W253BG

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W253BG (98.5 FM) is an alternative rock radio station serving Upstate South Carolina from Arial. It is technically a broadcast translator, but it uses a legal loophole to simulcast HD Radio channel 2 from WJMZ-FM 107.3, which lets it cover its area while avoiding some translator and ownership rules.

The station began broadcasting on March 27, 2007, re-broadcasting WHRZ-LP in Spartanburg, which airs Christian Contemporary music. In June 2012, an application was filed to move the transmitter to Paris Mountain in Greenville and drop power to about 200 watts, with the plan to also rebroadcast WJMZ-FM’s HD2 signal.

In early July 2012, Cox Radio announced a new format, and on August 5–6 the station launched as X-98.5, “The Upstate’s New Rock Alternative.” The first song was We Are Young by Fun.

On July 20, 2012, Cox Radio announced the sale of W253BG and 22 other stations to SummitMedia for $66.25 million; the sale was completed on May 3, 2013.

In September 2013, the station registered websites that referenced a potential gospel format (Praise 98.5), but that format never started. In June 2014 there were rumors of a switch to Earth FM by simulcasting WRTH, but that change also did not happen.