WPTI

WPTI
City of license Eden, North Carolina
Broadcast area Piedmont Triad
Branding Rush Radio 94.5
Frequency 94.5 MHz
Format Talk radio
Power 100,000 watts
HAAT 299 meters
Class C1
Facility ID 55754
Callsign meaning WPiedmont Triad International (name of the airport)
Former callsigns WLOE-FM (?-?)
WEAF (?-?)
WSRQ (?-1984)
WWWI (1984-1986)
WKLM (1986-?)
WWMY (?-1991)
WMKG (1991-1992)
WNEU (1992-1994)
WXRA (1994-2001)
WWCC (2001-2003)
WGBT (2003-)
Owner Clear Channel Communications
Sister stations WMAG, WMKS, WTQR, WVBZ
Webcast Listen Live
Website rushradio945.com

WPTI (94.5 FM, "Rush Radio 94.5"), is an talk radio station serving the Piedmont Triad area of the United States, covering the Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point metropolitan area. The Clear Channel Communications station's community of license is Eden, North Carolina. Its transmitter is located in Madison, North Carolina.

WPTI carries Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Jason Lewis, The Schnitt Show and Coast to Coast AM, along with the morning show from co-owned WRDU in Raleigh, and other programming.[1]

Contents

History

The station was WLOE-FM, WEAF and then WSRQ in Eden, North Carolina. In 1984 the station increased power to 100,000 watts and became a country music station called WWWI "I-95". Later the name was changed to "I-94.5". In 1986 the letters were switched to WKLM when the station became beautiful music[2] "Classy 94.5". Later, when the station had moved to Greensboro, the name changed to WWMY "My 94.5", though the format remained the same.[3] WWMY switched to MOR in 1990, later changing to the new call letters WMKG and the name "Magic Lite" when WMAG began providing the station's programming. In 1992, WMKG became WNEU "New Country 94.5", later changing its name to "Cat Country".[4][5]

In 1994, the station became WXRA "94.5 the Rock Alternative", playing modern rock.[6] Later in the 90s, the station began playing a mix of old and new rock and called itself "the rock station". Around New Year's Day 2001 WXRA became WWCC, a classic-leaning country music station, but the ratings weren't there and in 2003 WWCC became WGBT and flipped to a Rhythmic Top 40 format.

On Thursday, February 16, 2006, WGBT switched to an all-Spanish language format, La Preciosa,[7] playing music from the 70s, 80s and 90s. As such, WGBT became The Triad's first FM Spanish-language radio station (the 2nd in North Carolina). This made the fourth distinctly different radio format in five years to be broadcast on the 94.5 frequency in the Greensboro market.

WPTI today

Curtis Media Group announced that its WSJS/WSML news talk simulcast would no longer carry The Rush Limbaugh Show after December 31, 2009.[1][8] On December 31, 2009, WGBT became a talk station known as "Rush Radio 94.5" under new calls WPTI. The station stunted with weekend-long continuous replays of The Rush Limbaugh Week in Review through New Year's weekend (much as WRNO did in April 2008). The Glenn Beck Program and a local show called the Morning Rush hosted by Bill Flynn and Pamela Furr debuted January 4.[9]

On July 26, 2010, Sean Hannity moved to WPTI.

In November 2010, the station canceled The Morning Rush with Flynn and Pamela Furr. After Christmas of 2010, Dmitri Vassilaros began hosting the morning show.[10] In 2011, WPTI replaced Vassilaros with K.C. O'Dea and Carmen Conners of WRDU, and moved The Schnitt Show from 6 P.M. to 9 P.M., putting Jason Lewis in the 6 P.M. slot.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b Rush Radio 94.5 http://www.rushradio945.com
  2. ^ Jeff Borden, "The Readers Write: "'Beautiful Music' Listeners Find Ways to Fill Void After WZXI Format Switch," The Charlotte Observer, April 14, 1986.
  3. ^ Bradley Johnson, "Aiming for an Audience," Greensboro News & Record, July 20, 1987.
  4. ^ Sutter, Mark (1991-08-16). "Triad Radio Stations Plan Marketing Staff Mergers". Greensboro News & Record. 
  5. ^ Johnson, Maria C. (1993-05-20). "Radio Stations Fighting for Fans". Greensboro News & Record. 
  6. ^ Folk, Mark (1994-09-23). "Ex-Country Station Ready to Rock 'N' Roll". Greensboro News & Record. 
  7. ^ "94.5 FM Becomes La Preciosa". WXII12. http://www.wxii12.com/news/7113120/detail.html. Retrieved 2007-10-24. 
  8. ^ "Conservative Talkers Moving To FM In Triad". wxii.com. 2009-11-02. http://www.wxii12.com/news/21499776/detail.html. Retrieved 2009-11-03. 
  9. ^ Rowe, Jeri (2010-01-07). "Radio host shifts to the right with a new station". News & Record. http://www.news-record.com/content/2010/01/07/article/radio_host_shifts_to_the_right_with_a_new_station. Retrieved 2010-01-21. 
  10. ^ "Rush Radio Hires New Morning Show Host". WGHP. 2010-12-10. http://www.myfox8.com/news/wghp-story-rush-radio-host-101210,0,7694200.story. Retrieved 2011-01-25. 
  11. ^ "Ask SAM: Straight Answers". Winston-Salem Journal. 2011-09-01. http://www2.journalnow.com/lifestyles/2011/sep/01/1/wsmain02-ask-sam-straight-answers-ar-1348942/. Retrieved 2011-09-02. 

External links