WHQC: Difference between revisions

|{{Radio Relay|98.3|W252BU|[[Dallas, North Carolina|Dallas]]|HD3}}

| format = Gold-leaning [[Contemporary hit radio|Top 40 (CHR)]]

|HD2: [[Air1]] ([[Contemporary worship music]])

| coordinates = {{coord|35|21|44.5|N|81|099|1918.3|W|type:landmark_region:US-NC|display=inline}}

| callsign_meaning = '''W'''"Hits '''H'''itsQueen '''Q'''ueen '''C'''ityCity"<ref name="co110916"/>

| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WOHS-FM (1948-19781948–1978)<br />|WXIK (1978-19871978–1987)<ref name="bc79"/><br />|WWMG (1987-20041987–2004)<br />|WIBT (2004-20112004–2011)<ref name="fcc1"/>}}

| affiliations = [[Premiere Networks]]

| webcast = [https://www.iheart.com/live/{{iHeartRadio|hits-961-1601/ Listen Live]}}

| website = [{{URL|https://hits961.iheart.com/ hits961.iheart.com] }}

'''WHQC''' (96.1 [[FM broadcasting|FM]], "''Hits 96.1''") is an American [[Radio broadcasting|radio station]] in [[Charlotte, North Carolina]]. [[City of license|Licensed]] to serve the city of [[Shelby, North Carolina]], it is owned by [[iHeartMedia]]. WHQC broadcasts a gold-based [[Contemporary hit radio|Top 40 (CHR)]] [[radio format|format]] branded as "''Hits 96.1''.". Its [[transmitter]] is located in [[Dallas, North Carolina]], and its studios are located along with the rest of iHeartMedia's Charlotte stations in the Wood Ridge Center office complex off Billy Graham Parkway in south Charlotte. WHQC's primary competitor is [[WNKS]], owned by [[Beasley Broadcast Group]].

WHQC is licensed to broadcast in the [[HD Radio]] format.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Station Search Details |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/sta_det.pl?Facility_id=74194 |titlewebsite=Station Search Detailslicensing.fcc.gov}}</ref> '''HD-1'''The HD1 channel is a [[simulcast]] of the analog "All the Hits" broadcast signalprogramming, while '''HD-2'''the HD2 signalchannel is known as "[[Air1]]" which programs Contemporary[[contemporary Worshipworship music]] on W262BM 100.3 FM<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hdradio.com/stations/North+Carolina-NC/Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock+Hill-14 |title=ArchivedHD Radio &#124; Stations &#124; More Music. More Stations. More Features. Digital Sound. No copySubscription |access-date=October 8, 2014-10-08 |archive-date=2012-05-May 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523141640/http://www.hdradio.com/stations/North+Carolina-NC/Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock+Hill-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the '''HD-3'''HD3 signalchannel airs a Contemporary[[contemporary Christian]] format called "HIS Radio".

The station was established in 1948 as '''WOHS-FM''', which complemented its AM [[sister station]] [[WZGV|WOHS]] out of [[Shelby, North Carolina]]. In 1978, the station increased its signal power to cover the far western portion of [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]] and expanded its coverage as '''WXIK''',<ref name="bc79"/> adopting a [[Top 40]] format as "K-96" that was heavy on "deep cut" rock hits. Air staff at WXIK included longtime PD/MD Jeffrey Owens, longtime Shelby personality Andy Foster, Vince Goolio, J. Worthington Smith, Eddie Bridges, Dawne Conrad, Don Richards, Rusty Price, Kent Dorsey, Scott Miller, Jeff Champion, and Bob Davis. On February 27, 1987, at 5:30&nbsp;a.m., the station boosted its signal again to a full 100,000 [[watt]]s, allowing it to cover the entire Charlotte area. At the same time, the station adopted a gold-based [[Adult contemporary music|adult contemporary]] format under new call letters, '''WWMG''' ("''Magic 96''").<ref>{{Cite web |title=RR-1987-03-13 |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1987/RR-1987-03-13.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|access-date=MarchJanuary 202228, 2024 |website=americanradiohistory.com}}</ref> By early 1989, the station flipped to [[oldies]].

Even though the oldies format remained successful for nearly two decades, its later years deemed less successful. At Midnight on September 1, 2004, after playing "[[American Pie (song)|American Pie]]" by [[Don McLean]], WWMG began stunting. At 3 p.m. the following day, WWMG flipped to Rhythmic Top 40, branded as "''96.1 The Beat''." The '''WIBT''' calls were chosen shortly afterwards, even though it created confusion between it and Charlotte station [[WBT (AM)|WBT]], which also has a spot on the FM dial as well.

Despite the controversy that ensued, WIBT became a success story when it went to #1 in the Fall 2004 Arbitron ratings. As a Rhythmic Top 40 formatted station, WIBT was in competition with long-time [[urban contemporary|Urban]] heritage station [[WPEG]] and Pop station [[WNKS]]. Although its music tended to favor [[Hip hop music|hip hop]], WIBT played pop and dance crossovers that were hits. In early September 2010, WIBT segued into a mainstream [[contemporary hit radio|CHR]] format, going head-to-head with WNKS with the positioner "All The Hits.". On December 10, 2010, after the station saw its ratings slip from 5.8 in Arbitron's September PPM to a 4.1 in November's PPM ratings report, WIBT rebranded as "''Channel 96-1''", retaining the "All The Hits" positioner. On August 31, 2011, WIBT changed their call letters to '''WHQC'''.<ref>[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/28682/96-1-the-beat-charlotte-nc-is-now-channel-96-1/ 96.1 the Beat is Now Channel 96.1]</ref>

Christopher "Brotha Fred" Frederick's last night co-hosting ''[[The Edge (Fox News TV program)|Fox News Edge]]'' on [[WCCB]] was December 16, 2010. The next day, WIBT announced that Frederick, the station's morning co-host since June 2006, would begin originating the show from [[Chicago]] on January 3, 2011. Joining Frederick would be David L, who was already part of the WIBT show, and Angi Taylor of Chicago. Frederick's "AM Mayhem" would also be heard on Chicago's [[WKSC-FM]] as well as [[WMKS]] in [[High Point, North Carolina|High Point]] and [[WKXJ]] in [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]].<ref name="co101217"/><ref name="kiss1"/><ref name="kiss2"/>

On December 16, 2011, it was announced that longtime Charlotte morning radio hosts [[The Ace & TJ Show|Ace & TJ]] would be replacing Fred, beginning January 5, 2012.<ref name="co111216"/> Ace & TJ left the station in July 2021, and moved back to their former station WNKS in July 2022 in a mid-morning timeslot.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://kiss951.com/2022/07/13/ace-and-tj-are-returning-to-kiss-95-1/?adlt=strict&toWww=1&redig=B1DB2F062A864A09A888AE0ECCCD9BD5 | title=Ace and TJ Are Returning to Kiss 95.1 | date=July 13, 2022 }}</ref>

Brooke Morrison joined the ''Channel 96-1'' team for afternoons on March 26, 2018, after being the producer for Nina Chantele on [[KRRL]] in [[Los Angeles]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/174581/brooke-morrison-to-handle-afternoons-on-whqc-chann|title=Brooke Morrison To Handle Afternoons On WHQC (Channel 96-1)/Charlotte|work=All Access|access-date=2018-06-June 26, 2018|language=en}}</ref>

On January 4, 2019, WHQC rebranded as "''Hits 96.1''".<ref>[{{Cite web |title=Channel 96.1 Charlotte Revamps as Hits 96 |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/173412/channel-96-1-charlotte-revamps-as-hits-96-1/ |access-date=January Channel28, 96.12024 Charlotte Revamps as Hits 96.1]|website=Radioinsight}}</ref>

<ref name="kiss1">{{cite web |url=http://www.kisschattanooga.com/pages/brothafred.html |title=103.7 KISS FM - Chattanooga's Hit Music Now |access-date=February 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713153536/http://www.kisschattanooga.com/pages/brothafred.html |archive-date=July 13, 2011 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

*[https://hits961.iheart.com/ Hits 96.1 Online]{{FM station data|74194|WHQC}}