RECENT HISTORY OF AWAKE WITH DRAKE
After over 29 years on WSPA 910AM, Bill Drake began a new era on Wednesday, October 12th, 2005, when his popular morning radio show moved to WOLT 103.3FM.
The opportunity to move to the FM frequency arose when Entercom of Greenville, LLC sold WSPA 910AM to Davidson Media Group, a company which specializes in selling large blocks of time on its stations to brokers who broadcast programming of their own choosing. WSPA AM’s call letters were changed to WOLI-AM, and its air time was initially made available primarily to Spanish-language religious broadcasters.
However, at the same time, Davidson offered to sell time to Drake to broadcast his show on WOLT-FM 103.3, one of two FM stations they had also acquired in the same transaction with Entercom. Drake then formed a partnership with Tom Herndon, a 45-year veteran of radio sales in the Spartanburg market, under the name of AWAKE WITH DRAKE, LLC, and initially purchased the 5-10AM time period Monday through Sunday. Later, when the 10AM-12Noon Sunday time period became available, it was also purchased, in order that First Presbyterian Church’s longtime live broadcast of their 11AM Sunday service could be moved from 910AM to 103.3FM, and the 10-11AM hour made available to other religious broadcasters.
Today, Drake broadcasts his show live from 6 til 9AM Sunday through Friday on 103.3FM. Morningside Baptist Church occupies the 9-10:30AM Sunday time period, with three 30-minute programs featuring their pastor, Dr. Kirk Neely. First Presbyterian Church continues to occupy the Sunday 11AM-12Noon hour. The Sunday 10:30-11AM half-hour is currently available for purchase.
The agreement with Davidson provides for Drake to continue broadcasting from the former WSPA-AM studio at 6665 Pottery Road, Spartanburg, also home for the AWAKE WITH DRAKE business and sales offices. Advertising sales, as well as the company’s business affairs, are being handled by Herndon. The main business phone number is (864) 595-9500.
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