WKAC
WKAC (1080 AM, "The Big 1080") is a radio station in Athens, Alabama, United States, broadcasting on the 1080 kHz frequency. The station is owned by Limestone Broadcasting Company, Inc. It primarily serves the Huntsville, Alabama, market.[1][2]
City | Athens, Alabama |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Huntsville, Alabama |
Frequency | 1080 kHz |
Branding | The Big 1080 |
Slogan | Live. Local. Legendary. |
Programming | |
Format | Classic hits, Talk |
Ownership | |
Owner | Limestone Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
History | |
First air date | 1964 |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 37505 |
Class | D |
Power | 5,000 watts (day) 2,500 watts (critical hours) |
Transmitter coordinates | 34°50′13″N 86°58′28″W |
Links | |
Webcast | Listen Live |
Website | wkac1080.com |
Programming
The station plays a mix of local programming and classic hits. Weekday programming includes "Morning Drive with Ken Fox, "Sick Call" hosted by Jay Hudson, "The Classifieds",[3] late mornings with "The Morning Show with Ken and Kirk", middays with Tim Lambert's "Goodtime Gold Midday Show", and afternoons with Kirk Harvey. "Sick Call" is a daily program which lists recent deaths and people in the hospital; the show first aired in 1953.[4] "The Classifieds", formerly known as "Swap 'n' Shop", is a live call-in tradio show for listing things for sale. The music is an oldies format. This programming block airs from sign-on to sign-off.
Weekend programming includes a mix of music and local shows. Notable weekend shows include "Applebee's Tailgate Talk" on Saturday mornings. WKAC began internet streaming in 2011.
In 2012 the station began to air Athens High School football on wkac1080.com with play by play announcer Greg Young alongside color commentator Coach Jerry Davis. Athens High School basketball games are also carried on wkac1080.com with play by play announcer Cale Abernathy and color commentator Coach Ron Oakley.
History
Notable former on air personalities include George Rose who, along with his alter-ego "Cousin Josh" character, hosted "The Cousin Josh Jamboree" on several North Alabama radio stations in a career that began in 1948 at then-WJMW and ended at WKAC with his death in 2006.[5] Popular Birmingham on air personality Coyote J Calhoun was program director at WKAC for a short period in late 1972 working under the air name Jackson (Jack) Richards. The station broadcast blocks of Spanish-language programming from 2001 to 2012.
References
- "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Archived from the original on March 1, 2010. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
- "About Us". Play Action Sports Report.
- Komis, Danielle (December 30, 2006). "Dialing for laughs: Jokester Willie P. Richardson bringing his prank calls, standup routine to Athens". The Decatur Daily. Retrieved December 30, 2007.
Richardson has visited local station WKAC 1080 a few times on their morning classifieds show, and each time listeners get "a kick out of it," said on-air personality Ken Fox. "He's hilarious," he said.
- "'Sick Call' Keeps Community Informed". Ledger-Enquirer. Columbus, Georgia. June 18, 2003. p. A1.
When Mary Romine sits down and adjusts the chrome-plated microphone on the spring-tensioned stand, it's an old habit. For years, she was co-host to the AM radio show that her husband, Buford Romine, and businessman J.C. Dobbs started in 1953.
- Bishop, Kristen (December 9, 2006). "George Rose, famous as radio's 'Cousin Josh,' dies at 78; funeral today". The Decatur Daily.
External links
- WKAC in the FCC's AM station database
- WKAC on Radio-Locator
- WKAC in Nielsen Audio's AM station database