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People in its history

People named in events about this site, ordered by number of mentions. Each example links to an entry with a source citation.

Jim Heavner3 entries, including WCHL declines to publicize the Walk Against Hunger during the Community Chest drive (November 1969)
Sandy McClamroch1 entry: WCHL begins broadcasting (January 18, 1953)

Indexed works

Books, articles, records, and images about WCHL radio. Each has been reviewed for relevance; materials held at OCPL appear first.

About the site

The first 25 years : WCHL 1360

1978 · WCHL?

Anniversary booklet for the first twenty-five years of WCHL, the Chapel Hill radio station at 1360 on the AM dial, published in 1978. Topics include radio broadcasting and Chapel Hill history, with advertisements included. 20 unnumbered pages with illustrations and portraits.

Included because: The site is named in the title, catalog subjects, or description.

NC Cardinal UNC Duke Durham

Celebrating 50 years on the air and 50 who made a difference : WCHL 1360

2003

Anniversary booklet marking fifty years of WCHL 1360, the Chapel Hill radio station, with profiles of fifty people from Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Published in 2003, 36 pages with portraits. Contributors include Roland Giduz, Jim Heavner, Jonathan Howes, Neil Offen and Rosemary Waldorf.

Included because: The site is named in the title, catalog subjects, or description.

UNC CH Historical Society

1360 WCHL : commemorating forty years of excellence

1993 · Village Sports, Inc.

An illustrated volume, with portraits, published by Village Sports in 1993 to mark forty years of WCHL, Chapel Hill's radio station at 1360 on the dial. Its writers were Jim Heavner, Roland Giduz, Jim Shumaker, Zora Rashkis, Dan Dunlop, George McCall, Lee Pace, Beth Tatum and Larry Stone.

Included because: The site is named in the title, catalog subjects, or description.

UNC

Published by or for this institution

Tar Heel traditions : in conjunction with the North Carolina Collection at Wilson Library

2003 · WCHL

Interviews on Carolina customs that WCHL broadcast during University of North Carolina football games in the fall of 2003, made with the North Carolina Collection at Wilson Library and gathered on a 28 minute compact disc. Three segments are missing from the disc, among them talks on Hinton James and the opening of the university and on Old East.

Included because: Published by or for this institution.

UNC

UNC-related stories that aired on WCHL-AM radio

2002 · M. Kokai

Compact disc gathering stories about the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that aired on WCHL-AM, the Chapel Hill radio station. Running 43 minutes and issued by M. Kokai in 2002, it takes in Michael Jordan, Marion Jones, Dean Smith, Charles Kuralt and the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, along with Carolina basketball and soccer.

Included because: Published by or for this institution.

UNC

Found a book OCPL doesn’t own? You can often borrow it through interlibrary loan at OCPL.

In the chronology

January 18, 1953 WCHL begins broadcasting WCHL, Chapel Hill's new commercial radio station, went on the air in January 1953 at 1360 on the dial with 1,000 watts, broadcasting from sunrise to sunset from a site on the Durham highway. General manager Sandy McClamroch ran it with partners Roy E. Fullen and Lonnie Dark; its first broadcast was set for January 18. People: Sandy McClamroch Chapel Hill Weekly (January 16, 1953): WCHL's First Broadcast · Also: The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), January 8, 1953, p. 1; The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), January 15, 1953, p. 8; Chapel Hill Weekly, January 23, 1953, p. 4; Chapel Hill Weekly, January 30, 1953, p. 7
March 25-27, 1962 WCHL radio moves into new quarters Chapel Hill radio station WCHL moved to new quarters with only one day off the air allowed by the Federal Communications Commission; Mack Preslar and his technicians worked from Sunday night until 5:45 a.m. Tuesday, 15 minutes before sign-on, to finish the move. The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), March 29, 1962, p. 1
November 1969 WCHL declines to publicize the Walk Against Hunger during the Community Chest drive General manager Jim Heavner, that year's chairman of the local Community Chest, said WCHL would not give public service time to the Walk Against Hunger because the station gave all its spots to the Community Chest during its campaign. The Daily Tar Heel, November 21, 1969, p. 1 (WCHL Won't Publicize Walk)
November 1, 1988 NAACP challenges Chapel Hill radio station WCHL's license renewal over minority hiring The NAACP joined the National Black Media Coalition in filing challenges with the Federal Communications Commission to the license renewals of 22 North and South Carolina broadcasters, WCHL in Chapel Hill among them, saying they employed too few minority employees. WCHL was one of three North Carolina stations granted an extension, and the state NAACP said the station was working on a better equal employment program. The Daily Tar Heel, November 14, 1988, p. 1
1996 The Village Companies sells WCHL to Curtis Media Group The Village Companies sold WCHL, then the smallest of its dozen or so media outlets, to Curtis Media Group, which paired it with Durham's WDNC and moved it out of Chapel Hill. The Daily Tar Heel, September 10, 2002, p. 9 (WCHL to Reconnect With Chapel Hill)
August 30, 2002 VilCom takes over WCHL's operations and brings the station back to Chapel Hill Curtis Media kept ownership, but Heavner's VilCom took charge of the station's operations, planned a move to VilCom Circle in Chapel Hill by November 1 and an all-news and talk format, and aimed to make WCHL again the reference point for news of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. The Daily Tar Heel, September 10, 2002, p. 9 (WCHL to Reconnect With Chapel Hill)

Open these in the chronology →

Research sources

Sources cited in this site’s history, National Register documents, and places to get research help. Research guide: Investigate a school or community institution.

Records of the time 7

The Daily Tar Heel, September 10, 2002, p. 9 (WCHL to Reconnect With Chapel Hill)cited by 2 events here
Chapel Hill Weekly (January 16, 1953): WCHL's First Broadcastcited by an event here
The Daily Tar Heel, November 14, 1988, p. 1cited by an event here
The Daily Tar Heel, November 21, 1969, p. 1 (WCHL Won't Publicize Walk)cited by an event here
The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), March 29, 1962, p. 1cited by an event here
The Chapel Hill Weekly, 1923–1972DigitalNC Search digitized issues for names and events from this site’s history

Show all 7

Chapel Hill News Leader, 1954–1959DigitalNC Search digitized issues for names and events from this site’s history

Collections and databases

NC LIVE: prepared search for WCHL radio Library card Search NC LIVE for this site’s names and Orange County. Sign in through your North Carolina library to access articles, e-books, and newspapers.

Local help 5

Chapel Hill Historical Society Photographs, maps and papers on Chapel Hill and Carrboro, with a research links page
Rebecca B. Wall Local History Collection, Orange County Public Library The county library’s local-history room at the Main Library in Hillsborough: books, journals, maps, and microfilm of county records from 1752
Local History Help Hours and request form Meet with the Local History Liaison at the Main Library, usually Mondays from noon to 3 p.m., or send a question using the online request form
Preservation Chapel Hill Chapel Hill buildings and neighborhoods
Orange County Historical Museum Orange County history, objects, and interpretation

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