WBT-FM (99.3

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...

) is a commercial radio station licensed to Chester, South Carolina, that primarily serves the western region of the Charlotte metropolitan area. The station is owned by Urban One. The station's programming primarily consists of

simulcast Simulcast (a portmanteau of "simultaneous broadcast") is the broadcasting of programs or events across more than one resolution, bitrate or medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at exactly the same time (that is, simultaneously) ...

s of the

news/talk Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. They may feature monologues, dialogues between the hosts, interviews ...

radio format A radio format or programming format (not to be confused with broadcast programming) describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. The radio format emerged mainly in the United States in the 1950s, at a time when Radio broadcasting, ...

of WBT in Charlotte. WBT-FM was first licensed, as WCMJ, on December 1, 1969. It broadcasts on 99.3

with an

effective radiated power Effective radiated power (ERP), synonymous with equivalent radiated power, is an IEEE standardized definition of directional radio frequency (RF) power, such as that emitted by a radio transmitter. It is the total power in watts that would ha ...

(ERP) of 7,700 watts, using a tower nearly in

height above average terrain Height above average terrain (HAAT), or (less popularly) effective height above average terrain (EHAAT), is the vertical position of an antenna site above the surrounding landscape. HAAT is used extensively in FM radio and television, as it is ...

(HAAT). The transmitter is located southwest of Charlotte, off Armenia Road in Chester. The station is also authorized to broadcast using the digital

HD Radio HD Radio (HDR) is a trademark for in-band on-channel (IBOC) digital radio broadcast technology. HD radio generally simulcast, simulcasts an existing analog radio station in digital format with less noise and with additional text information. HD R ...

format. Studios are located at One Julian Price Place on West Morehead Street, just west of Uptown Charlotte, co-located with the city's CBS affiliate WBTV, which previously had common ownership.

History

Early years

The station first went on the air in on July 28, 1969, as WCMJ, owned by the York-Clover Broadcasting Company. From 1978 to 1993, the station used the call letters WDZK and was known on the air as "K99" playing a format that, today would be considered

adult top 40 The Adult Pop Airplay (formerly known as Adult Pop Songs and Adult Top 40) chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and ranks "the most popular adult top 40 as based on radio airplay detections measured by Nielsen Broadcast Data Syste ...

WBT simulcast

Despite its

clear-channel A clear-channel station is a North American AM broadcasting, AM radio station that has the highest level of protection from Interference (communication), interference from other stations, particularly from nighttime skywave signals. This classifi ...

status that allows it to reach most of the eastern half of North America at night, WBT (AM)'s nighttime signal is spotty at best in some parts of the Charlotte metropolitan area (particularly the western portion) because it operates with a directional antenna at night to avoid interfering with KFAB in

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

, which also operates on 1110 kHz. To improve its local nighttime coverage, in 1947 WBT began operating a synchronous booster transmitter, located in Shelby, however use of this booster ended in the early 1960s. In 1995, WBT's then-owner Jefferson-Pilot bought WBZK to provide a better signal to the western part of the market at night. At this time the call letters were changed to WBT-FM.Tim Funk and Blair Skinner, "Family Sells Off WBZK FM", ''The Charlotte Observer'', February 2, 1995. In 2012, WLNK added a simulcast of WBT on its HD subcarrier.

Sale to Entercom

On July 19, 2016, Greater Media announced that it would merge with Beasley Media Group. Because Beasley already had the maximum number of stations in the Charlotte market with five FM's and two AM's, WBT-AM-FM and WLNK were spun off to a divestiture trust, eventually going to a permanent buyer. On October 18, 2016, Entercom announced that it would purchase WBT AM/FM and WLNK, plus WFNZ. Upon the completion of the Greater/Beasley merger on November 1, Entercom began operating the stations via a time brokerage agreement, which lasted until the sale was consummated on January 6, 2017.

Sale to Urban One

On November 5, 2020, Urban One agreed to a station swap with Entercom in which they would swap ownership of four stations in Philadelphia, St. Louis and Washington D.C. to Entercom in exchange for their cluster of Charlotte stations, including WBT and WBT-FM. As part of the terms of the deal, Urban One took over operations via a

local marketing agreement In North American broadcasting, a local marketing agreement (LMA), or local management agreement, is a contract in which one corporation, company agrees to operate a radio station, radio or television station owned by another party. In essence, it ...

on November 23.Entercom To Swap Charlotte Stations To Radio One For WPHI, WTEM and St. Louis Duo
/ref> The swap was consummated on April 20, 2021.

Notes

References

External links

* * {{Carolina Panthers 1969 establishments in South Carolina News and talk radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1969 BT-FM Urban One stations Chester County, South Carolina