WQOK

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WQOK
WQOK-FM 2009.PNG
City of license Carrboro, North Carolina
Broadcast area Raleigh/Durham
Research Triangle
Branding "K97.5"
Slogan "Hip Hop & R&B"
Frequency 97.5 MHz
First air date 1968
Format Mainstream Urban
ERP 50,000 watts
HAAT 146 meters
Class C2
Facility ID 69559
Transmitter coordinates 35°58′39″N 78°48′58″W / 35.97750°N 78.81611°W / 35.97750; -78.81611
Affiliations Russ Parr Morning Show
Owner Radio One
Sister stations WFXC, WFXK, WNNL
Webcast Listen Live
Website hiphopnc.com

WQOK is a Urban Contemporary formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Carrboro, North Carolina, serving the Raleigh/Durham area. WQOK is owned and operated by Radio One.

History[edit source | edit]

97.5 FM signed on the air in 1968 as a small market 3000 watt FM station serving South Boston, Virginia. In 1987, Radio entrepreneur Tom Joyner purchased the station and moved the transmitter tower closer to Raleigh and upgraded its licensed power from 3000 watts to 100,000 watts, though keeping the city of license in South Boston. The new tower and coverage area would maintain a "city grade" signal over South Boston as required by the FCC, but also put a strong signal to the Triangle as well. Closing down the original South Boston facilities, the station later signed on from brand new studios in Raleigh under its current calls, and by Winter 1991 claimed the number one spot in the ratings.[1]

Joyner later sold the station to Ragan Henry Broadcasting, who was eventually purchased by Clear Channel.[citation needed] In 2000, as a result of the Clear Channel/AMFM merger, WQOK was sold to current owner Radio One.[2]

In September 2009, WQOK moved its city of license to Carrboro, decreased from Class C1 to C2, and built a new tower near Durham. This eliminated all coverage of Virginia, though it will reduce a short-spacing issue with Charlottesville's WWWV.[citation needed] The station's new tower is shared with WFXC.[3]

WQOK is home to the Russ Parr Morning Show.

References[edit source | edit]

  1. ^ Bob Langford, "AM stations, WQOK-FM make big gains," The News & Observer, May 4, 1991.
  2. ^ "Clear Channel to sell 4 Triangle stations". Triangle Business Journal. 2000-03-13. Retrieved 2011-11-03. 
  3. ^ http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getattachment_exh.cgi?exhibit_id=750311&formid=301&q_num=5310[dead link]

External links[edit source | edit]