WCGC
Encyclopedia
WCGC is a radio station
broadcasting a Christian radio
format. Licensed to Belmont, North Carolina
, USA, it serves the Charlotte
/Gastonia
area. The station is currently owned by WHVN Inc. The station is simulcast onto WHVN
at 1240 AM.
Ebb Gantt, who played football for Belmont High School and Belmont Abbey College
, later became the radio voice for both teams (the high school later consolidated with Cramerton
High to form South Point High School
, whose games Gantt and WCGC carried) as well as Davidson College
, during his years as a WCGC sportscaster, beginning in the late 1950s. Gantt became the station's general manager and retired in 1980.
Jack LaFaivre, who went on to jobs at WXII and WSJS
in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
, worked at WCGC after graduating from Belmont Abbey.
Many other local broadcasters spent time at WCGC including Joe McLaney, who went on to WBT as Production Director, and Bob Brandon, formerly of WSOC-FM and Clear Channel Charlotte.
In 1986, with the Atlanta Braves
of Major League Baseball
having been dropped by WSOC-AM
, WCGC picked up the Baltimore Orioles
. WJZY
, a TV station which shared a building with WCGC in its early days, also aired the Orioles.
Rev. Charles Beasley had a Sunday morning show on WCGC until general manager Jim Mintzer found out he was grand dragon of the Christian knights of the Ku Klux Klan
. Protestors from four states showed up at city hall and the radio station, without incident, though law enforcement officers stood by just in case anything happened.
WCGC had been on the air 35 years in June 1989 when Suburban Radio Group, owner of 11 radio stations, sold its flagship station in Belmont
to Mintzer. The radio group would remain in the building with WCGC, and no major format changes were planned. WCGC played country music
except on Sundays, when the station aired religious
programming. WCGC also broadcast all games of the minor league baseball
Gastonia Rangers
. Some of the games were to be tape-delayed if they conflicted with South Point High School football, but WCGC agreed to carry the baseball games live if the team made the playoffs. WGNC
in Gastonia
took over the broadcasts in 1990
In 1993, WCGC carried Cleveland Indians
games.
In January 1994, WCGC had already made the switch to talk radio
, with shows such as G. Gordon Liddy
, Larry King
and Pat Buchanan
, when Chris Vaughn began a 30-minute talk show with a conservative
focus, which expanded to 90 minutes in June. Another local host was John Sullivan, who moved to WNMX-AM
in 1996.
In August 1995, newspaper parenting
columnist John Rosemond
began a talk show on WSIC in Statesville
, which WCGC also aired.
In 1996, WCGC carried West Mecklenburg High School Friday night football games on Saturday mornings.
In 1997, WCGC became the Charlotte-area affiliate for the National Hockey League
Carolina Hurricanes
in their first season playing in North Carolina.
In July 1998, Mintzer sold WCGC to the owners of WHVN
. However, WCGC continued to make news for an incident on the "Wakin' Up with Java John" morning show. John Wall, a Gastonia city employee, sued talk show host John Hunsucker and Mintzer for derogatory comments made by an anonymous caller known as "Slim Jim" during a five-month period while Mintzer owned the station. Mintzer said WCGC broadcast disclaimer
s telling listeners that callers' opinions were not those of the station. A jury awarded $10,500 to Wall, leading Penn State
journalism professor Robert Richards, also director of the Pennsylvania Center for the First Amendment, to regard this case as yet another potential limit on freedom of speech
.
WCGC began airing WHVN's programming most of the time but continued to carry separate sports programs, as well as Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts
.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
broadcasting a Christian radio
Christian radio
Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
format. Licensed to Belmont, North Carolina
Belmont, North Carolina
Belmont is a small suburban city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States, located about west of uptown Charlotte, North Carolina and east of Gastonia. The population was 8,705 at the 2000 census. Once known as Garibaldi, the city named in honor of August Belmont, a prominent New York banker...
, USA, it serves the Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
/Gastonia
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
area. The station is currently owned by WHVN Inc. The station is simulcast onto WHVN
WHVN
WHVN is a radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format. Licensed to Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, it serves the area. The station is currently owned by WHVN Inc...
at 1240 AM.
History
WCGC was started by Mr Robert Richard Hilker and The 5000 watt Radio station was put on the air with a transmitter built by Mr. Hilker himself from a Heath Kit model-It was Mr. Hilker who started and actually applied to the FCC for licensing of the radio station. Mr Hilker was owned WCGC and with that built Suburban Radio Group which owned and operated 11 AM and FM radio stations and also put 2 television stations one WJZY in Charlotte and another in Morehead City on the air. At the tiime of Mr. Hilker's death the radio station was still using the transmitter Mr Hilker built as backup for the now computerized WCGC. Born in Winston-Salem, he served in the U.S. Navy and established Cablevision Companies in Gaston County and the Lake Norman area as well at Charlotte television station WJZY-TV. He was past Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters Radio Board, served on the boards of numerous national broadcasting associations and civic organizations and was inducted into the N.C. Broadcasters Hall of FameEbb Gantt, who played football for Belmont High School and Belmont Abbey College
Belmont Abbey College
Belmont Abbey College is a private liberal-arts Catholic college located in Belmont, North Carolina, USA west of Uptown Charlotte. It was founded in 1876 by the Benedictine monks of Belmont Abbey...
, later became the radio voice for both teams (the high school later consolidated with Cramerton
Cramerton, North Carolina
Cramerton is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States and is also considered to be a suburb of Charlotte and Gastonia. The population was 2,976 at the 2000 census...
High to form South Point High School
South Point High School (North Carolina)
South Point High School is a public high school in the Gaston County Schools public school district located in Belmont, North Carolina.-Administration:...
, whose games Gantt and WCGC carried) as well as Davidson College
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...
, during his years as a WCGC sportscaster, beginning in the late 1950s. Gantt became the station's general manager and retired in 1980.
Jack LaFaivre, who went on to jobs at WXII and WSJS
WSJS
WSJS is a radio station based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that broadcasts at 600 AM. It has a news/talk radio format and its slogan is "The Triad's News Radio", where "Triad" refers to the Piedmont Triad.-Programming:...
in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
, worked at WCGC after graduating from Belmont Abbey.
Many other local broadcasters spent time at WCGC including Joe McLaney, who went on to WBT as Production Director, and Bob Brandon, formerly of WSOC-FM and Clear Channel Charlotte.
In 1986, with the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
having been dropped by WSOC-AM
WYFQ
WYFQ at 93.5 FM and 930 AM are two stations broadcasting the Bible Broadcasting Network in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. The AM station operates with a power of 5,000 watts daytime and 1,000 watts nighttime. A directional antenna system is used during the station's nighttime hours...
, WCGC picked up the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. WJZY
WJZY
WJZY is the CW-affiliated television station for Charlotte, North Carolina licensed to Belmont. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 47 from a transmitter in Dallas along the Catawba River. The station can also be seen on Time Warner Cable channel 8 and in high definition...
, a TV station which shared a building with WCGC in its early days, also aired the Orioles.
Rev. Charles Beasley had a Sunday morning show on WCGC until general manager Jim Mintzer found out he was grand dragon of the Christian knights of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
. Protestors from four states showed up at city hall and the radio station, without incident, though law enforcement officers stood by just in case anything happened.
WCGC had been on the air 35 years in June 1989 when Suburban Radio Group, owner of 11 radio stations, sold its flagship station in Belmont
Belmont, North Carolina
Belmont is a small suburban city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States, located about west of uptown Charlotte, North Carolina and east of Gastonia. The population was 8,705 at the 2000 census. Once known as Garibaldi, the city named in honor of August Belmont, a prominent New York banker...
to Mintzer. The radio group would remain in the building with WCGC, and no major format changes were planned. WCGC played country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
except on Sundays, when the station aired religious
Christian radio
Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
programming. WCGC also broadcast all games of the minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
Gastonia Rangers
Gastonia Rangers
The Gastonia Rangers were a class A minor league baseball team located in Gastonia, North Carolina. The team played first as the Rangers in the Western Carolinas League , then later in the same league renamed as the South Atlantic League , and were affiliated with the Texas Rangers. Their home...
. Some of the games were to be tape-delayed if they conflicted with South Point High School football, but WCGC agreed to carry the baseball games live if the team made the playoffs. WGNC
WGNC
WGNC is a radio station broadcasting a News, Talk, and Sports format. Licensed to Gastonia, North Carolina, USA, it serves the Gastonia area....
in Gastonia
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
took over the broadcasts in 1990
In 1993, WCGC carried Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
games.
In January 1994, WCGC had already made the switch to talk radio
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
, with shows such as G. Gordon Liddy
G. Gordon Liddy
George Gordon Liddy was the chief operative for the White House Plumbers unit that existed from July–September 1971, during Richard Nixon's presidency. Separately, along with E. Howard Hunt, Liddy organized and directed the Watergate burglaries of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in...
, Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
and Pat Buchanan
Pat Buchanan
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan is an American paleoconservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster. Buchanan was a senior adviser to American Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, and was an original host on CNN's Crossfire. He sought...
, when Chris Vaughn began a 30-minute talk show with a conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
focus, which expanded to 90 minutes in June. Another local host was John Sullivan, who moved to WNMX-AM
WGFY
WGFY is a Radio Disney station serving the Charlotte, North Carolina, market. The station is owned by ABC. WGFY broadcasts with a power of 4,400 watts daytime .- History :...
in 1996.
In August 1995, newspaper parenting
Parenting
Parenting is the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood...
columnist John Rosemond
John Rosemond
John Rosemond has authored 14 parenting books, pamphlets and writes a nationally syndicated column on parenting.Rosemond grew up in Charleston, SC, and the suburbs of Chicago. He attended Western Illinois University, graduating in 1971 with a Masters Degree in Community Psychology...
began a talk show on WSIC in Statesville
Statesville, North Carolina
Statesville is a city located in Iredell County, North Carolina, United States and was named an All-America City in 1997 and 2009. The population was 24,633 at the 2010 census...
, which WCGC also aired.
In 1996, WCGC carried West Mecklenburg High School Friday night football games on Saturday mornings.
In 1997, WCGC became the Charlotte-area affiliate for the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
in their first season playing in North Carolina.
In July 1998, Mintzer sold WCGC to the owners of WHVN
WHVN
WHVN is a radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format. Licensed to Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, it serves the area. The station is currently owned by WHVN Inc...
. However, WCGC continued to make news for an incident on the "Wakin' Up with Java John" morning show. John Wall, a Gastonia city employee, sued talk show host John Hunsucker and Mintzer for derogatory comments made by an anonymous caller known as "Slim Jim" during a five-month period while Mintzer owned the station. Mintzer said WCGC broadcast disclaimer
Disclaimer
A disclaimer is generally any statement intended to specify or delimit the scope of rights and obligations that may be exercised and enforced by parties in a legally recognized relationship...
s telling listeners that callers' opinions were not those of the station. A jury awarded $10,500 to Wall, leading Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
journalism professor Robert Richards, also director of the Pennsylvania Center for the First Amendment, to regard this case as yet another potential limit on freedom of speech
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
.
WCGC began airing WHVN's programming most of the time but continued to carry separate sports programs, as well as Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts
Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts
The Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts are a regular series of weekly broadcasts on network radio of full-length opera performances. They are transmitted live from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City...
.