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|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Upstate South Carolina |
| Frequency | 1330kHz |
| Branding | Upstate Red |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Format | Conservative talk radio |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| History | |
First air date |
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Former call signs | WFBC (1924–1997) |
Call sign meaning | "Word" (Y substitutes for the O, used in sister stationWORD) |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 34389 |
| Class | B |
| Power | 5,000 watts |
Transmitter coordinates | 34°51′19.4″N82°25′25.4″W / 34.855389°N 82.423722°W /34.855389; -82.423722 |
| Repeaters |
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| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast |
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| Website | www |
WYRD (1330kHz), branded as "Upstate Red", is aconservative talk-formatted commercialAM radio station, licensed by theFederal Communications Commission toAudacy, Inc. inGreenville, South Carolina, which serves Upstate South Carolina. Studios and transmitter site are located in Greenville.
The station power is 5 kW, non-directional daytime and three-way directional at night. Programming is simulcast onWORD (950 AM) inSpartanburg, andWYRD-FM’s HD2 subchannel.
The station has traditionally traced its history to May 1933, the date when it began broadcasting from Greenville.[3] However,Federal Communications Commission (FCC) records list the station's first license date as November 4, 1924,[4] tracing its origin to the original license, issued as WFBC to the First Baptist Church ofKnoxville, Tennessee.[5] The station, designed by University of Tennessee senior Andy Ring, was a gift by Mrs. J. B. Jones, in memory of her mother, Mrs. W. S. Hall. Following a series of test transmissions, WFBC made its formal Knoxville debut on November 23, 1924.[1]
On December 9, 1932, theFederal Radio Commission approved transferring the WFBC license from Virgil V. Evans to the Greenville News-Piedmont Company, as part of a move from Knoxville to Greenville. At the time, WFBC operated on 1200 kHz with 50 watts of power.[6] On January 8, 1935, theFederal Communications Commission approved increasing the station's power to 5,000 watts.[7]
In later years, WFBC was known for its top-40 format. In 1997, the station's call letters, which continue to be used byWFBC-FM, were changed to WYRD. Until the format change from talk to sports on March 29, 2014,[8] News Radio WORD carried Russ and Lisa,Mike Gallagher,Coast to Coast AM,Rush Limbaugh,Kim Komando,Lars Larson,Dave Ramsey,Sean Hannity and Bob McLain.WYRD-FM now airs the talk format that was once simulcast onWORD (AM), and on the FM station starting in 2008.
WYRD and its associated FM translator signals became "ESPN Upstate" in February 2014. The station began withESPN Radio programming, except during the afternoondrive time slot, which was hosted locally by Greenville-Spartanburg radio veteran Greg McKinney. Later in 2014, McKinney's show "The Huddle" moved to early afternoons, and Mark Sturgis took over the afternoon drive slot. McKinney retired from the station in January 2019, and the early afternoon show was taken over by Marc Ryan. Sturgis has had extended absences from the station for health reasons, and a variety of substitute hosts filled in.
On March 23, 2022, WYRD and its FM translators rebranded as "The Fan Upstate" and switched affiliations from ESPN Radio toCBS Sports Radio andBetQL Network.[9]
On September 29, 2025, WYRD and WORD changed their format from sports (which continues on WFBC-FM-HD3) to conservative talk, branded as "Upstate Red".[10]