WCBT

WCBT (1230 AM) is a sports radio station licensed to Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, serving Roanoke Rapids and Halifax in North Carolina and Emporia in Virginia.^[3] WCBT is owned and operated by Shaunrita Williams and Jimmy Johnson, through licensee Shantae Broadcasting Inc.^[4]

WCBT

Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina
Broadcast area	Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Halifax, North Carolina Emporia, Virginia
Frequency	1230 AM kHz
Branding	Sports Radio 1230 WCBT, The Ticket
Programming
Format	Sports
Affiliations	SportsMap, Sports USA Radio Network, North Carolina Tar Heels
Ownership
Owner	Shaunrita Williams and Jimmy Johnson (Shantae Broadcasting Inc.)
History
First air date	November 1940[1]
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	71250
Class	C
Power	1,000 watts day and night
Transmitter coordinates	36°26′45.0″N 77°39′51.0″W
Translator(s)	102.7 W274AZ (Roanoke Rapids)
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS

History

On November 13, 1948, fire destroyed the studios and offices of WCBT.^[5] With only one turntable salvaged from the studio building, the station had to operate from its transmitter building.^[5] Limited space there meant that live talent had to perform outdoors.^[5] Ministers who conducted morning devotions drove their cars to the transmitter building and broadcast from the cars.^[5]

On September 27, 2013, First Media Radio reached a deal to sell WCBT to Johnson Broadcast Ventures for $100.000.^[6][7] The sale was consummated on December 19, 2013.^[8] Upon the sale's completion, the station dropped ESPN Radio for a music format featuring classic rhythm and blues, gospel, and Southern soul formatted broadcasts.^[9]

In 2016, WCBT returned to a sports radio format, changing their name to "SportsRadio 1230 WCBT The Ticket". WCBT airs programming from NBC Sports Radio and SB Nation Radio and features Sports USA Radio Network college football and NFL games as well as the Tar Heel Sports Radio Network football and men's basketball games.

Effective October 1, 2021, Johnson Broadcast Ventures sold WCBT and translator W274AZ to Shantae Broadcasting Inc. for $41,000.

Past personalities

• Jesse Helms, news director (late 1940s)^[10]
• Wayne Harris (1951–52) nighttime deejay
• "Cousin Slick" (Roy Gray, Jr.), country DJ (1950s-1960s)^[11]
• Wayne Harris (1961–62) morning drive/news director
• Russ Barrett (1970s-1990), Operations Manager/Morning Drive
• Brian Lewis (1984–1990), Program Director/Afternoon Drive
• Wayne Lewis (1978–1990)
• Greg Thompson (1986–1990), midday
• Robert Spragins (through the early-mid 80s), News and Sports Announcer
• Connie Beckleman (1981–1985), Afternoon Drive
• Sam Medlin (1986–1990), Evenings/Weekends
• Dan Tanner (1985–1989), News Announcer
• Rick Eason (Saturday Mornings)