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'''WRAL''' (101.5 [[FM broadcasting|FM]], "Mix 101.5") is an [[Adult Contemporary]] music formatted [[radio station]] based in [[Raleigh, North Carolina]]. Its studios are located in downtown Raleigh along with [[WCMC-FM]], a [[sports talk]] station that signed on in October 2005. Both stations are owned and operated by [[Capitol Broadcasting Company]], which also owns [[WRAL-TV]], [[WRAZ-TV|FOX 50]], and the [[Durham Bulls]] minor-league baseball team, among other properties. Its transmitted from an antenna located on the 1,800 foot level of the WRAL-TV tower in [[Garner, North Carolina]]. The station switches to a [[Christmas music]] format during the holidays.
'''WRAL''' (101.5 [[FM broadcasting|FM]], "Mix 101.5") is an [[Adult Contemporary]] music formatted [[radio station]] based in [[Raleigh, North Carolina]]. Its studios are located on Highwoods Boulevard in Raleigh, along with [[WCMC-FM]], a [[sports talk]] station that signed on in October 2005. Both stations are owned and operated by [[Capitol Broadcasting Company]], which also owns [[WRAL-TV]], [[WRAZ-TV|FOX 50]], and the [[Durham Bulls]] minor-league baseball team, among other properties. Its transmitted from an antenna located on the 1,800 foot level of the WRAL-TV tower in [[Garner, North Carolina]]. The station switches to a [[Christmas music]] format during the holidays.


== History ==
== History ==

Revision as of 23:21, 21 February 2010

For the CBS affiliated television station in Raleigh, NC, see WRAL-TV.
WRAL
File:WRAL-FM logo.png
Broadcast areaResearch Triangle Area of North Carolina
Frequency101.5 (MHz) (HD Radio)
101.5 HD-1: simulcast of Mix 101.5
101.5 HD-2: modern adult contemporary
BrandingMix 101.5
Programming
FormatAdult Contemporary
Ownership
OwnerCapitol Broadcasting Company
History
Call sign meaning
RALeigh
Technical information
Facility ID73920
ClassC
ERP100,000 Watts
HAAT555 meters
Transmitter coordinates
35°40′35″N 78°32′8″W / 35.67639°N 78.53556°W / 35.67639; -78.53556
Links
WebcastListen live
Websitehttp://www.wralfm.com

WRAL (101.5 FM, "Mix 101.5") is an Adult Contemporary music formatted radio station based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Its studios are located on Highwoods Boulevard in Raleigh, along with WCMC-FM, a sports talk station that signed on in October 2005. Both stations are owned and operated by Capitol Broadcasting Company, which also owns WRAL-TV, FOX 50, and the Durham Bulls minor-league baseball team, among other properties. Its transmitted from an antenna located on the 1,800 foot level of the WRAL-TV tower in Garner, North Carolina. The station switches to a Christmas music format during the holidays.

History

WRAL-FM signed on in 1947 as WCOY at 95.3, with an ERP of 250,000 watts. It was the second FM station to operate in North Carolina, and the first to operate on the new 88–108 MHz FM band (previous FM stations had been at 42–50 MHz). WRAL-AM was located at 1240 AM[2] but was sold separately in the 1950s[3] The studios were at 130 Salisbury Street, with the transmitter on Davie Street Extension. In 1948, Jesse Helms became the news director.

Instead of rebroadcasting from a partner AM station, WRAL-FM offered its own programming in the form of easy listening music and extensive agricultural reports. Together with WCEC in Rocky Mount and WGBR in Goldsboro, WRAL helped establish a statewide radio network called the Tobacco Radio Network, which connected communities large and small throughout North Carolina. It became the precursor to today's North Carolina News Network, still headquartered at the WRAL studios. Eventually, the FM station moved to 101.5.[2]

From 1960 until his election to the U.S. Senate in 1972, the station offered the audio portion of commentaries by Helms which aired as the "Viewpoint" segment on WRAL-TV.[4]

WRAL-FM switched its musical offerings to AC in the early 1970s, calling itself "WRAL-Stereo 101" and later "WRAL-FM 101.5."[2] The format continues to this day.

On December 10, 1989, an early morning winter ice storm caused the tower it shared with WRAL-TV near Auburn, North Carolina, along with a separate tower for WPTF-TV (now WRDC) to collapse. The station moved its transmission signal to WPTF's former tower near Apex until a new tower was built at the same site the following year. Its effective radiated power was dropped to 96,00 watts to conform to FCC standards since its transmitter was perched further up the tower than before.[2] Despite that, WRAL FM is often picked up as far west as Wilkesboro and even into Boone, knocking out WQUT's signal out of the Tri-Cities. As far east as Ocracoke, Hatteras and Kill Devil Hills in the Outer Banks. As far south in the Pee Dee Region of South Carolina such as Cheraw, Florence and McBee. As far north as southside Virginia reaching places stretching into Alberta, Altavista, Emporia, Martinsville and Rocky Mount. This often interferes with two Virginia FM stations, WZZI out of Roanoke and WBQB out of Fredericksburg.

On September 6, 1996, was the only radio station in full operation for two weeks during the aftermath of Hurricane Fran which decimated most of Wake County.

On December 20, 2002, the station became the first licensed commercial radio station on the east coast to broadcast its signal in HD Radio. WRAL-HD1 replicates the same music found on Mix 101.5 (mainstream AC), while WRAL-HD2 offers a more modern-leaning playlist. On Monday, June 27, 2005, MIX became the first commercial station in North Carolina[5] and only the second commercial station in the nation (WUSN in Chicago was the first[2]) to utilize the "multicasting" capabilities of HD Radio technology to broadcast multiple digital channels.[5]

On April 23, 2007, WRAL-FM became the flagship station for the NC State Wolfpack, beginning with the 2007–2008 school year.[6][7] The broadcast rights to football and basketball games belong to Wolfpack Sports Marketing, which is also owned by Capitol Broadcasting.[8] The weekly coaches' shows with Tom O'Brien and Sidney Lowe air separately on sister station WCMC-FM.

WRAL-FM was the second station in Raleigh to air the nationally-syndicated Delilah nighttime radio show, which it carried from November 2007 until October 2009. WRSN ("Sunny 93.9") had carried the program before that station flipped to Rhythmic AC as "93.9 Kiss FM".

On August 22, 2009, WRAL-FM started to air the Rick Dees Weekly Top 30 (Adult Contemporary) Countdown show on Saturdays at 7 am – 10 am.[9] It also replaced the Delilah program with the John Tesh Radio Show beginning October 5, 2009. Both Dees and Tesh are veterans to Triangle radio, having both worked at WKIX 850 back in the early 1970s,[10] along with current WRAL-TV morning and noon anchor Bill Leslie.

WRAL-FM also airs the 6 O`Clock News broadcasted by WRAL-TV.

Community Involvement

WRAL's local ownership gives it a leg up among other Triangle radio stations in terms of public affairs and community involvement, giving it less of a "corporate" feel than its competition. WRAL-FM promotes a number of events throughout the Triangle area that are sponsored by Capitol Broadcasting and its entities.

In April, 2009, the National Association of Broadcasters awarded WRAL its prestigious Crystal Award for community service. The honor, the station’s second in eight years, was given for involvement in many local causes including:

• The Annual Radiothon for Duke Children’s Hospital, through which Mix listeners raised over $1 million dollars in 2008 and over $10 million dollars throughout the event’s history.

• Collecting more than 7000 pounds of food for the Raleigh Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s Back Pack Buddies program.

• Ongoing support of the United State Marine Corp Reserves’ Toys for Tots toy drives.

• Providing free ID cards for Wake County school children.

• Sponsorship of Interact Wake County, the American Cancer Society, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, American Heart Association, the Tammy Lynn Center and Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and others.

Other Logos

File:WRAL-FM Christmas logo.png
logo used during shift to Christmas music format


References

  1. ^ "Ratings". Radio and Records. Retrieved 2008-02-20. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e http://www.geocities.com/rdurw/wral.html, Retrieved on 2008/04/23.
  3. ^ http://www.geocities.com/rduhistory/wpjl.html, Retrieved on 2008/04/23.
  4. ^ http://www.unctv.org/senatorno/peopleevents/events.html, Retrieved on 2008/04/23.
  5. ^ a b "HD Radio". WRAL-FM. Retrieved 2007-11-24.
  6. ^ http://www.gopack.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9200&ATCLID=876362, Retrieved on 2008/04/23.
  7. ^ Chip Alexander, "Pack, WPTF Part Ways: Wolfpack Moves Football and Men's Basketball from Longtime AM Partner to FM Station, The News & Observer, April 26, 2007.
  8. ^ http://www.cbc-raleigh.com/division/wsm.asp, Retrieved on 2008/04/23.
  9. ^ http://www.wralfm.com/airstaff/rickdeesweeklytop30countdown.aspx
  10. ^ http://www.reelradio.com/jesm/index.html

External links

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