WKQC

WKQC is a CBS Radio adult contemporary radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina. The station goes by the name "K 104.7" with the slogan "Cool Songs."

The station receives exceptional interference from another 104.7 (WNOK) in Columbia, just 75 miles south. The Chester & Lancaster areas are affected the most with interference from both stations.

The station shares office, studio and production space and resources with fellow CBS owned WNKS-FM "Kiss 95.1" on South Boulevard in Charlotte.

History

In the 1970s, Charlotte had two beautiful music stations—WYFM and WBT-FM. By the mid-70s, WYFM was WEZC "EZ-104" and had a 100,000-watt signal. In September 1978, WBT-FM changed to rock and became WBCY, leaving WEZC as the city's only beautiful music station. In December 1982, even though the area had two other soft adult contemporary FM stations—WLVV "Love 97" and WZXI—WEZC changed to soft adult contemporary as well. The switch generated so many protests that WZXI moved to fill the gap.

During the 1980s, WEZC gradually evolved from soft adult contemporary to mainstream adult contemporary. The station's most famous personality was controversial morning host Chuck Boozer.

In 1989, WEZC completed its transition with a name change to WMXC "Mix 104.7", and the WEZC call letters were picked up by the former WHKY-FM, which moved in from Hickory at 102.9.^[1] The station originally wanted the calls WMIX, but at the last minute found out those calls were already being used by another station. In a somewhat controversial move, for a time it referred to itself on-air as WMIX, with an announcer whispering its true calls hurriedly during hourly legal IDs.

In 1994, with WLNK (formerly WBT-FM) and WLYT (formerly the "new" WEZC) competing, WMXC became WSSS "Star 104.7", playing "Super Sounds of the Seventies". 80s music was added later ^[2] and the station later went all-80s. Classic hits was also tried. But even though format changes generated brief ratings improvement, nothing worked until the station returned to adult contemporary music, with an emphasis on older songs. The switch to the current name and call letters came after the station played just Christmas music beginning on Halloween and continuing all through the 2004 holiday season.

Operations Manager John Reynolds, Market Manager Bill Schoening and AC Programming Conusltant Gary Berkowitz designed the re-birth of the station. Plans were to rename the station "Cool 104.7". However, on December 23, just three days before the new format was scheduled to debut, CBS Radio's legal department notified the station that the word "Cool", when used as a noun, had been copyrighted by Clear Channel Communications. A $10,000 jingle package had to be scrapped and Program Director Tom Jeffries and PM Drive host T. Edward Bensen spent Christmas Day re-imaging the station with the quickly revised name of "K 104.7" so the debut could occur as scheduled the next morning.

In January 2007, Tom Jeffries, a former Boston-area programming legend who had been Program Director and Morning Host since the station's flip in 2004, resigned to go into semi-retirement. In April 2007, the station picked up local TV meteorologist Derek James as the new morning host, while promoting Scarlet C. to Asst. Program Director and T. Edward Bensen to Music Director. The station abruptly eliminated its entire on-air staff in October 2008, with the only exception being Holly Haze from 7pm-12am weekdays. Production Director Rick Scaffe, Promotions Director Leah Galloway, plus WNKS Promotions Director Natalie Kirby and long time WSOC-FM newsman Frank Lassiter were also cut at the same time in what was called a cost-cutting move.

The station hired Charlotte radio veteran Jon Robinson to do mornings from 6am-12pm a few months later. On November 18, 2009 his name was abruptly removed from the station website, with no report as to why he was terminated. Later, Robinson revealed that he'd been arrested at the end of his shift one day in October for violating a protective order, and that he and station officials agreed to part ways at the end of his contract so he could focus on recovering from a long term substance abuse problem.^[3] By 2010, the station had hired an all-new air staff.

WKQC calls itself "Christmas K-104.7" when it shifts to its all-Christmas format. The station also uses holiday-themed jingles. Initially, it airs the all-Christmas format only on weekends leading up to Thanksgiving, with a mix of regular and Christmas songs on the weekdays. On the week of Thanksgiving, the all-Christmas format runs on a full-time basis, as of Christmas 2008. The station bills itself as the Carolinas' radio home for the holidays, a title that Lite 102.9 once held exclusively until 2004, when both stations started going head-to-head.

WKQC also claims to be Charlotte's first eco-friendly station that boasts a promotions fleet of gas saving and flex fuel vehicles. K 104.7 switched their logo to "Be Cool, Go Green" and promotes a 'green' lifestyle by providing tips and partnering with local community campaigns in the Charlotte area.

On-Air Lineup

• 6:00AM–12:00PM Jo Jo Morales
• 12:00PM–6:00PM Brandon Chase
• 6:00PM–6:00AM Kate Hall

References

External links

• k1047.com
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WKQC
• Radio-Locator information on WKQC
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for WKQC