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WXQR 105.5 is eastern North Carolina's oldest rock radio station. Originally based in Jacksonville, North Carolina, the station is now headquartered in New Bern. Having been broadcasting for over 40 years, "The Rock" is the "original rock station" for the Carolina Coast.
WXQR was known as "the Rock and Roll Animal" from the 70's until about 1994, when it was sold to H-V-S partners out of Wilmington. The station was owned by Sidney Popkin, a member of one of the most prominent families in Jacksonville. The station was headquartered for many years (in the 80's and 90's) on New Bridge Street near downtown Jacksonville in what was once the "Iwo Jima" theater. The station was a favorite among young marines for decades and was the place where many of them heard their favorite rock bands for the first time. Whether it was Boston, REO Speedwagon, and Foreigner in the 70's or U2, REM, or the hair bands of the 80's, if you heard it, you heard it first on WXQR. The station operated on 3,000 watts of power which put them at a competitive disadvantage against its main competition in the 80's, Z-103 out of Newport, but WXQR had a solid, loyal following. When Z-103 switched to a soft rock format in the early 90's (as classy 103), WXQR's main competition became WSFL out of New Bern. WXQR was never competitive with WSFL until its broadcasting power was increased in the mid 90's.
H-V-S partners sold WXQR to Cumulus in the 90's and the station transitioned to its current owner NextMedia in the early part of the 21st century.
One of the most enduring personalities in the history of the station was Kris Kelly (real name: Linwood David Stalls, Jr.), who served as program director of the station from the mid 70's to the mid 90's. Morning host Bob McLean had an especially long tenure as he held his position from approximately 1976 until 1993.
The station still has a rock format which makes it one of the oldest rock (AOR) stations in the country still operating.
