WMFD (AM)
City | Wilmington, North Carolina |
---|---|
Broadcast area | New Hanover County, Brunswick County and Pender County |
Frequency | 630 kHz |
Branding | ESPN Wilmington |
Programming | |
Format | Sports |
Affiliations | ESPN Radio |
Ownership | |
Owner | Capitol Broadcasting Company |
WAZO, WILT, WKXB, WUIN | |
History | |
First air date | September 15, 1935 |
Former frequencies | 1370 kHz (1935-1941) 1400 kHz (1941-1949) |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 61701 |
Class | B |
Power | 800 watts day 1,000 watts night |
Transmitter coordinates | 34°16′19″N 77°58′28″W / 34.27194°N 77.97444°W |
Translator(s) | 101.7 MHz W269DF (Wilmington) |
Links | |
Webcast | Listen Live |
Website | espnwilmington.com |
WMFD (630 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Wilmington, North Carolina. It is owned by the Capitol Broadcasting Company and broadcasts a sports format, primarily from ESPN Radio. The radio studios and offices are on North Kerr Avenue in Wilmington.[1] The radio station carries the games of the Cape Fear Rugby Football Club.
By day, WMFD is powered at 800 watts. At night it slightly increases its power to 1,000 watts. A directional antenna with a three-tower array is used at all times to protect other stations on 630 AM from interference. The transmitter is off Sampson Street in Navassa, North Carolina.[2] Programming is simulcast on 250 watt FM translator W269DF at 101.7 MHz.[3] WMFD is also heard on the HD Radio digital subchannel of co-owned 99.9 WKXB-HD3.
History[]
WMFD signed on the air on September 15, 1935 . It is Wilmington's oldest, though not its first, radio station. It has retained its original call sign throughout its history.[4]
In 1954, the station launched WMFD-TV Channel 6, Wilmington's first TV station, now WECT.
In May 1996, Community Broadcasting sold radio stations WMFD, WUOY, and WBMS to a new company called Ocean Broadcasting. As a talk station, WMFD added Dr. Laura Schlessinger and The Fabulous Sports Babe, as well as CNN Headline News part of the time.[5] In 1999, WMFD was airing Don Imus' morning show from New York City.[6]
In 2000, WMFD changed to sports radio and added the minor-league baseball team Wilmington Waves.[7]
In July 2004, NextMedia Group purchased WRQR, WAZO, and WMFD from Ocean Broadcasting, and WKXB and WSFM from Sea-Comm Inc.[8]
In July 2008, Capitol Broadcasting announced its purchase of NextMedia's Wilmington stations.[9]
Translator[]
In addition to the main station, WMFD is relayed by FM translator W269DF 101.7 to widen its broadcast area. This station rebroadcast WLTT prior to 2014.
Call sign | Frequency (MHz) |
City of license | ERP (W) |
Class | FCC info |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
W269DF | 101.7 | Wilmington, North Carolina | 250 | D | FCC FM Query |
References[]
- ^ ESPNwilmington.com/station-information
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/WMFD
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/W269DF
- ^ "AM Query Results: First license date" (FCC.gov).
- ^ Kristina Bartlett, "WUOY-FM, WMFD-AM AND WBMS-AM / Stations Sold to Ocean Broadcasting; New Company Purchases 3 Wilmington Radio Stations," Star-News, May 17, 1996.
- ^ Toby Eddings, "Imus on a local station? Not yet," The Sun News, Jan. 14, 1999.
- ^ Chuck Carree, "Waves Baseball; Sports Station to Carry All Games," Star-News, November 16, 2000.
- ^ Bonnie Eksten, "Ocean Broadcasting, Sea-Comm Stations Sold to NextMedia - New Owner to Operate Locally," Star-News, July 14, 2004.
- ^ http://www.wral.com/business/story/3215727/, Retrieved on 2008/09/22.
External links[]
- Official Website
- ESPN-WMFD-959FM-and-AM630 facebook
- WMFD in the FCC AM station database
- WMFD on Radio-Locator
- WMFD in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- W269DF in the FCC FM station database
- W269DF on Radio-Locator
- FCC History Cards for WMFD (covering 1934-1981)
- Radio stations in North Carolina
- ESPN Radio stations
- Radio stations established in 1935
- Sports in Wilmington, North Carolina