WLLQ

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title: "WLLQ" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["spanish-language-radio-stations-in-north-carolina", "radio-stations-in-the-research-triangle", "mass-media-in-chapel-hill-carrboro,-north-carolina", "radio-stations-established-in-1973", "1973-establishments-in-north-carolina", "daytime-only-radio-stations-in-north-carolina"] topic_path: "geography/spain" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WLLQ" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox radio station"]

Field	Value
name	WLLQ
logo	WLLQ La Grande 1530-1000-1220-910-1370 logo.png
logo_size	200px
city	Chapel Hill, North Carolina
country	US
branding	La Grande
airdate	1973 (as WRBX)
frequency	1530 kHz
format	Regional Mexican
power	10,000 watts daytime only
class	D
facility_id	9068
licensing_authority	FCC
coordinates
former_callsigns
owner	Estuardo Valdemar Rodriguez and Leonor Rodriguez
sister_stations	WRTG, WREV, WSRP, WLLN
webcast
website	lagrandenc.com
::

WLLQ is a daytime-only AM radio station licensed to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on 1530 kHz. The station is part of the regional Mexican music network called La Grande.

History

WLLQ debuted in 1973 as WRBX, a jazz-formatted station under the ownership of Stuart Epperson, later the head of national Christian broadcaster Salem Communications. WRBX's studios were located on Chapel Hill's West Rosemary Street, and the daytime-only station had 5,000 watts of power.

As the jazz format lost listeners to competitors on the FM dial, WRBX moved towards an inspirational Christian format. By 1978, WRBX had changed to a southern gospel format, increased its power to 10,000 watts and moved to studios on Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard (US 15/501) near present-day New Hope Commons Shopping Center.

In 1979, Epperson sold WRBX to Hugh Johnston, who changed the station to a country format. The country format continued until 1985, when WRBX was sold to L. L. "Buddy" Leathers' Carolina Christian Communications, and the inspirational Christian format was reinstated. The station's studios were moved into Leathers' repair shop, and the call letters changed to WRTP.

The inspirational format soon became contemporary Christian. Carolina Christian Communications expanded WRTP to a simulcast with Garner-based WRTG, 1000 AM, in 1994 and to Mebane-based WGSB, 1060 AM in 1995. Between these three stations the full Triangle region was covered, but only during daylight hours, as all three were licensed only for daytime operation.

In October 2004, WRTP, WRTG and WGSB were all purchased by Estuardo Valdemar Rodriguez and Leonor Rodriguez, owners of WLLN in Lillington, for $1.1 million. On February 3, 2005, WRTP and its two sister AM stations ceased broadcasting the "His Radio WRTP" Christian format on AM, and after a day off-air, the three stations resumed broadcasting, now with a regional Mexican format formerly heard on WFTK. AM 1530 also changed its call letters from WRTP to WLLQ.

The La Grande network later added stations, while WGSB's license was cancelled by the Federal Communications Commission on March 12, 2019, due to the station having been silent since January 13, 2017.

Notes

References

(March 12, 2019). "License Cancelled". Federal Communications Commission Licensing and Management System.

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