On October 15, 1952, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted a construction permit for a new daytime-only radio station on 740 kHz to serve Barnwell to Blue Ridge Broadcasting Company, Inc.[1] Broadcasts began less than a year later, on October 12, 1953.[2] Six months after signing on, WBAW earned one of the highest distinctions in station history when it received a Peabody Award for its public service programming, particularly its Church of Your Choice series.[3]
In 1956, the 500-watt station was sold to Radio WBAW, Inc.[1] The new owners, who spent $45,000, were Virginia and J. A. Gallimore and Joseph B. Wilder.[4] After power was raised to 1,000 watts in 1960, the Wilders bought out the Gallimores three years later.[1] Wilder would serve as president of the South Carolina Broadcasters Association, being inducted into its hall of fame in 1988; additionally, he spent six years as state aeronautics commissioner and then was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing a district including Barnwell and nearby Allendale.[5] August 1966 brought the addition of WBAW-FM 99.1, which initially was a partial simulcaster of the AM station's programming.[6]
In 1993, Joe Wilder sold the 79 percent of Radio WBAW, Inc., that he owned to his son H. Drew Wilder, who already owned the remainder; at the time, WBAW-AM-FM broadcast an adult contemporary format.[7] The WBAW stations were split in 1998: the AM station went to Jacor, which paid $117,000 for the facility, now with a religious format.[8]
In two years under Jacor ownership, the station changed call signs two times in four months, becoming WMXG on January 8, 1999, and WBUB on April 30 of that year.[9] The WBUB call sign had previously been parked on 730 AM in Charleston after having been used at 107.5 MHz there.[10] However, the 740 station would not last much longer; it went silent in May 2000.[11]