WRBZ-AM 850 History
In 1947, the Raleigh News and Observer simultaneously signed on WNAO 850 and WNAO-FM 96.1. Both aired the same programming, most of which came from their affiliation with the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). The two radio stations were joined in 1953 by Raleigh's first television station, WNAO-TV, channel 28. However, WNAO-TV went out of business in 1958. The very next year, the WNAO stations would be reborn as WKIX (and WKIX-FM) "The Giant of the South". WKIX "channel 85" brought Top 40 to Raleigh and launched many noteable careers including the late Dale Van Horn, John Tesh, Rick Dees and WRAL-TV morning/noon anchor Bill Leslie. The station went country in the early eighties, then oldies and, later, popular standards. When their FM half decided to give country another go in 1994, WKIX swapped their calls with 96.1, up to this point known as WYLT. The FM was known as "W-Light 96 FM", "Lite 96.1" and "Y96" under the WYLT calls; AM 850 would be known as "Lite 85". The very next year, "Lite 85" made way for WRBZ "850 The Buzz", dumping the popular standards for a painfully slow transition to talk programming. It kicked off with CNN Headline News' audio and eventually ended up as hot talk by 1996, with especially risque' programming late nights. The weekends featured '70s music. Also in 1996, WRBZ owner Alchemy Broadcasting sold the station's FM sister station, WKIX 96.1, to Curtis Media Group for $16 million dollars. By 1999, "850 The Buzz", now a stand alone, was all-sports, and developed a high profile as the flagship station for both the NHL Carolina Hurricanes and Duke University Blue Devils. In 2002, "The Buzz" lost the Hurricanes flagship to two Curtis Media rimshot FM signals, but continued to feature many promotions and talk centered around the team. In late 2004, Alchemy announced it was selling WRBZ to Curtis Media for $8.7 million; however, new FCC market definitions prevented Curtis from closing on the station. McClatchey Broadcasting, headed by Curtis' son-in-law William McClatchey, bought WRBZ for the same price instead. On August 10th, 2009, it was announced that McClatchey Broadcasting was selling WRBZ to Curtis Media, which was selling WCLY, 1550 AM, and WDNC, 620 AM, to Capitol Broadcasting Company, pending FCC approval. If approved, WRBZ will drop its long-time sports format in favor of an unspecified "music" format.
WRBZ-AM 850 Gallery
- A WNAO logo from the 1950s.
- The first logo used when WNAO became WKIX in 1959.
- Link to "WKIX Rewound", a website filled with audio and video memorabilia from this legendary Top 40 station.
- A 1971 aircheck of Rick Dees when he worked at WKIX
- A 1972 composite of WKIX
- A 1973 aircheck of former WKIX personality Pat Patterson
- A 1989 Pat Patterson aircheck from WKIX's "Cool Gold" format.
- A WKIX logo from after the station went country in 1981.
- In 1993, a WKIX reunion was held at WTRG.
- The WKIX alums gathered again in 2001 for another reunion, this time at WPTF.
- Photo of the five-tower array WRBZ utilizes, off NC 54 East between Cary and Morrisville.
