page_title: WCHL (AM)
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: WCHL (AM) / History
caption_attribution_description: English: A broadcast van for WCHL in Chapel Hill, flagship of the Tar Heel Sports Network, at the 2013 Belk Bowl
context_page_description: WCHL is a radio station based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina broadcasting on 1360 AM, with a translator on 97.9 FM. It is the flagship station of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill radio sports broadcasts and an affiliate of the CBS Radio Network. Much of its programming is geared towards the Chapel Hill/Carrboro community, with a focus on local news and community-affairs programming.
context_section_description: Chapel Hill's oldest continuous broadcaster signed on January 25, 1953 under the ownership of 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. WCHL played top 40 music, and later adult contemporary before going news/talk 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 studios to the WDNC studios at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park and dumped the highly acclaimed local news and community-driven talk for an automated middle-of-the-road/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.  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 become a progressive talk-formatted station. 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 affiliated 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 9PM Eastern Time.
  In 2014, Leffler, who had run WCHL since 2009, left the station for Tenet Healthcare in Dallas, Texas.
  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 is an Adult Album Alternative station, which has 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 information about community news, events, and sports, while incorporating local and hit music into the programming.
  Its website is Chapelboro.com, a daily local news source for Chapel Hill and the surrounding area.
caption: A broadcast van for WCHL at the 2013 Belk Bowl
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