WWWC (AM)
WWWC (1240 AM), also known as 3WC, is a 24-hour Southern Gospel radio station located in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, United States, serving Wilkes County, North Carolina. The station is owned by Foothills Media, Inc. and broadcasts with 1 kilowatt at 1240 kHz on the AM band, as well as over the internet.
City | Wilkesboro, North Carolina |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Wilkes County, North Carolina |
Frequency | 1240 kHz |
Branding | 1240 3WC |
Programming | |
Format | Southern Gospel |
Ownership | |
Owner | Foothills Media, Inc. (John Wishon) |
History | |
First air date | January 26, 1970[1] |
Call sign meaning | Wonderful World of Wilkes County[2] |
Technical information | |
Class | C |
Power | 1,000 watts |
Repeater(s) | 100.1 W261CG 103.5 W278CZ (Elkin) |
Links | |
Website | www |
History
On November 20, 1968, Paul Cashion and J.B. Wilson, doing business as Wilkes County Radio, obtained the construction permit for a new 100-watt radio station in Wilkesboro. WWWC signed on January 26, 1970 with a country format.[1] Power was increased to 500 watts day/250 night later that year.[3] Not long after, the station shifted toward a Top 40 format, which remained for most of the next 30 years. Tomlinson Broadcasting acquired WWWC in 1983 for $410,000.[4] The station went silent on November 11, 1992[5] until the station was purchased by Ken Byrd, Alan Combs and John Wishon and adopted its Southern Gospel format on July 11, 1994.[6][7] 3WC is currently owned by John Wishon, who bought out the station from co-owner Alan Combs in 2006 for $200,000.[8]
Translators
In addition to the main station, WWWC is relayed by translators to widen its broadcast area. Cumberland Communities Communications Corporation, owner of WDVX, sold the Wilkesboro frequency to Foothills Media Inc. for $20,000.[9] In July 2019, a second transmitter was put in place near Elkin, adding an FM signal to the northeast of Wilkesboro.
Call sign | Frequency (MHz) | City of license | ERP (W) | Class | FCC info |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
W261CG | 100.1 | Wilkesboro, North Carolina | 250 | D | FCC |
W278CZ | 103.5 | Elkin, North Carolina | 250 | D | FCC |
References
- "WWWC" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1971. p. B-154 (346). Retrieved December 7, 2019.
- "Meet Ric Vandett, New Superintendent". The Charlotte Observer. March 29, 2006.
- FCC History Cards for WWWC
- "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 18, 1983. p. 47. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
- FCC special temporary authority application, June 9, 1994.
- "Radio Daze", by Mike Walker, 1999.
- About 3WC, 12403wc.com.
- "Deals". Broadcasting and Cable. April 17, 2006. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
- "NC translator going commercial". RBR. March 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
External links
- WWWC in the FCC's AM station database
- WWWC on Radio-Locator
- WWWC in Nielsen Audio's AM station database