Another sports radio station for Charlotte

Charlotte will get a third sports radio station next year when CBS launches a nationwide sports network.

CBS Sports Radio, which will launch on Jan. 2, 2013, will take over the signal of WBCN-AM (1660), which now airs mostly conservative talk shows under the “America’s Talk” brand.

WBCN and WFNZ-AM (“Fan” 610) are both owned by CBS Radio. WFNZ will continue to carry locally-focused sports shows, but will be picking up some ingredients offered by the network. CBS said that WBCN, which used to simulcast WFNZ programs before switching to news-talk, will carry the CBS Sports Radio shows around the clock.

Elsewhere in the Carolinas, WNKT-FM and WYMB-AM in Columbia, will also be picking up some content from the network. Both those stations are owned by Cumulus Media, which will be a distribution and sales partner for CBS in the new venture.

CBS did not identify any personalities who will be doing shows for the new network, but said contributions will come from CBS Sports, CBS Sports Networks and CBSSports.com.

WFNZ is expected to add hourly CBS Sports updates on Sept. 4 as the network is being built.
Independently owned WZGV-AM ("ESPN" 730) also serves Charlotte with sports programming.