WFGM (AM)

WFGM (1300 AM) is a contemporary Christian-formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Morgantown, West Virginia, serving Morgantown and Monongalia County, West Virginia.[1] WFGM is owned by West Virginia Radio Corporation and operated under their AJG Corporation licensee.[2]

WFGM
CityMorgantown, West Virginia
Broadcast areaMorgantown, West Virginia
Monongalia County, West Virginia
Frequency1300 AM kHz
BrandingNew Journey FGM
Programming
FormatContemporary Christian (WFGM-FM simulcast)[1]
Ownership
OwnerWest Virginia Radio Corporation[2]
(AJG Corporation)
Sister stationsWCLG-FM, WFGM-FM
History
First air dateDecember 27, 1954[3][4]
Former call signsWCLG (1954-2019)
Technical information
Facility ID3
ClassD
Power2,500 watts (daytime)
44 watts (nighttime)
Transmitter coordinates39°37′40.0″N 79°58′11.0″W
Translator(s)92.1 W221DR (Morgantown)

History

Pre-broadcast

Martinsburg, West Virginia, businessman C. Leslie Golliday filed the initial application for the station with the FCC on September 1, 1954.[5] In the application, Golliday estimated construction costs at $13,608, with a first year operation cost of $36,000.[5] Golliday estimated an initial revenue of $60,000.[5]

As WCLG, the station began testing equipment during the week of December 19, 1954,[6] and filed its construction permit application two days later.[7][8] WCLG broadcast for the first time on December 27, 1954.[3][4] The station initially had a "music-news" format, using the Associated Press news service.[3]

In its early days, WCLG was a daytime-only broadcaster, with a power of 500 watts.[4] Owner C. Leslie Golliday used his initials for the station's call sign.[4][9] Golliday, who also owned Martinsburg's WEPM, envisioned a network of stations across the state of West Virginia.[10]

WCLG was officially granted its broadcast license by the FCC on January 18, 1955.[11] Throughout its existence, the station's studios have been at 343 High Street in Morgantown.[4][12]

History since launch
The WCLG studios and sign along High Street in Morgantown, 2015.

On March 10, 1955, WCLG filed an application to increase its power to 1,000 watts, proposing to continue daytime-only broadcasts.[13] The application was granted on September 28, 1955.[14] In 1958, future owner Garry L. Bowers joined the station as an announcer.[15] WCLG was bought by Freed Broadcasting Corporation for $67,000 on December 19, 1959.[16][17]

In May 1960, Stanley R. Cox, a candidate in the Republican primary election for the House of Representatives, filed an equal-time rule complaint against WCLG.[18][19] Cox objected that the station gave his opponent, Sheriff Charles Whiston, a five-minute-long segment called "Sheriff's Office Calling".[18] In the show, "arrests and other activities of interest are recited"; it ended with a 30-second "thought for the day".[18] Cox had been refused equal-time by the station "on the ground that the program is a public service feature."[18] The FCC upheld the complaint, deciding the content of the program was "determined by Sheriff Whiston and not by the station" and that remarks made by the sheriff were of an editorial nature.[18] Whiston would go on to win the primary over Cox by about 300 votes.[19]

The station's coverage of the explosion at the Farmington Number 9 mine, which killed 78, earned the station the Associated Press Radio-Television Association (APRTA) in early 1969.[20][21][22] The station earned another APRTA award for "Outstanding News Coverage" the following year.[23]

Sister station WCLG-FM began broadcasting on September 28, 1974.[24] Also during 1974, WCLG began a Top 40 format.[24] Another change in format took place in 1978, with middle of the road (MOR) music taking the place of Top 40.[25] WCLG became part of the NBC Radio Network on October 2, 1978.[26][27] In 1979, Bowers became the station's general manager.[28]

WCLG applied for another broadcasting power increase on November 4, 1980,[29] to 2,500 watts, but remained a daytime-only station.[30] The station added oldies to its MOR music format in 1983.[30]

Logo used by WCLG under the branding "Oldies 13AM".

In 1985, WCLG switched formats to a soft adult contemporary playlist.[31] On March 15 of that year, Freed Broadcasting Corporation sold WCLG-FM and sister station WCLG to Bowers Broadcasting Corporation, owned by Garry Bowers, for $715,000.[32]

The station changed formats again in 1988, this time to classic hits.[33] Two years later, WCLG began broadcasting during the nighttime with 44 watts of power, enough to cover the city of Morgantown.[34][35] Another format change took place in 1991, when the station switched to golden oldies using the "Pure Gold" format from Satellite Music Network (now Cumulus Media Networks).[36]

Bowers Broadcasting Corporation owner Garry L. Bowers died on December 24, 2011.[15] On September 25, 2013, control of the company was transferred to Bowers' widow, Linda K. Bowers.[37]

Sale
Antenna on Jackson Street in Westover

On September 26, 2013, Linda Bowers entered into an agreement to sell WCLG and sister station WCLG-FM to AJG Corporation, for $1.8 million.[38][39] Bowers also entered into a time brokerage agreement, allowing AJG to operate the station prior to the close of the sale.[39][40]

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rescinded the transfer-of-ownership application on October 21, 2013, after an objection by Joe Potter, Senior Vice President of IMG Sports.[41] Potter contended there were "very close connections and operational control" between AJG Corporation and West Virginia Radio Corporation (WVRC) and AJG's purchase of WCLG-AM/FM would "possibly in violation of FCC regulations."[41] The co-directors of West Virginia Radio Corporation, John and David Raese, operate AJG Corporation as a trust for their descendants.[41]

Potter's complaint went on to say that "IMG was close to finalizing a contract to air WVU sports" but was "prevented by the terms of AJG's purchase agreement", which barred Bowers Broadcasting Corporation from "'entering into any contract or agreement' without the consent of AJG".[41]

West Virginia Radio Corporation previously held the rights to West Virginia University sports before losing them to IMG Sports. West Virginia Radio Corporation filed a lawsuit against West Virginia University and IMG Sports to retain the broadcast rights, which it lost in late August 2013.[41][42]

The FCC granted the ownership transfer on February 3, 2015 subject to several conditions regarding business relationships and communication between AJG and WVRC. An appeal of the grant conditions was denied by the FCC on September 16, 2015. Bowers Broadcasting subsequently filed applications for extension of the consummation of the transfer on October 23, 2015, January 29, 2016, April 22, 2016, July 22, 2016, and October 17, 2016. The last of these extension requests was denied by the FCC on November 30, 2016, and this denial was appealed on January 10, 2017.

The transfer to AJG Corporation was eventually consummated on September 1, 2017, at which point WCLG changed their format from classic hits to adult contemporary, branded as "Morgan 92.1". (info taken from stationintel.com)

On November 29, 2019, the station changed its call sign to WFGM. On December 5, 2019, WCLG changed their format from adult contemporary to contemporary Christian, branded as "The New Journey FGM".[43]

Former staff

Jim Slade, a Morgantown native, was hired as news director when the station launched in 1954.[44] Slade was later heard on WOWO and WIND, covering the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy on the latter station.[44] On the Mutual Broadcasting System and at ABC News he covered space-related stories.[44]

Country-music performer Charlie Arnett hosted the Old Trading Post program on WCLG in 1959.[45] Arnett's later career took him to the CBS Radio program Renfro Valley Folks and to the Tampa, Florida, station WDAE.[46]

Eugene Cottilli started as sports director at WCLG, before becoming the press secretary to Senator Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio.[47] As of 2013, Cottilli is the Congressional Media Liaison for the United States Department of Commerce.[48]

Programming

As of 2014, WCLG carried programming from Cumulus Media Networks' satellite-fed Classic Hits network.[49] Every Sunday morning, WCLG broadcast services live from Star City's St. Mary Roman Catholic Church at 8:30 a.m. and Morgantown's Spruce Street United Methodist Church at 10:45 a.m.[50][51] The station also carried the Living the Country Life show, the radio companion to the Living the Country Life magazine.[52]

gollark: I assume most people don't actually care.
gollark: Adding fractions, that is.
gollark: One time my friend forgot that in a maths test somehow, and had to figure it out again during it.
gollark: How *old* are these people?
gollark: What's "HL" and "IB"?

References
  1. "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  2. "WFGM Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  3. Broadcasting/Telecasting (PDF). Broadcasting Publications, Inc. January 24, 1955. p. 68. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  4. 1955 Broadcasting Yearbook/Marketbook (PDF). Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1955. p. 322. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  5. Broadcasting/Telecasting (PDF). Broadcasting Publications, Inc. September 13, 1954. p. 130. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
  6. Broadcasting/Telecasting (PDF). Broadcasting Publications, Inc. December 20, 1954. p. 85. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
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  8. Broadcasting/Telecasting (PDF). Broadcasting Publications, Inc. December 27, 1954. p. 91. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  9. "Origins of Broadcast Call Letters in West Virginia". Jeff Miller. June 13, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  10. McVey, John (October 26, 2011). "Station going strong after 65 years". The Journal. Martinsburg, West Virginia: Ogden Newspapers. Archived from the original on April 14, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
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  12. "Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. October 21, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  13. Broadcasting/Telecasting (PDF). Broadcasting Publications, Inc. March 21, 1955. p. 122. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  14. Broadcasting/Telecasting (PDF). Broadcasting Publications, Inc. October 3, 1955. p. 106. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
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