Why did radio station WAGI FM in Gaffney SC change format?

Answer 1

WAGI Changes Owners, Format Overnight By JANET S. SPENCER, Staff Writer Published April 22, 2007 GAFFNEY - Listeners turning their FM-radio dials early Saturday morning to 105.3, expecting to hear Swap and Shop and DJ Country Earl spin his favorite songs on Gaffney Broadcasting Inc., received a shock. At 12:01 a.m., Hispanic programming replaced the popular format that also includes country and Gospel Music, news and sports enjoyed for more than 35 years on WAGI-FM. The FM station billed as the Upstate Power Station no longer exists. But the faithful have some consolation. WEAC-AM, 1500 on the radio dial, will continue regular programming like that of its FM counterpart but on an abbreviated schedule. The AM station operates only from sun up to sundown. The talk around town Saturday was how the FM programming changed without notice, even though the station has been up for sale for about a year. "But not hearing the radio personalities say goodbye to us is difficult," Terri Woodward said. "We expected on the last day the staff would have a chance to tell us change was coming." WAGI Station Manager Dennis Fowler said ideally that would have happened, but he and his staff could only follow the directions of the executors of the estate of Raymond and Bright G. Parker, who formed Gaffney Broadcasting and operated WAGI and WEAC. The will of Raymond Parker stipulated that the FM station would be sold after his wife's death. The couple had no children. One of the executors, Richard G. Kinard of Greer, notified Fowler late Friday that a lease agreement giving Davidson Media Group control had been signed, and change was only hours away. The hands of the radio staff were tied, as they tried to adapt. "That's business. But it's like losing a member of the family, too, when you've been at this as long as I have," Fowler said. While the new operators were celebrating the lease in Charlotte, N.C., the local radio staff was being notified of the change. "Tough pill to swallow. No chance to say goodbye. We knew it would eventually happen. But it's not easy," Fowler said. Despite the short notice, the AM staff is already working to better serve its listeners, Fowler said. ************************************************** ******* "And we will have Gaffney High School football broadcast on an FM station again," Fowler said. "We're working on that. We just can't release the particulars yet." ************************************************** ******* The games were a Friday night favorite. Also, to compensate for the loss of air time with only AM available, Fowler said plans are to soon stream similar programming on the internet 24 hours a day to help keep all-night listeners happy. "These are things we didn't have notice to begin working on until we got the word late Friday. Our management and staff had nothing to do with this change," he said. WAGI was able to run spots only a couple of hours before the change occurred. But listeners who were not tuned in at the time were floored when radios were turned on again Saturday morning. Doris Pack of Gaffney was shopping at Bi-Lo on Saturday afternoon and said radio was not her most favorite form of entertainment. "But WAGI? Oh, I hate to know it's been changed," she said. Roy Lee Thompson of the Draytonville community said someone told him earlier in the day that Country Earl was not on WAGI from 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturday. "I'll miss listening to WAGI. Everything changes. I just wonder if Knox will stay on,' Thompson said. Knox Blanton is a popular early morning announcer who also hosts Swap and Shop, a call-in show to buy and sell various kinds of items. The program is heard three times a day. Fowler said he expects most of the staff members will remain with WEAC. While the AM station is not as strong as WAGI-FM, reception should cover about 40 miles on the 1500 frequency. After the switch, the Hispanic station's signal was still received clearly in Cherokee County, but Kinard did not return telephone calls about the relocation of the tower to Charlotte, N.C., and the potential change of the call letters to WNOW-FM, leaving WAGI in the history books. WEAC-AM, 1500 on the radio dial, will continue regular programming like that of its FM counterpart but on an abbreviated schedule. The AM station operates only from sun up to sundown.