LAURINBURG — WLNC Radio was knocked off the air after its broadcast tower collapsed at the station’s Lila Drive location.
Gary Gallman, owner and general manager of Scotland Broadcasting Company, which does business as WLNC Radio and broadcasts on FM 95.1 and AM 1300, said the tower collapsed while a tree removal company working on behalf of Lumber River EMC was clearing a path for trucks to replace a utility pole. He said equipment struck a guidewire, causing the tower to fall onto one of the company’s vehicles before silencing the station.
“Down it came,” Gallman said.
Gallman said the station was broadcasting as usual when the tower collapsed.
“We were on the air and all of a sudden, we weren’t on the air,” Gallman said. “That’s how we found out.”
The collapse left WLNC without its FM 95.1 and AM 1300 signals.
“Unfortunately, we have no AM or FM,” Gallman said.
Gallman described the loss of the station’s broadcast signal as a significant setback.
“We’re completely dead in the water,” Gallman said.
Gallman said the tower, which was erected in 1962, was destroyed in the collapse and will have to be replaced.
“That one’s destroyed so it’s not going to be fast,” Gallman said. “The fastest will be days and I’m thinking maybe weeks.”
As of Friday afternoon, the station remained off the air. Gallman said the station has been working to restore service, but the solutions tried so far have not been successful. He said WLNC is aiming to return to the air Saturday or early next week.
“It was totally beyond our control, and we’ll just have to see what happens next,” Gallman said.