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WBBB

Raleigh, North Carolina United States
Broadcast area	Raleigh–Durham Research Triangle
Frequency	96.1 MHz
Branding	96.1 BBB
Programming
Format	Adult hits
Ownership
Owner	Curtis Media Group (Carolina Media Group, Inc.)
Sister stations	WKIX-FM, WKIX, WKJO, WKXU, WPLW-FM, WPTF, WQDR, WQDR-FM
History
First air date	1949 (as WNAO-FM)
Former call signs	WNAO-FM (1949–1955) WKIX-FM (1955–1972) WYYD (1972–1985) WYLT (1985–1993) WKIX-FM (1994–1998)
Call sign meaning	"We're Building a Better Burlington" (used by another station)
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	889
Class	C0
ERP	100,000 watts
HAAT	300 meters (980 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	35°41′7.6″N 78°43′13″W / 35.685444°N 78.72028°W / 35.685444; -78.72028
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Website	www.961bbb.com

WBBB (96.1 FM "96.1 BBB"), is an adult hits radio station based in Raleigh, North Carolina, owned by Curtis Media Group. Its studios are located in Raleigh, and the transmitter tower is near Garner close to Lake Wheeler.

History

The station was signed on in 1949 by the Raleigh News and Observer as WNAO-FM to simulcast sister station WNAO 850 AM. The stations were sold to Sir Walter Television effective February 13, 1953. In 1955 the station became WKIX-FM, simulcasting much of sister AM WKIX's top 40 format. This move was out of necessity as WKIX (AM)'s 10 kW signal was powered down to a directional 5 kW at night, preventing the station from having full area coverage. In 1972, WKIX-FM changed the format to easy listening WYYD.

In a change announced in March 1983, WYYD gave up its Carson Radio Services beautiful music format for a new sound without instrumentals described as "between beautiful music and adult contemporary" by general manager Ed Weiss. Burkhart, Abrams, Michaels, Douglas & Associates consulted on the format that included Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, Barbra Streisand and Kenny Rogers and offered four songs in a row.

Two years later WYYD changed its letters to WYLT ("Lite 96.1"), playing soft adult contemporary music.

In 1992, WYLT had a disco show called "Saturday Night Fever" airing on Saturday evenings.

In 1993, WYLT as "Y-96" tried a variation of adult album alternative, playing traditional AC during the day and alternative rock at night, including artists such as Pearl Jam, 10,000 Maniacs, Shawn Colvin, John Hiatt, The Breeders, and R.E.M. Several area college radio stations played alternative music, but WYLT was a commercial station and had a stronger signal.

WYLT started 1994 by stunting as "W-Garth", playing only Garth Brooks. The last song on Y-96 was "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" by R.E.M". On January 5, WYLT traded call letters with WKIX; both stations were owned by Alchemy Communications. The FM station switched to country as a result of the increased popularity of WQDR-FM, but distinguished itself from its competitor with "country your grandparents just wouldn't understand." General manager Rennold Madrazo described the new sound as "very hot, high energy and uptempo, with lifestyle promotions" and targeting yuppies and other upscale listeners. The result was a decline in ratings, followed by a slight increase. Curtis Media Group, the owners of WQDR, bought WKIX for $16 million in 1996.

In January 1998, the country format and WKIX-FM call letters moved to WPCM and WKTC, and the former WKIX-FM began stunting with a simulcast of WPTF. When the station switched to mainstream rock on January 28, 1998, the WBBB letters were taken from a Burlington, North Carolina, radio station at 920 AM (which was concurrently renamed WPCM). WBBB was called "Real Rock, 96rock" then transitioned to "The Rock Station, 96rock". They later dropped the first half of their name and became known simply as "96rock" and went by the motto "Everything That Rocks."

On November 21, 2011, at midnight, WBBB flipped to adult hits as "Radio 96.1: More Music, Less Blah, Blah, Blah", playing music from the 1970s-2000s. The final song on 96Rock was Wild Side by Mötley Crüe, while the first song on Radio 96.1 was One Way or Another by Blondie.

In June 2012, Radio 96.1 became the highest-rated radio station amongst adults aged 25–54 in the Raleigh-Durham Arbitron market.

On April 3, 2017, WBBB rebranded as "96.1 BBB: Your Life. Your Music", with no other changes.

Previous logos

• WBBB logo as 96rock
• WBBB logo as Radio 96.1

References

1. "WYYD (WBBB) history cards". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
2. "Call Sign History (WBBB)". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database. Retrieved March 24, 2009.
3. David Menconi, "Station Opts for Format of 'Real Rock'", The News & Observer, January 29, 1998.
4. "Callsign Cryptology". Archived from the original on October 22, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2008.
5. "Facility Technical Data for WBBB". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
6. Teresa Leonard, "TV makes debut in Raleigh," News & Observer, July 10, 2013, p. 1B.
7. "WYYD Raleigh altering its format". Billboard. March 12, 1983. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
8. David Menconi, "Making new waves -- again: Nostalgia's eye turns to the '80s," The News & Observer, December 18, 1992, p. W4.
9. ^ David Menconi, "What's Wrong With Radio - And why it's not likely to get any better," The News & Observer, July 10, 1994, p. G1.
10. ^ David Menconi, "Dialing for dollars: WYLT's format change may make cents, but it's a betrayal to the listeners," The News & Observer, January 14, 1994, p. WUP14.
11. ^ David Menconi, "WYLT Changes Format, Call Letters - Station Chucks Alternative Rock for Country Digs", The News & Observer, January 5, 1994, p. D1.
12. Kyle Marshall, "Curtis Media Group buying rival WKIX country station," The News and Observer, March 27, 1996.
13. David Menconi, "KIX walks; 96.1 to shift," The News and Observer, January 9, 1998.
14. David Menconi, "Station opts for format of 'real rock'," The News and Observer, January 29, 1998.
15. "WBBB Raleigh Rebrands As Radio 96.1". RadioInsight. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
16. "96Rock Becomes Radio 96.1". Format Change Archive. November 21, 2011. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
17. "WBBB Raleigh Rebrands As 96.1 BBB". RadioInsight. Retrieved May 8, 2021.

External links

• Radio 96.1 Facebook page
• Radio 96.1 Twitter page
• Facility details for Facility ID 889 (WBBB) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• WBBB in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

• Radio stations in the Research Triangle
• Radio stations established in 1949
• 1949 establishments in North Carolina
• Adult hits radio stations in the United States