WCHL (AM)

97.9 THE HILL WCHL (1360 kHz) is a commercial FM and AM radio station in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Owned by Chapel Hill Media Group, it has a format of news, talk, UNC sports and adult album alternative music. Most programming is geared with a hyper local focus towards the greater Chapel Hill community, including local news, interviews, and information, events, and local, indie, and alternative hit music. It is a network affiliate of CBS News Radio. The studios are on E Franklin Street in Chapel Hill. Programming is also heard on 250 watt FM translator W250BP at 97.9 MHz in Chapel Hill. By day, WCHL transmits with 5,000 watts non directional, but to protect other stations on 1360 AM from interference, at night it reduces power to 1,000 watts and uses a directional antenna.

Ron Stutts retired on December 18, 2020, after 43 years as morning host. His show was replaced in 2021 by "This Morning with Aaron Keck" from 6am 9am weekday mornings. Focusing on local culture, Aaron explores trends, artists, news and trivia. Aaron is the recipient of the 2021 and 2022 North Carolina Association of Broadcasters "Radio Personality of the Year" award.

Hosted by Victor Lewis since 2022 from 9am 11am Monday through Friday, The Morning Grind is inspired by coffee shop style music primarily consisting of acoustic musicians.

Victor Lewis blends alternative rock with the expansive local music scene for a two hour midday show.

An hour long program by Andrew Stuckey where he plays the new and classic indie music. Each show has a theme that Andrew explores through a myriad of musical selections.

Andrew Stuckey discusses the daily Chapel Hill area news with local guests about any subject relevant to the listening area.

The best in local musicians every weekday evening, hosted by the radio station's morning host, Aaron Keck. He conducts in studio interviews as well as performances by the guests.

WCHL's edgiest musical offering, AJ Johnson plays classic alternative rock.

Previews artists performing at upcoming concerts in the greater Chapel Hill/Durham area.

Chapel Hill's oldest continuous broadcaster signed on the air on January 25, 1953. WCHL was owned by Sandy McClamroch, who went on to become the town's longest serving mayor. Originally a 1,000 watt station, the station boosted its daytime power to 5,000 watts in 1978. WCHL served as the launching point for the Village Broadcasting Companies, which bought Burlington's WBAG FM in 1983, moving it to Raleigh as WZZU (now WNCB "B93.9"). Over the years, the station developed a loyal following for being highly community oriented. The WCHL news department brought home many Associated Press awards and launched the career of several nationally renowned journalists and sports broadcasters. Charles Kuralt and Jim Lampley began their broadcast careers at WCHL while students at the University of North Carolina. WCHL played Top 40 music, and later adult contemporary before going to a news/talk format in the early 1990s. In 1997, The Village Companies (now Vilcom) sold WCHL to the Raleigh based Curtis Media Group for $400,000. Curtis moved WCHL's operations to the WDNC studios at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. It ended the highly acclaimed local news and community driven talk for an automated adult standards and oldies format, limited news and a simulcast morning show with co located WDNC. However, in 2002, Vilcom regained control of its former property's sales and programming under a local marketing agreement (LMA). Vilcom moved the station back to Chapel Hill and returned the station's format to local news and talk on November 25, 2002, just two months before the station celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2003. In June 2004, Vilcom bought the station back from Curtis Media Group for $775,000. Vilcom's longtime owner, Jim Heavner, sold a minority stake in WCHL to Barry Leffler, former president of WNCN in Raleigh, in late 2009. By this time WCHL had a progressive talk format, using programming from Air America. Leffler became the station's CEO and managing partner. Heavner remained as chairman. Under Leffler, WCHL added more local news, an FM signal, and the Chapelboro web site. On January 21, 2010, WCHL's network Air America filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and ceased live programming the same night. Reruns of Air America's programming continued to air until Monday, January 25 at 9 p. m.

In August 2015, WCHL was purchased by Leslie Rudd who brought in several local investors, Chris Ehrenfeld, Jim Kitchen and Mark Vitali to form Chapel Hill Media Group, LLC. Soon after, the station switched formats to incorporate music along with its lineup of live shows each weekday morning and afternoon. It plays adult album alternative music, giving WCHL a more diverse playlist than most formats. At the end of 2016 WCHL moved to University Place and re branded as "97.9 The Hill WCHL." It is currently known for continuing the tradition of community programming by providing local news, neighborhood events and high school sports, along with its music programming. Its website is Chapelboro. com, a daily local news source for Chapel Hill and the surrounding area. In November 2023 WCHL moved from University Place to East Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, close to the original studios and AM radio transmitter.

WCHL is the flagship station of North Carolina Tar Heels. Inside Carolina broadcasts a two hour pregame show before the Tar Heel Sports Network begins its coverage of UNC Football games on Learfield Communications. Woody Durham hosted UNC centric radio shows with coaches throughout his lengthy career as a play by play broadcaster for North Carolina Basketball and Football games. Sportswriter Art Chansky contributes a daily radio segment and online column on chapelboro. com about current UNC athletic affairs.

WCHL's 5,000 watt non directional daytime signal cuts back to 1,000 watts directional toward the southeast at sunset. The station has continuously broadcast from its two tower array on Franklin Street, noticeable for being emblazoned with metal call letters on one tower and its frequency on the other. In 2012, WCHL expanded to the FM band by acquiring a translator station from Liberty University in Virginia. The station, previously licensed to Creedmoor, North Carolina, at 98.5 FM, moved to Chapel Hill and to 97.9 MHz. The call sign is W250BP. The translator is intended to improve nighttime reception of the station and to allow listeners who prefer FM radio to tune in. In the fall of 2012, WCHL rebranded itself as 97.9 WCHL, while retaining its AM 1360 signal. WCHL can be digitally streamed on TuneIn, Radio Garden and on smart speakers by saying "Play WCHL".