WTBI
Encyclopedia
WTBI is a non-commercial
Religious station serving the Upstate, including Greenville
and Spartanburg
, as well as Anderson, South Carolina
. The station carries Southern Gospel
music and various preaching/teaching programs. Its current slogan is "The Bright Spot on Your Radio Dial."
WTBI-FM broadcasts 24 hours a day on 91.5 FM with an ERP
of 22.5 kW.
WTBI broadcasts as a daytime-only station on 1540 AM with an ERP
of 10 kW.
. An area exclusive, the station airs a mix of Southern Gospel
music and preaching from Fundamental, Independent Baptist
churches. Much of the preaching/teaching programming originates the Greenville area, notably the Greenville area
, Pickens County, and from various churches in the Appalachian Mountains
area. There are also programs produced from other parts of the United States
, normally churches affiliated with Tabernacle. Notable programs are the The Bright Spot Hour (which originated at WTBI) and The Gospel Hour. Its tower site is located at the campus of Tabernacle Ministries.
WTBI began broadcasting under Tabernacle's ownership on January 24, 1984, while Dr. Harold B. Sightler was overseeing the ministry. WTBI was the original Tabernacle radio station, and the FM part of the simulcast was added in early 1991. WTBI-FM simulcasts with daytime-only WTBI 1540 AM, which is located in (and primarily serves) Pickens County, South Carolina. WTBI is licensed to Pickens, South Carolina
.
area, as well as the Spartanburg
area (which was previously affected by interference from WSGE
in the Charlotte
area). With this increase, the purpose for WTBI-AM is virtually eliminated due to the stronger signal in to Pickens County, where the signal was once difficult to receive on 91.7.
simulcast on the frequency 91.5.1.
Non-commercial
Non-commercial refers to an activity or entity that does not in some sense involve commerce, at least relative to similar activities that do have a commercial objective or emphasis...
Religious station serving the Upstate, including Greenville
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 Spartanburg
Spartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
, as well as Anderson, South Carolina
Anderson, South Carolina
Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. The population was estimated at 26,242 in 2006, and the city was the center of an urbanized area of 70,530...
. The station carries Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
music and various preaching/teaching programs. Its current slogan is "The Bright Spot on Your Radio Dial."
WTBI-FM broadcasts 24 hours a day on 91.5 FM with an ERP
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
of 22.5 kW.
WTBI broadcasts as a daytime-only station on 1540 AM with an ERP
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
of 10 kW.
Station history
WTBI is owned by Tabernacle Baptist Church (Tabernacle Ministries) in Greenville, South CarolinaGreenville, 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...
. An area exclusive, the station airs a mix of Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
music and preaching from Fundamental, Independent Baptist
Independent Baptist
Independent Baptist churches are Christian churches generally holding to conservative Baptist beliefs. They are characterized by being independent from the authority of denominations or similar bodies. Members of such churches comprised three percent of the United States adult population according...
churches. Much of the preaching/teaching programming originates the Greenville area, notably the Greenville area
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...
, Pickens County, and from various churches in the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
area. There are also programs produced from other parts of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, normally churches affiliated with Tabernacle. Notable programs are the The Bright Spot Hour (which originated at WTBI) and The Gospel Hour. Its tower site is located at the campus of Tabernacle Ministries.
WTBI began broadcasting under Tabernacle's ownership on January 24, 1984, while Dr. Harold B. Sightler was overseeing the ministry. WTBI was the original Tabernacle radio station, and the FM part of the simulcast was added in early 1991. WTBI-FM simulcasts with daytime-only WTBI 1540 AM, which is located in (and primarily serves) Pickens County, South Carolina. WTBI is licensed to Pickens, South Carolina
Pickens, South Carolina
Pickens, formerly called Pickens Courthouse, is a city in Pickens County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,012 at the 2000 census, at which time it was listed as a town; the change to a city was made in 1998, but not reported to the Census Bureau until 2001. It is the county seat...
.
Change From 91.7 to 91.5
On December 13, 2007, WTBI-FM changed frequencies from 91.7 to 91.5 and increased its ERP from 3,700 watts to 22,500 watts. This allows for better coverage in the AndersonAnderson, South Carolina
Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. The population was estimated at 26,242 in 2006, and the city was the center of an urbanized area of 70,530...
area, as well as the Spartanburg
Spartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
area (which was previously affected by interference from WSGE
WSGE
WSGE operates at 91.7 FM and is a non-commercial, public radio station owned and managed by Gaston College, in Dallas, North Carolina. The station's studio is located in the Craig Arts & Sciences building...
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',...
area). With this increase, the purpose for WTBI-AM is virtually eliminated due to the stronger signal in to Pickens County, where the signal was once difficult to receive on 91.7.
HD Radio
Also on December 13, 2007 WTBI began an HD RadioHD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
simulcast on the frequency 91.5.1.
External links
- WTBI official website
- History of WTBI (WTBI-FM) (WTBI-FM) (WTBI-AM) (WTBI-AM)