Broadcast area Upstate South Carolina ERP 22,500 watts (FM) Class C2 (FM) City of license Greenville Area Upstate South Carolina | First air date 1991 (FM)
1984 (AM) HAAT 127.9 meters (FM) Frequency 91.5 FM, 1540 AM Format Southern gospel Branding WTBI Radio | |
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Power 10,000 watts AM day
1,000 watts AM critical hours Owner Tabernacle Baptist College Slogan The Bright Spot on Your Radio Dial | ||
WTBI is a non-commercial Religious station serving the Upstate, including Greenville and Spartanburg, as well as Anderson, South Carolina. The station carries Southern Gospel music and various preaching/teaching programs. Its current slogan is "The Bright Spot on Your Radio Dial."
Contents
WTBI-FM broadcasts 24 hours a day on 91.5 FM with an ERP of 22.5 kW.
WTBI broadcasts on 1540 AM with a power of 10,000 watts day and 1,000 watts critical hours.
Station history
WTBI is owned by Tabernacle Baptist Church (Tabernacle Ministries) in Greenville, South Carolina. The station airs a mix of Southern Gospel music and preaching from Fundamental, Independent Baptist churches. Much of the preaching and teaching programming is produced by churches in the Greenville area, in Pickens County, and from various churches in the Appalachian Mountains area. Other churches from other parts of the United States also produce programs, and these churches are usually affiliated with Tabernacle. Notable programs are the The Bright Spot Hour (which originated in 1943 on radio station WMRC, in Greenville) and The Gospel Hour. "The Gospel Hour" features Sunday morning worship services from Tabernacle Baptist Church. Its tower site is located at the campus of Tabernacle Ministries.
WTBI began broadcasting under Tabernacle's ownership on January 24, 1984, while founding pastor, Dr. Harold B. Sightler was pastoring the church. WTBI, 1540 am (originally WPKZ) was the original radio station operated by the church, with the FM station simulcast being added in early 1991. WTBI-FM simulcasts with daytime-only WTBI 1540 AM, which is primarily serves Pickens County, South Carolina. WTBI is licensed to Pickens, South Carolina.
Change from 91.7 to 91.5
On December 13, 2007, WTBI-FM changed frequencies from 91.7 to 91.5 and increased its ERP from 3,700 watts to 22,500 watts. This allows for better coverage in the Anderson area, as well as the Spartanburg area (which was previously affected by interference from WSGE in the Charlotte area). With this increase, the purpose for WTBI-AM is enhanced due to the stronger signal in to Pickens County, where the signal was once difficult to receive on 91.7. The AM station still serves an important service in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Georgia, Western North Carolina and North Western South Carolina.
HD radio
Also on December 13, 2007 WTBI began an HD Radio simulcast on the frequency 91.5.1.