WNOB

WNOB is an adult hits formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Chesapeake, Virginia, serving Hampton Roads and Northeastern North Carolina. WNOB is owned and operated by Sinclair Telecable, Inc.[2]

WNOB
CityChesapeake, Virginia
Broadcast areaHampton Roads
Northeastern North Carolina
Frequency93.7 MHz
Branding93-7 Bob FM
SloganWe Play Anything
Programming
FormatAdult hits
Ownership
OwnerSinclair Telecable, Inc.
(Commonwealth Radio, LLC.)
WNIS, WROX-FM, WTAR, WUSH, WUSH-HD2
History
First air date
November 30, 1973 (as WMYK)
Former call signs
WMYK (1973-1991)
WKOC (1991-2003)
WKCK (2003-2004)
WPYA (2004-2009)[1]
Call sign meaning
W (K)NOB, as in "turn your knob to Bob"
(Alternate meaning possibly Norfolk Operations Base)
former name for Naval Station Norfolk
Technical information
Facility ID73184
ClassC1
Power100,000 watts
HAAT295 meters (968 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
36°32′55.0″N 76°11′16.0″W
Links
WebcastWNOB Webstream
WebsiteWNOB Online

WNOB's studios are located on Waterside Drive in Norfolk, while its transmitter is located on Route 168 in Moyock, North Carolina, just south of the Virginia/North Carolina state line.

History

The station started in 1973 as AOR/Top 40 station WMYK "K94", and would later shift to a new wave/"Rock of the 80s" format in 1982.[3][4]

WNOB on a SPARC HD Radio with RDS.

In 1984, WMYK became "K-94 The Rhythm of the City" with an Urban Contemporary/Rhythmic CHR format.[5] From 1988 to 1990 WMYK was known as "Power 94".

At 3 p.m. on June 21, 1991, 93.7 switched to an Adult Album Alternative format branded as "93.7 The Coast" with call letters WKOC.[6][7] (At the same time as the format switch, the WMYK calls and urban format moved to 92.1 FM.) WKOC simulcasted on 94.1 WKOD from 1991-1992[8] and 106.1 WEXM from 2001-2004.[9] WKOC added Howard Stern in October 1995.[10][11]

In May 1996, Sinclair Communications purchased the station, as well as WTAR, for $8 million. At the time, Bob Sinclair was feuding with Tidewater Communications (owners of WNOR/WAFX) due to the fact that WNOR attempted to block Sinclair from installing a second transmitter on WROX. Perry Stone, program director of both WROX and WKOC, issued an on-air ultimatum that WNOR must pay Sinclair $1 million by the following Wednesday, or they would change the WKOC's format to rival WNOR. On the other hand, if WNOR paid, Sinclair would convert WKOC to Country music. WNOR did not acknowledge this and thus on May 29, 1996, WKOC would briefly become "K94" again with a hard rock format, but would switch back to "The Coast" and adult album alternative music on September 19, 1996.[12][13][14][15]

On December 3, 2003, just after 4 p.m., after playing "Otherside" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, WKOC announced it would fill the hole left behind by WCMS's flip to rock the previous month by flipping to "93.7 Kick FM", and began stunting with a loop of "Gone Country" by Alan Jackson. Two days later, the station officially completed its flip to country.[16][17][18][19] On December 11, 2003, WKOC changed call letters to WKCK-FM to match the "Kick" branding.

On March 7, 2004, simulcast partner WEXM broke from the simulcast and switched to Adult Hits as "106.1 Bob FM".[20][21] (WEXM changed call letters to WPYA a week earlier on February 27.)

At Midnight on September 23, 2004, WKCK and WPYA swapped formats, with 93.7 adopting the "Bob FM" format and 106.1 became "Kick 106".[22] On September 17, 2009, WPYA changed call letters to the current WNOB.

References
  1. Staff, FCC Internet Services. "Call Sign History". licensing.fcc.gov.
  2. "WNOB Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. "VARTV.com - Hampton Roads". hamptonroads.vartv.com.
  4. Skip Shervington (27 February 2010). "K94 Clips WMYK FM 1983" – via YouTube.
  5. http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1986/B-Radio-NE-to-Ter-B-Radio-All-BC-YB-1986.pdf
  6. http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1991/RR-1991-06-28.pdf
  7. Ellis Feaster (1 October 2017). "WMYK K94 Norfolk - Final Hour of Urban Format - 1991" – via YouTube.
  8. https://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-19920919-1992-09-19-9209190130-story.html
  9. http://www.tophour.com/audio/Norfolk-Virginia%20Beach%20VA/fm0937_2003-08_wkoc_dbaines.mp3
  10. "Vox Jox". Billboard. 107 (41): 79. Oct 14, 1995.
  11. "Stern loses FM in Chicago; moves to AM. (Howard Stern, Chicago, Illinois)". 9 October 1995. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  12. "WKOC-FM NOW BACK TO CLASSIC AND NEW ROCK.(LOCAL)". 30 May 1996. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  13. Press, SAM MCDONALD Daily. "PURCHASE ROCKS RADIO MARKET MOGUL SHARES VIEWS ON STYLE, BUSINESS".
  14. Press, DAVID NICHOLSON Daily. "WKOC-FM BUY INTENSIFIES AIRWAVE BATTLE".
  15. "THE COAST IS COMING BACK.(DAILY BREAK)". 12 September 1996. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  16. "THE COAST RADIO STATION SWITCHES TO COUNTRY MUSIC.(BUSINESS)". 4 December 2003. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  17. "93.7 The Coast WKOC Begins Stunting - Format Change Archive". 3 December 2003.
  18. "93.7 Kick-FM Debuts - Format Change Archive". 5 December 2003.
  19. "THE YEAR IN LOCAL BROADCASTING: RADIO FLIP-FLOPPED A LOT.(DAILY BREAK)". 27 December 2003. Archived from the original on 3 May 2016. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  20. "BOB FM AIMS TO PLEASE WITH NEW TAKE ON ADULT ALTERNATIVE OFFERINGS ON DIAL.(LOCAL)". 10 March 2004. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  21. "106.1 Bob-FM Debuts - Format Change Archive". 7 March 2004.
  22. "WHERE'S BOB GOING NOW? FM STATION IS MOVING UP.(LOCAL)". 15 September 2004. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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