| City of license | Morehead City, North Carolina |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Greenville/New Bern Jacksonville |
| Branding | "96.3 Thunder Country" |
| Slogan | Country Music |
| Frequency | 96.3 (MHz) |
| Format | Country |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 150 meters |
| Class | C1 |
| Facility ID | 18296 |
| Former callsigns | WMBL-FM (1978-1981) WMBJ (1981-1986) |
| Former frequencies | 95.9 MHz (1970s-1980s) |
| Owner | Inner Banks Media |
| Sister stations | WNBU, WLGT, WTIB, WRHD |
| Website | thundercountryonline.com |
WRHT (also known as "Thunder Country") is a radio station, broadcasting with 100,000 watts that cover the Greenville/New Bern area with a country music format. WRHT is licensed to Morehead City. WRHT is owned and operated by Inner Banks Media, owned by Henry Hinton.
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WRHT started in the 1970s as WMBL-FM on 95.9 FM. For a time the station used to simulcast on WMBL-AM 740 with a MOR/Standards format. In 1981 WMBL-FM changed their calls to WMBJ as "J-96" and later 'Sunny 95.9'. In the mid 1980's, WMBJ moved to 96.3 and became "Sunny 96.3". In the late 1980s 96.3 changed calls to WRHT and became a CHR music station as '96.3 The Hot FM'.
In the early 2000s WRHT/WCBZ were known as "Hot 96 and 103-7".
In 2003, Archway Broadcasting Group, LLC, announced its acquisition of WRHT, WCBZ, and two other Greenville market stations--WNBR and WZBR--from Eastern North Carolina Broadcasting Company, Inc. for $6.5 million. Also that year, Archway bought WGPM and WCZI.[1]
In January 2004, WCBZ changed callsign to WRHD. That same year while under ownership of Archway Broadcasting, the station's studios moved to New Bern.
In September 2005, both stations became "The HOT FM" again as part of their 15th Anniversary.
Inner Banks Media LLC bought WRHT and WRHD as part of a cluster of stations from Archway for $4.5 million in March 2007.[2]
On April 25, 2007, HOT FM moved to the weaker frequencies of WWHA-FM 94.1 (formerly WNBR) in Oriental and WWNK-FM 94.3 (formerly WGPM) in Farmville. Both were the home of country "94 HANK-FM". The Country format moved to the stronger 96.3/103.7 frequencies and became now known as "Thunder Country".
On March 15, 2010, Thunder Country and WTIB-FM traded frequencies.
On April 5, 2010, Thunder Country added Big D and Bubba. The stations also air The Big Time with Whitney Allen.
On May 3, 2010 WRHD split from the "Thunder Country" simulcast and changed their format to hot adult contemporary, branded as "Star 94.3".
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