W254AZ

W254AZ (98.7 FM) is an FM translator station licensed to serve Belmont, North Carolina. It rebroadcasts the HD2 subchannel of WRFX, which serves as the Charlotte affiliate of the Black Information Network. The station, which was launched in August 2014, is owned and operated by iHeartMedia.

WRFX HD2
W254AZ
CityBelmont, North Carolina
Broadcast areaCharlotte, North Carolina
Frequency98.7 MHz
(HD Radio via WRFX-HD2)
BrandingCharlotte's BIN 98.7
SloganBecause Truth Matters
Programming
FormatBlack-oriented news
AffiliationsBlack Information Network
Ownership
OwneriHeartMedia
(iHM Licenses, LLC)
WEND, WHQC, WKKT, WLKO
History
First air date
August 2014 (2014-08)
Technical information
Facility ID140562
ClassD
ERP180 watts
HAAT140 meters (460 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
35°11′33″N 80°53′14″W
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitecharlotte.binnews.com

History

In August 2014, W254AZ began broadcasting a sports talk format from WRFX's HD-2 channel. This station was an affiliate of Fox Sports Radio, and was also heard on iHeartRadio. Jeff Kent was program director. The programming included Andy Furman and Mike North in the morning drive, Dan Patrick in the late morning and Steve Gorman in the afternoon.[1]

On August 1, 2016, Martz Media Inc. began leasing the HD channel and translator, and flipped it to Spanish CHR as "Ke Buena 98.7".[2][3]

At 8:00 p.m. on October 31, 2017, iHeartMedia re-assumed control of the HD2 channel and translator, and replaced the Spanish CHR format with an all-Christmas music format, "Christmas 98.7."[4] On December 29, 2017, the station flipped to contemporary Christian as "UP! 98.7". "Christmas 98.7" would return to the station at the start of November for the 2018 and 2019 holiday seasons, with "UP! 98.7" returning after Christmas.

On June 29, 2020, fifteen iHeart stations in markets with large African American populations, including W254AZ/WRFX-HD2, began stunting with African American speeches, interspersed with messages such as "Our Voices Will Be Heard" and "Our side of the story is about to be told," with a new format slated to launch on June 30.[5][6] That day, W254AZ/WRFX-HD2, along with the other fourteen stations, became the launch stations for the Black Information Network, an African American-oriented all-news network.[7]

References
  1. Washburn, Mark (2014-08-13). "FM sports talk station to hit Charlotte". The Charlotte Observer. p. 10B.
  2. Venta, Lance (2016-06-30). "Ke Buena 98.7 Debuting in Charlotte". radioinsight. Retrieved 2016-07-01.
  3. "New Spanish FM replacing Fox sports talk".
  4. Venta, Lance (2017-11-01). "iHeart Brings Commercial Free Christmas To Charlotte". radioinsight. Retrieved 2017-11-01.
  5. Fifteen iHeartMedia Stations Stunting Ahead Of New Network Launch
  6. "Several iHeartMedia Stations Stunting With Speeches, New Format To Be Announced Tomorrow". All Access. June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  7. "iHeartMedia Debuts All-News BIN: Black Information Network". All Access. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
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