Triad Radio: Classic Hits WTOB Moves To 980 AM

Talk WEGO 980 AM has changing formats, and bringing back a station that vanished from the airwaves last month.

On Friday morning, Michael Carbone, WEGO’s chief operating officer, announced that the station was forming a partnership with former staff members from WTOB 1380 AM, who will LMA the station.

980 AM began carrying classic hits Friday of the late 1950s to late 1970s, with disc jockeys from the former WTOB. Their first song in the new format was “Fly Like an Eagle” by the Steve Miller Band.

the Winston Salem-Journal reports the change comes a month after new owners of 1380 AM switched to a Spanish-language format in November, displacing the former WTOB staff. The new station will be branded “Classic Hits WTOB,” although the legal station ID for now will remain WEGO.

WEGO 980 AM (1,300 watts-D, 49 watts-Night

The WTOB veterans formed a new LLC, Southern Broadcast Media, which has formed a licensed management agreement with Truth Broadcasting, the owners of WEGO.

Carbone said he waited to make the announcement on-air until after the station had paid tribute to Smith Patterson, the morning news announcer on Eagle 980, who retired Friday after a 45-year career on local radio. “I wanted the day to be all about Smith,” Carbone said.

“As we settle into our new on-air location, we want to thank our listeners and loyal supporters who’ve been an encouragement to the staff since early November,” said Mark Richards, one of the WTOB station operators. “We’re all about live, community radio and bringing back a radio style that was almost forgotten.”