WETC

WETC
City Wendell, North Carolina
Zebulon, North Carolina
Broadcast area Raleigh/Durham
Research Triangle
Branding Divine Mercy Radio
Frequency 540 kHz
First air date June 16, 1959 (1959-06-16)
Format Catholic
Power 4,000 watts day
500 watts night
Class B
Facility ID 18269
Transmitter coordinates 35°52′9″N 78°25′56″W / 35.86917°N 78.43222°W / 35.86917; -78.43222Coordinates: 35°52′9″N 78°25′56″W / 35.86917°N 78.43222°W / 35.86917; -78.43222
Callsign meaning We Entertain Tobacco Country
Owner Divine Mercy Radio
(Divine Mercy Radio, Inc.)
Sister stations WSHP-LP, WFNE-LP
Website www.wdmr.org

WETC (540 kHz) is an AM radio station, licensed to the cities of Wendell and Zebulon, North Carolina. It is owned by Divine Mercy Radio, Inc. and airs a Catholic radio format. The station's signal targets the Research Triangle region of North Carolina, including the Raleigh radio market.

History

On June 16, 1959, WETC first signed on the air.[1] It was a 250 watt daytimer. Because AM 540 is a clear-channel frequency reserved for Canada and Mexico, WETC had to sign-off every evening at sunset to avoid interfering with other radio stations. It was later allowed to broadcast at night, but only with reduced power.

WETC's call letters were said to stand for "We Entertain Tobacco Country." It was a long-time country music station. In 1992 it became the first radio station to target the Research Triangle's Spanish-speaking community. It went completely Spanish by the late 1990s. WETC was owned by East Wake Broadcasting and later Carolina Regional Broadcasting before being sold to Prieto Communications in 2004.

Prieto Communications sold WETC to Marta Sanchez's Sanchez Broadcasting Corporation for consideration of the forgiveness of $1.45 million in debt; the transaction was consummated on January 4, 2013.

WETC's programming was once simulcast on AM 1490 WDUR in Durham, North Carolina.[2] That station now airs a South Asian format.

On March 25, 2016, WETC was granted a construction permit from the Federal Communications Commission to increase its daytime power to 10,000 watts.[3]

On October 1 2018, Divine Mercy Radio Requested to the FCC a Remain silent Authority Application due to major technical issues with WETC’s Radio Station. WETC Is expected to remain off the air for 120 days as Divine Mercy Radio Technicians Repair the Major Technical Issues.

References

  1. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1961-62 page B-123
  2. ↑ http://www.radio-info.com/site/markets/grid/raleigh-durham, Retrieved on 2010-03-18.
  3. ↑ "Application for Construction Permit for Commercial Broadcast Station". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission.


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