The station power is 5 kW, non-directional daytime and 3-way directional at night. Programming is simulcast on WORD 950 AM Spartanburg, and by translators W249DL 97.7 MHz, Greenville and W246CV 97.1 MHz, Spartanburg.
History
The station has traditionally traced its history to May 1933, the date when it began broadcasting from Greenville.[3] However, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) records list the station's first license date as November 4, 1924,[4] tracing its origin to the original license, issued as WFBC to the First Baptist Church of Knoxville, Tennessee.[5] The station, designed by University of Tennessee senior Andy Ring, was a gift by Mrs. J. B. Jones, in memory of her mother, Mrs. W. S. Hall. Following a series of test transmissions, WFBC made its formal Knoxville debut on November 23, 1924.[1]
On December 9, 1932, the Federal Radio Commission approved transferring the WFBC license from Virgil V. Evans to the Greenville News-Piedmont Company, as part of a move from Knoxville to Greenville. At the time, WFBC operated on 1200 kHz with 50 watts of power.[6] On January 8, 1935, the Federal Communications Commission approved increasing the station's power to 5,000 watts.[7]
In later years, WFBC was known for its top-40 format. In 1997, the station's call letters, which continue to be used by WFBC-FM, were changed to WYRD. Until the format change from talk to sports on March 29, 2014,[8] News Radio WORD carried Russ and Lisa, Mike Gallagher, Coast to Coast AM, Rush Limbaugh, Kim Komando, Lars Larson, Dave Ramsey, Sean Hannity and Bob McLain. WYRD-FM now airs the talk format that was once simulcast on WORD (AM), and on the FM station starting in 2008.
WYRD and its associated FM translator signals became "ESPN Upstate" in February 2014. The station began with ESPN Radio programming, except during the afternoon drive time slot, which was hosted locally by Greenville-Spartanburg radio veteran Greg McKinney. Later in 2014, McKinney's show "The Huddle" moved to early afternoons, and Mark Sturgis took over the afternoon drive slot. McKinney retired from the station in January 2019, and the early afternoon show was taken over by Marc Ryan. Sturgis has had extended absences from the station for health reasons, and a variety of substitute hosts filled in.
On March 23, 2022, WYRD and its FM translators rebranded as "The Fan Upstate" and switched affiliations from ESPN Radio to CBS Sports Radio and BetQL Network.[9]
References
^ ab"Formal Opening of WFBC, First Baptist Church Radio Station Slated For Today", Knoxville (Tennessee) Sunday Journal and Tribune, November 23, 1924, page 11-A
