NC Radio: WIOZ Expected Back On-Air After Power Surge

Adult Standards WIOZ 550 AM in Pinehurst NC was scheduled to return to the air this week after the station’s transmitter experienced a devastating power surge in mid-December.

“It couldn’t have happened at a worse time,” said Rich Rushforth, operations manager of WIOZ. “With the Christmas holidays, we’ve been dashing forward with the fastest possible method of shipment to get the parts we need to make repairs.”

The cause of the surge is unknown and Rushforth, a popular local on-air personality in addition to serving as operations manager of Star 102.5 FM and WIOZ, said he had never seen anything like it in his 27 years experience in radio.

“For a station to be down that long with something that was so damaging!” he said.

Replacement parts were shipped from a vendor in Quincy, Illinois, and included four capacitors, two power supply units, and a modulator card. The final needed piece will be installed this week and should restore signal service.

WIOZ 550 AM (1 kw-Day, 260 watts Night) Red=Local Coverage

Owned by Muirfield Broadcasting, Inc., WIOZ 550 AM station broadcasts an adult standard format featuring music by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and some easy listening and softer oldies and adult contemporary artists.Weekdays the station features Sunrise in the Sandhills with morning show host, Billy Bag-O-Donuts.