WSOC-FM

WSOC-FM (103.7 FM) is a country radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina. The station is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group. Its primary competitor in the country format is 96.9 The Kat. The studios are located on South Boulevard in Charlotte's South End and a transmitter is located in East Charlotte near Reedy Creek Park.

Although WSOC shares its call sign with the city's ABC affiliate WSOC-TV (Channel 9), the TV station is owned by Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises.

History

1970s

WSOC-FM became a country radio station in 1971.

Don Bell worked at WSOC-FM from 1975 to 1987, hiring many of the station's most popular announcers, and working on the air as well. He played a major role in making WSOC one of Charlotte's top radio stations. Before moving to Charlotte, Bell worked at KFRE and KMJ in Fresno, California and WIOD in Miami, Florida.

In 1977, despite a consultant's view that Country would never be a viable FM format, Bell moved forward with his plans to take WSOC off an automated system and go live from morning to night. Longtime veteran John Harper was replaced with morning show host Bob Call. Call, who thought he was auditioning for a spot on WSOC's AM station, decided to take the job even though he had no knowledge, and at that time, appreciation for country music. Bill Ellis, who started at WSOC as a copywriter in 1975, was given helicopter traffic duties and served as the station's mid-day announcer.