WFNL (AM)

WFNL
City Raleigh, North Carolina
Broadcast area Raleigh/Durham
Research Triangle
Branding Funny 570
Frequency 570 kHz
First air date 1962 (as WLLE)
Format Comedy
Power 1,000 watts day
40 watts night
Class D
Facility ID 61698
Transmitter coordinates 35°45′36″N 78°39′26″W / 35.76000°N 78.65722°W / 35.76000; -78.65722
Callsign meaning We're Fun N Laughs
Former callsigns WLLE (1962-1997)
WRDT (1997-1999)
WDTF (1999-2003)
WDNZ (2003-2006)
WDOX (2006-2010)
WQDR (2010-2012)
Owner Curtis Media Group
Sister stations WKIX-FM, WQDR-FM, WBBB, WWPL, WPTF, WPTK
Website funny570.com
Curtis Media Group Website

WFNL "Funny 570" is an all-comedy radio station serving the Triangle area of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina.[1] The station serves as the Triangle affiliate for the 24/7 Comedy radio network. Its studios are located in Raleigh, and the transmitter is co-located at the transmitter site of sister station WPTF in Cary.

History

WLLE ("Willie") could be heard as far away as Walkertown and Wallace-Rose Hill. Its DJs included Daddy O on the Radio, Big Bill Haywood, Brother James Thomas, Prince Ike Behind the Mike, Jimmy Johnson of JJ’s House Party, and Sweet Bob Rogers.[2] Ray "Dr. Jocko" Henderson, who later became well known in Detroit, was popular with both black and white listeners in the 1960s. He is credited with helping Raleigh get through difficult times during integration of the schools and the death of Martin Luther King Jr.[3] His style came from Douglas "Jocko" Henderson of Philadelphia and Durham's Dr. Jive of WSRC.[2]

Wallace LaCrosse Hankin bought WLLE in 1966.[4] WLLE became the station for Raleigh's black community, and it was the second most popular AM station.[5]

In the early 1990s, "Let's Talk", hosted by Frank Roberts, aired five nights each week and dealt with the problems of blacks.[5][6]

In 1997, WLLE was purchased by Mortenson Broadcasting of Kentucky, who changed its call letters to WRDT and began airing religious talk.[7] Two years later, the station was picked up by Curtis Media and the call letters were changed once again to WDTF, continuing on with the religious talk format and adding inspirational music to the mix.

In 2003, the station changed its format to current general talk and call letters to WDNZ to match its one-time simulcast partner, Durham-based WDNC. The station continued to air much of the same programs as WDNC, save for mornings and sports broadcasts featuring the Carolina Mudcats, even though both stations had aired Charlotte Bobcats games briefly. All that changed in late 2005 when WDNC broke off the simulcast to become an all-sports station with an entirely separate staff, LMAed by McClatchey Broadcasting, owners of WRBZ, 850 AM.

The general talk format continued on WDNZ after that point, with the calls changing to WDOX in September 2006. The call letters were a reference to its moniker "Home of the Docs", as it aired programming featuring Dr. Laura Schlessinger and Dr. Joy Browne. In addition, WDOX was also home to local and regional programming such as State Government Radio and Triangle In-Touch. On weekends, the station offered "Million Dollar Music", featuring musical favorites dating back to the 50's that were no longer played on most oldies formats. The music segments were hosted by longtime Triangle area radio personalities Pat Patterson and Maury O'Dell.[8]

In May 2010, the station changed its call letters to WQDR and its format to classic country to go along with sister station WQDR-FM, which plays contemporary and hit country music.[9] WQDR went off the air beginning April 16, 2011, when its transmitter off South Saunders Street near downtown Raleigh was badly damaged by a tornado.[10] Following numerous delays in securing a transmitter site, the station eventually returned to the airwaves on February 22, 2012, transmitting from one of the towers of sister station WPTF in Cary.[11] At that time, the station began to air an all-comedy format under the moniker "Funny 570", and its call letters were changed to WFNL.[12] The station once served as the Triangle affiliate for the 24/7 Comedy radio network, until it was discontinued by Premiere Radio Networks on August 3, 2014. From there, WFNL switched to the "Today's Comedy" network feed.[13]

WFNL will broadcast ECU Pirates football games and the weekly coaches show beginning with the 2015 season. The station takes over the package from sister station WPTK, which recently changed formats. The move comes ahead of another potential format change, mainly due to dismal ratings.[14]

References

  1. ↑ Venta, Lance (January 30, 2012). "Comedy Comes To Dallas, Raleigh & Phoenix". Radio Insight. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
  2. 1 2 Wiltgen, Erin (January 15, 2012). "Raleigh radio icon to be recognized at MLK celebration". The News of Orange County. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  3. ↑ Saunders, Barry (April 1, 2015). "Late disc jockey 'Dr. Jocko' spun the hits and helped keep the peace". News & Observer. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Death Notices", News & Observer, December 14, 2002.
  5. 1 2 Billy Warden, "Lending a Voice to Black Concerns", News & Observer, November 18, 1991.
  6. ↑ Mark Curnutte, "Never a Stranger to Controversy: Frank Roberts Welcomes Hot Topics on His Talk Show", News & Observer, August 30, 1992.
  7. ↑ David Menconi, "ZZU Gospel Format Right Outta the Can", News & Observer, October 27, 1997.
  8. ↑ "Pat Patterson rides again ...". Raleigh Metro Magazine. February 2006. Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  9. ↑ Baysden, Chris (May 10, 2010). "Curtis Media converts 570 AM to WQDR AM". Triangle Business Journal.
  10. ↑ Menconi, David (April 20, 2011). "Storm victims: WQDR, "Country Legends, 570-AM"". The News & Observer. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
  11. ↑ Menconi, David (August 31, 2011). "WQDR-AM will see you in November". The News & Observer. Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  12. ↑ Menconi, David (February 22, 2012). "Country Legends, 570-AM -- rest in peace". The News & Observer. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
  13. ↑ Venta, Lance (July 3, 2014). "24/7 Comedy to Cease Syndication; New Network to Launch". Radio Insight. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  14. ↑ Menconi, David (August 31, 2015). "850-AM drops news/talk for oldies music". The News & Observer. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
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