WDUR-AM 1490 History
On Leap Day, 1948, WSSB signed on the air, assuming the 1490 dial position left silent when WDNC moved to a more-powerful signal at 620 AM (and signed on WDNC-FM) the night before. WSSB was founded by Thomas Sawyer and, at first, operated independent of any network affiliation. On November 19th, 1949, another Durham station, Harold H. Toms' WHHT, 1590 AM, merged with WSSB, making 1490 the new Mutual Broadcasting System affiliate in the Bull City. WSSB became Durham's Top 40 outlet around 1956, and saw many legendary personalities come through its doors, including M.G. "Daddy Rabbit" Bobbitt and Charlie "Country Boy" Cook. In 1976, the station became WDUR with a format similar to today's soft rock stations. Three years later, the station adopted an urban format as "The Music 1490". Don Curtis bought the station in 1984, along with WDBS-FM 107.1. The urban format was moved to WDBS, which was renamed WFXC "Foxy 107", and WDUR became black gospel. WDUR dropped its gospel format to simulcast WFXC in 1991. In 1994, the station adopted a satellite-delivered "solid gold soul" format. WDUR became part of radio giant Clear Channel in the 1996 when the San Antonio-based company purchased the holdings of Pinnacle Broadcasting. In 1997, WDUR began airing a satellite delivered black gospel format called, "The Light". Shortly thereafter, WDUR was joined by sister station WZZU, 103.9 FM, (now WNNL) which had dumped an unsuccessful classic hits format. When Clear Channel bought out Capstar Broadcasting in 2000, and found itself with eight FM stations in the Raleigh-Durham market, FCC rules required the company to sell three of them. The four FM stations Clear Channel owned prior to its acquisiton of Capstar (WFXC, WFXK, WNNL and WQOK), all of which were targeted at black audiences, were sold to black-owned broadcaster Radio One. WDUR stayed in Clear Channel hands. When the sale was finalized, WDUR simply switched FM simulcast partners from WNNL to the former WTRG "Oldies 100.7" (now WRVA-FM). WDUR rebroadcasted 100.7 FM's programming until June 20th, 2004, when the AM station again assumed a black gospel format, this one from another satellite-delivered programming service, ABC's syndicated "Rejoice". On May 2nd, 2005, WDUR entered into an agreement with Triangle Sports Broadcasters to rebroadcast the sports format of WTSB, 1090 AM. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that Triangle Sports Broadcasters would purchase WDUR from Clear Channel for $1.13 million. WDUR remains on the air 24 hours, while WTSB must leave the airwaves at sunset each night. In 2006, financial problems forced the station to cut its local programming and go all-ESPN radio. In the fall of that year, it was announced that the ESPN Radio programming would move to WDNC. WDUR/WTSB continued airing ESPN programming until December when they began stunting with Christmas music and, after Christmas, an eclectic mix of adult contemporary and classic rock. The tw stations were finally sold,separately in Auggust 2007. WDUR was purchased by Spanish broadcaster Prieto Broadcasting for $900,000. By mid-December Prieto was simulcasting its "La Regia" programming from WETC, 540 AM, on the newly acquared frequency.
WDUR-AM 1490 Gallery
- This aircheck, from the 1993 WKIX Alumni Reunion at WTRG, includes a 1961 aircheck of WSSB personality Charlie Brown.
- WDUR used this logo while it was formatted from simulcasting WFXC-FM to Solid Gold Soul, which it aired from 1994-97.
- WDUR used this logo during its short-lived 'Rejoice" gospel format, from July 2004-May 2005.
- WDUR used this logo during most of its tenure as an ESPN Radio affiliate, from May 2005-December 2006.
- WDUR's transmitter building and former studio on Nixon Street in Durham.
