Informatics Educational Institutions & Programs
| |
|---|---|
| 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[3] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 22017 |
| Class | C |
| Power | 1,000 watts unlimited |
| Repeater(s) | 100.1 W261CG 103.5 W278CZ (Elkin) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | www |
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. 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.
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.[4][1] Power was increased to 500 watts day/250 night later that year.[5] 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.[6] However, the company filed for bankruptcy reorganization in 1991, owing most of its debt to original owners Cashion and Wilson. The station went off the air on November 12, 1992, and returned to the air on December 4 with Cashion and Wilson again running it.[7] This was short-lived; Cashion had a stroke and decided to withdraw, leaving the station to close again on January 7, 1993.[8]
WWWC remained off the air until the station was purchased by Ken Byrd, Alan Combs, and John Wishon and adopted its Southern gospel format on July 11, 1994.[9] 3WC is currently owned by John Wishon, who bought out the station from co-owner Alan Combs in 2006 for $200,000.[10]
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.[11] In July 2019, a second transmitter was put in place near Elkin, adding an FM signal to the northeast of Wilkesboro.
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | ERP (W) | Class | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W261CG | 100.1 FM | Wilkesboro, North Carolina | 250 | D | FMQ |
| W278CZ | 103.5 FM | Elkin, North Carolina | 250 | D | FMQ |
References
- ^ a b "WWWC" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1971. p. B-154 (346). Retrieved December 7, 2019.
- ^ "Meet Ric Vandett, New Superintendent". The Charlotte Observer. March 29, 2006.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WWWC". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "New Station in Wilkes Begins Broadcasting". Winston-Salem Journal. January 30, 1970. p. 34. Retrieved May 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ FCC History Cards for WWWC
- ^ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 18, 1983. p. 47. ProQuest 1014702775. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
- ^ "Wilkes Station Is Back on the Air". Winston-Salem Journal. December 3, 1992. p. 26. Retrieved May 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "WWWC Goes Off Air Again". Winston-Salem Journal. January 10, 1993. p. E3. Retrieved May 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "WWWC-AM to return to the air Monday". Winston-Salem Journal. July 9, 1994. p. 18. Retrieved May 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Deals". Broadcasting and Cable. April 17, 2006. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
- ^ "NC translator going commercial". RBR. March 5, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
