Help Restore WCHL's AM Site, Damaged by Chantal

97.9 The Hill WCHL has been broadcasting continually since 1953 and is a locally owned radio station providing free local news and information, music, and Tar Heel sports broadcasts to the greater Chapel Hill region - including Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham, Mebane, Hillsborough, and Pittsboro - on-air and online on Chapelboro.com.

We are honored to have been designated the non-metro Radio Station of the Year by the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters 8 years in a row (2016 - 2024).

When the radio station was founded in 1953 as a local news source, it operated from the building that is now owned and occupied by Mill House Properties - directly adjacent to Eastgate Shopping Center - with the AM towers located in the field across Franklin Street. Later it was moved across the street to the current office of Chapel Hill Dental Group, where vital equipment that powers our AM signal remained in a rented basement space until July 6, 2025. The building was protected by a man-made berm to prevent flood damage, but the historic amount of rainfall led to over 4-feet of standing water in the basement space.

“Tropical Storm Chantal brought severe flooding to our AM transmitter site, and the damage is significant,” said 97.9 The Hill General Manager Aubrey Williams. “But we’ve faced challenges before, and our team is already working toward repairs. We’re so grateful for the support of our listeners and this incredible community as we work to get 1360 AM back on the air.”

1360 WCHL is essential to our operations and provides the broadcast that is translated to 97.9 FM The Hill and streamed on Chapelboro.com. Currently it is temporarily operating at reduced power, and our studios at 1525 E Franklin Street remain untouched and fully operational, but it is critical that we rebuild our AM transmitter site and replace lost equipment (valued at $150K).

We have estimated that the new equipment and materials needed will be $25,000 (a fraction of the value lost), and we would greatly appreciate any support to help us directly cover the costs we will incur as we rebuild on nearby higher ground.

Thank you for your help!!