WTBW-FM

WTBW-FM (106.1 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Wilmington, North Carolina. It is owned by Audacy, Inc, and carries an urban contemporary format, with its HD2 signal carrying an adult album alternative format. The station's studios and transmitters are located at 48th Street in downtown Wilmington.

As WGNI-FM
On February 21, 1958, WGNI (1340 AM) would launch an FM simulcast under the name WGNI-FM. Both stations carried a Top 40 format. In 1969, WGNI-FM would split from its AM sister station, and air "Love", an progressive rock radio network owned by the ABC network. After the discontinuation of Love, WGNI-FM would contain being a progressive rock station until 1973 when it switched to rock and roll.

As WILM-FM
On September 10, 1974, WGNI-FM would regain its Top 40 format and change its call-letters to WILM-FM, to reflect its coverage throughout Wilmington. The branding of the station depends on the ad or radio jingle, most of the time it would be either WILM FM 106.1, WILM 106.1, or 106.1 WILM.

Throughout 1974 to 1982, it would be the top station in Wilmington rating charts. By mid-1982, the station's ratings weren't good, Taking opportunity on this, the parent company of WILM-FM (WGNI, Inc.), would replace the station's top 40 format which the station aired for 8 years with a talk radio format.

Initially, the change wasn't received well but after the station added hit music back into the schedule, the station's ratings would improve. So much so, that WILM-FM was back on the top charts again.

The Knight and the early Beat
On July 18, 1986, following the success of the new format, the station would change its call-letters to WNIT and its branding to "106.1 The Knight". The first song to play on "106.1 The Knight" was "Holding Back the Years" by Simply Red. However, the branding and call-letters wouldn't last that long.

They only lasted two years before being replaced by a new on air name "106.1 The Beat" and the station's current call-letters, WTBW-FM on August 12, 1989. The last song to play on "106.1 The Knight" was "Look Away" by Chicago, while the first song to play on "106.1 The Beat" was "Rock On" by Michael Damian.

In 1992, longtime owner Community Broadcasting (the former WGNI, Inc.) would sell WTBW-FM to another local company Wilmington Telecasters, which owned television station WJKA-TV (channel 26). Later on July 6, 1996, Infinity Radio (which owned rival station WMVR-FM) would purchase WTBW-FM from Wilmington Telecasters, due to creation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (which allowed radio companies to own up to 5 stations per market).

The Hip-hop Beat
In order to reduce redundancy between both stations, WTBW-FM would drop its contemporary hit radio format in favor of an urban contemporary format. The format change would happen on Christmas Day 1996. The last song to play on the original "106.1 The Beat" was "I'm Your Angel" by R. Kelly and Céline Dion and the first song on the new "106.1 The Beat" was "Sittin' on Chrome" by Masta Ace Incorporated.

6 days later after the format change, Infinity Broadcasting would merge with CBS Radio to form Infinity Radio (with CBS being the parent company of the new combined joint-venture). In 2005, its name would revert back to CBS Radio. In early 2007, CBS Radio announced plans to sell their Wilmington stations to Cumulus Media, however plans have phased out.

On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced it would merge with Entercom. The merger was approved on November 9, 2017, and was consummated on the 17th.