WCOS-FM

WCOS-FM

City	Columbia, South Carolina
Broadcast area	Columbia, South Carolina
Branding	97.5 WCOS
Slogan	SC's #1 for New Country
Frequency	97.5 MHz
Translator(s)	105.5 WXBT (Columbia, relays HD2)
First air date	March 1951
Format	Country HD2: Classic hip-hop "Throwback 105.5"
ERP	100,000 watts
HAAT	299 meters
Class	C1
Facility ID	71290
Callsign meaning	"We're Columbia's Own Station
Owner	iHeartMedia, Inc. (Capstar TX LLC)
Sister stations	WCOS, WLTY, WNOK, WVOC, WXBT
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	WCOS Online HD2:WCOS-HD2 Online

WCOS-FM is a Country music radio station licensed to Columbia, South Carolina and serves the Columbia, South Carolina market. The iHeartMedia, Inc. outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to broadcast at 97.5 MHz with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts. The station goes by the name 97.5 WCOS and its current slogan is "Today's Best Country and Your All-Time Favorites." Its studios are in Columbia (west of the Congaree River) and the transmitter is north of the city.

The station airs a variety of country music, mainly from the 1970s to present (unlike competitor WWNU did), with current and recent hits in heavy rotation.

History

WCOS-FM signed on in March 1951 on 97.9 Megacycles (as MHz was then known) as the sister station of WCOS/1400 and as Columbia's second FM station. Prior to 1963, it broadcast only during the evening hours. The programming featured Broadway, opera, and classical music, some or all of which came from the ABC Radio Network. In the fall of 1963, the station began broadcasting in stereo and the hours were extended to the daytime. The morning show was a simulcast of WCOS, which was hosted by Bob Fulton, the long-time announcer for University of South Carolina football. After 9A.M., the format was easy listening. The music was broadcast in mono until 6P.M., converting to stereo for the evening hours. In the late 1960s, WCOS-FM converted to a Progressive rock format. Prior to the change, the station promoted the new format by announcing frequently that WCOS-FM was "going underground." By 1973, the station changed to country, adopting its longtime slogan "The Great 98." The format has remained since.

In 1991, the station upgraded its signal by changing the frequency from 97.9 MHz to 97.5 MHz and increasing its power to 100,000 watts, making it one of the strongest FM signals in the Columbia radio market.

The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications, which also owns sports talk WCOS, CHR WNOK, Variety Hits WLTY, Urban contemporary WXBT, Classic hip hop W288CX/WCOS-HD2, and News/Talk WVOC in the Columbia radio market.

External links

Official website

Query the FCC's FM station database for WCOS

Radio-Locator information on WCOS

Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for WCOS

Radio stations in the Columbia, South Carolina market

By AM frequency	560 620 840 890 1170 1230 1320 1400 1470

By FM frequency	88.1 88.5 89.7 90.5 91.3 92.1 93.1 93.5 93.9 94.3 95.3 95.9 96.7 97.5 98.3 98.5 99.3 100.1 101.3 102.3 103.1 103.9 104.7 106.7 107.5

By callsign	WARQ WBAJ WCEO WCFJ WCOS WCOS-FM WDEK WFMV WGCV WHXT WISW WLJI WLTR WLTY WLXC WMFX WMHK WNKT WNOK WOIC WOMG WQXL WRJA-FM WSCZ WTCB WUSC WVOC WWDM WWNQ WXBT WXRY-LP WYFV WZMJ

South Carolina radio markets Charleston Columbia Florence Greenville–Spartanburg Myrtle Beach Rock Hill Other South Carolina radio regions Hilton Head See also List of radio stations in South Carolina

Country radio stations in the state of South Carolina

Stations	WAGS – Bishopville WBCU – Union WCKN – Moncks Corner WCOS-FM – Columbia WDOG-FM – Allendale WEGX – Dillon WESC-FM – Greenville WEZL – Charleston WGFG – Branchville WGOG – Walhalla WGTR – Bucksport WHGS - Hampton WHLZ – Marion WIWF – Charleston WJKB – Moncks Corner WKXC-FM – Aiken WLFF – Georgetown WLRE-LP – Elloree WLSC – Loris WQUL – Woodruff WRHM – Lancaster WSSL-FM – Gray Court WUBB – Bluffton WVGC - Westminster WVSZ – Chesterfield WWKT-FM – Kingstree WWNQ – Forest Acres WYMB – Manning WZLA-FM – Abbeville WZZQ – Gaffney

Defunct	WJDJ – Hartsville

See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in South Carolina

iHeartMedia

Corporate officers	Bob Pittman (Chairman/CEO)

Board of directors	Lowry Mays Irving Azoff B. J. "Red" McCombs J. C. Watts John H. Williams

Radio stations	List of radio stations owned by iHeartMedia

Radio networks	Fox News Radio Fox Sports Radio NBC News Radio Premiere Networks Premium Choice Total Traffic and Weather Network

Miscellaneous	Clear Channel Outdoor Clear Channel UK iHeartRadio List of programming syndicated by iHeartMedia Mediabase Radio Computing Services

Coordinates: 34°08′24″N 81°03′22″W / 34.140°N 81.056°W / 34.140; -81.056

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