three NFL games each Sunday, Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
, UNC Tar Heel
North Carolina Tar Heels
The North Carolina Tar Heels are the athletic teams for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to individuals from the state of North Carolina, the Tar Heel State...
football and basketball, some East Carolina University
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
games, other Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
and CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
college football, and the Charlotte Hornets.
When NextMedia Group
NextMedia Group
NextMedia Group is an out-of-home media company headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado. NextMedia owns and operates 33 AM and FM stations , 5,700 outdoor advertising display across several regions and markets , as well as an interactive division ....
bought the station in 2000, the WJYR letters were moved from 92.1 FM, and most of the station's programming was adult standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
from the Music of Your Life
Music of Your Life
Music of Your Life is a satellite-delivered radio network featuring the Adult Standards music format. Created by record executive and jingle writer Al Ham, and now under the direction of Marc Angell, Music of Your Life has more than 50 AM, FM and HD-2 radio station affiliates, and has been in...
network. Since few people listened (other stations played similar music), sports talk returned. In 2002, the call letters changed to WQJM. ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
aired 24 hours a day prior to August 2002 but remained on the station in the overnight hours and on weekends until February 2003; and talk radio
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
other than sports was part of the format. The station now serves as a "companion" to talk station WRNN-FM
WRNN-FM
WRNN-FM is a News/Talk radio station licensed to Socastee, South Carolina and serves the Grand Strand area. The NextMedia outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 99.5 MHz with an effective radiated power of 21.5 kW...
. Programming includes the morning show hosted by Dave Priest and Tara Servatius.
History of 1520 AM
Ham radioAmateur radio
Amateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
operators started WTGR, a 250-watt station at 1520 AM, in 1965. Tiger Radio became "the hallmark radio station" for Myrtle Beach, playing Top 40 and beach music
Beach music
Beach music, also known as Carolina beach music, is a regional genre which developed from various musical styles of the forties, fifties and sixties. These styles ranged from big band swing instrumentals to the more raucous sounds of blues/jump blues, jazz, doo-wop, boogie, rhythm and blues,...
. DJs included Billy Smith, Bill Hennecy, Big Al Irvin, Bill Connell, Bruce Miller, Steve Mims and J. Patrick Milan.
WTGR began a simulcast of WKZQ-FM
WKZQ-FM
WAVF is a commercial radio station located in Hanahan, South Carolina, broadcasting to the Charleston area on 101.7 FM. WAVF airs an adult hits music format branded as "Chuck FM." The WAVF call sign had been on the 96.1 FM frequency in Charleston since 1985.-WAVF history:WAVF signed on March 11,...
in the early 1980s and eventually became WKZQ-AM. On December 23, 1996, WKZQ-AM moved to 1450.
Banana Jack Murphy and Bob Scarborough of Waccamaw Media started TigerRadioOnline.com, an Internet radio station, in 2000, with jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
s and music from the former WTGR. This station stayed on the air until 2005, operating from Waccamaw Media studios on Wesley Street near what is now Freestyle Music Park.