Product Code Database
WKQC (104.7 FM broadcasting) is a commercial radio radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is owned by the Beasley Broadcast Group and airs a gold-based, 1980s-centric adult contemporary radio format. For most of November and December, it switches to all-Christmas music. WKQC's radio studio are located on South Boulevard in Charlotte.
WKQC has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 , the maximum for most FM stations in the U.S. The transmitter site is in East Charlotte, off Hood Road. It broadcasts in the HD Radio format. The HD2 digital subchannel carries sports radio programming from the Fox Sports Radio Network. The HD3 digital subchannel carries all-podcasts as "Podcast Radio US".
The station receives co-channel interference from WNOK in Columbia, South Carolina, just 75 miles south of Charlotte. The Chester and Lancaster, South Carolina areas are affected the most with interference from both stations. Both WKQC and WNOK use directional antennas. Despite this, the stations' overlap causes listener problems in areas of Northern South Carolina, and closer to Charlotte on some summer days when tropospheric interference is strong.
In September 1978, easy listening rival WLNK changed to album rock and became WBCY, leaving WEZC as the city's only beautiful music station. The easy format continued for 14 years, although over time, more vocals were added to the playlist and many instrumental songs were deleted.
In March 1989, WEZC completed its transition with a name and call letter change to WMXC, "Mix 104.7", and the WEZC call letters were picked up by WLKO at 102.9.Jeff Borden, "WEZC Has New Format, Call Letters; New Playlist Aims at Both Sexes", The Charlotte Observer, March 21, 1989. The station originally wanted the call sign WMIX, but at the last minute found out those calls were already being used by a pair of stations in Mount Vernon, Illinois: WMIX AM and WMIX-FM. Furthermore, in a somewhat controversial move, for a time it referred to itself on-air as WMIX, with an announcer whispering its true calls hurriedly during hourly legal station identification. However, the use of WMIX as a brand was short-lived, as the owners of the WMIX stations in Mount Vernon, Withers Broadcasting, registered the "WMIX" branding as a registered trademark. WMXC would gain a sister station in 1992, when Cox Broadcasting sold WSOC-FM to EZ.
In January 2000, WSSS added 1980s music to the playlist.Bill Keveney, "Star 104.7 Tweaks Its '70s Format", The Charlotte Observer, January 25, 2000. The station later went all-1980s. WSSS shifted back to classic hits in 2002. But even though format changes generated brief ratings improvement, nothing worked until the station returned to adult contemporary music, with an emphasis on older songs. The switch to the current format came after stunting with Christmas music beginning on Halloween and continuing all through the 2003 holiday season.
Infinity changed its name to CBS Radio in December 2005 as part of the spin-off of CBS' motion picture and cable television assets under a relaunched Viacom.
WKQC also claims to be Charlotte's first eco-friendly station that boasts a promotions fleet of gas saving and flex fuel vehicles. To further promote this, WKQC changed their slogan for a time to "Be Cool, Go Green" and promotes a 'green' lifestyle by providing tips and partnering with local community campaigns in the Charlotte area.
The station abruptly eliminated its entire on-air staff in October 2008, with the only exception being Holly Haze from 7p.m.-midnight weekdays. Production Director Rick Scaffe and Promotions Director Leah Galloway, as well as sister WNKS Promotions Director Natalie Kirby and long time WSOC-FM newsman Frank Lassiter were also cut at the same time in what was called a cost-cutting move.
The station hired Charlotte radio veteran Jon Robinson to do mornings from 6am-12pm a few months later. On November 18, 2009, his name was abruptly removed from the station website, with no report as to why he was terminated. Later, Robinson revealed that he'd been arrested at the end of his shift one day in October for violating a protective order, and that he and station officials agreed to part ways at the end of his contract so he could focus on recovering from a long term substance abuse problem. Former Media Star Reveals Dark Life, Charlotte Observer, December 20, 2009 By 2010, the station had hired an all-new air staff. In January 2012, WKQC changed its slogan from Charlotte's Cool Music Station to More Music, Better Variety.
As of 2021, WKQC's playlist is largely focused on uptempo music from the 1970s and 1980s, contrary to many mainstream adult contemporary stations in the United States. The station plays songs traditionally not played on the format, including from the classic rock and yacht rock genres. The station's on-air imaging refers to the 1980s as the station's decade of focus, and avoids most "current" or "recurrent" adult contemporary songs. As radio programmer Sean Ross wrote for industry trade publication RadioInsight, "WKQC has been able to double as the Classic Hits station for the market for 20 years ... The positioning of ("More Hits, Better Variety") is AC. There was still a recurrent and two '00s songs in the hour I heard, but K104.7 essentially shares Classic Hits with Adult Hits WLKO." In a 2023 interview, program director and midday DJ Jack Daniel said, "We're kind of an adult contemporary/classic hits station. Our station is not trying to make hits, we're just playing the hits."
On May 17, 2021, WKQC became the new flagship of The Bob and Sheri Show, which was dropped by WLNK the previous month. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the pair have been broadcasting the show from home, but Beasley is expected to move the show, owned by Now! Media, to its studios. Incumbent morning hosts Phil Harris and Melany Myers moved to afternoons, Jack Daniel moved from afternoons to middays, and Myers dropped her midday host duties.
In May 2024, Harris and Myers were let go, and were replaced by Ace & TJ.
In recent years, WKQC has flipped to all-Christmas music a week or two leading up to Thanksgiving.
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