History WCLG (AM)

1 history

1.1 pre-broadcast
1.2 history since launch
1.3 sale

history
pre-broadcast

martinsburg, west virginia, businessman c. leslie golliday filed initial application station fcc on september 1, 1954. in application, golliday estimated construction costs @ $13,608, first year operation cost of $36,000. golliday estimated initial revenue of $60,000.

wclg began testing equipment during week of december 19, 1954, , filed construction permit application 2 days later. wclg broadcast first time on december 27, 1954. station had music-news format, using associated press news service.

in days, wclg daytime-only broadcaster, power of 500 watts. owner c. leslie golliday used initials station s call sign. golliday, owned martinsburg s wepm, envisioned network of stations across state of west virginia.

wclg officially granted broadcast license fcc on january 18, 1955. throughout existence, wclg s studios have been @ 343 high street in morgantown.

history since launch

the wclg studios (and sign) along high street in morgantown.

on march 10, 1955, wclg filed application increase power 1,000 watts, proposing continue daytime-only broadcasts. application granted on september 28, 1955. in 1958, future owner garry l. bowers joined station announcer. wclg bought freed broadcasting corporation $67,000 on december 19, 1959.

in may 1960, stanley r. cox, candidate in republican primary election house of representatives, filed equal-time rule complaint against wclg. cox objected station gave opponent, sheriff charles whiston, five-minute-long segment called sheriff s office calling . in show arrests , other activities of interest recited ; ended 30-second thought day . cox had been refused equal-time station on ground program public service feature. fcc upheld complaint, deciding content of program determined sheriff whiston , not station , remarks made sheriff of editorial nature. whiston go on win primary on cox 300 votes.

the station s coverage of explosion @ farmington number 9 mine, killed 78, earned station associated press radio-television association (aprta) in 1969. station earned aprta award outstanding news coverage following year.

sister station wclg-fm began broadcasting on september 28, 1974. during 1974, wclg began top 40 format. change in format took place in 1978, middle of road (mor) music taking place of top 40. wclg became part of nbc radio network on october 2, 1978. in 1979, bowers became station s general manager.

wclg applied broadcasting power increase on november 4, 1980, 2,500 watts, remained daytime-only station. station added oldies mor music format in 1983.

logo used wclg under branding oldies 13am .

in 1985, wclg switched formats soft adult contemporary playlist. on march 15 of year, freed broadcasting corporation sold wclg-fm , sister station wclg bowers broadcasting corporation, owned garry bowers, $715,000.

the station changed formats again in 1988, time classic hits. 2 years later, wclg began broadcasting during nighttime 44 watts of power, enough cover city of morgantown. format change took place in 1991, when station switched golden oldies using pure gold format satellite music network (now cumulus media networks).

bowers broadcasting corporation owner garry l. bowers died on december 24, 2011. on september 25, 2013, control of company transferred bowers widow, linda k. bowers.

sale

antenna on jackson street in westover

on september 26, 2013, linda bowers entered agreement sell wclg , sister station wclg-fm ajg corporation, $1.8 million. bowers entered time brokerage agreement, allowing ajg operate station prior close of sale.

the federal communications commission (fcc) rescinded transfer-of-ownership application on october 21, 2013, after objection joe potter, senior vice president of img sports. potter contended there close connections , operational control between ajg corporation , west virginia radio corporation (wvrc) , ajg s purchase of wclg-am/fm possibly in violation of fcc regulations. co-directors of west virginia radio corporation, john , david raese, operate ajg corporation trust descendents.

potter s complaint went on img close finalizing contract air wvu sports prevented terms of ajg s purchase agreement , barred bowers broadcasting corporation entering contract or agreement without consent of ajg .

west virginia radio corporation held rights west virginia university sports before losing them img sports. west virginia radio corporation filed lawsuit against west virginia university , img sports retain broadcast rights, lost in late august 2013.

the fcc granted ownership transfer on february 3, 2015 subject several conditions regarding business relationships , communication between ajg , wvrc. appeal of grant conditions denied fcc on september 16, 2015. bowers broadcasting subsequently filed applications extension of consummation of transfer on october 23, 2015, january 29, 2016, april 22, 2016, july 22, 2016, , october 17, 2016. last of these extension requests denied fcc on november 30, 2016, , denial appealed on january 10, 2017.

the transfer ajg corporation consummated on september 1, 2017, @ point wclg changed format classic hits adult contemporary, branded morgan 92.1/1300 . (info taken stationintel.com)