WGPB (FM)
Encyclopedia
WGPB FM
97.7 is a public radio station
in Rome, Georgia
. It is part of the Georgia Public Broadcasting
radio network
, a state network
which in turn is a member of National Public Radio, Public Radio International
, and American Public Media
. Unlike most stations on the GPB network, WGPB does not completely simulcast
with the network. WGPB also produces its own programs. The studio
s are located at Georgia Highlands College
's Heritage Hall campus
in downtown Rome, from which locally-produced programming originates. The station began broadcasting
as WGPB at 5 AM on June 30, 2006.
The station began as WROM-FM, sister station
to WROM
AM 710, and had that callsign until November 1979. It then became WKCX, known as "K98", most recently with a hot adult contemporary format
. A satellite-delivered format was used during most of the broadcast day, except for mornings and afternoons. The station was previously owned by Mills Fitzner, who owned WKCX for 20 years under the name Briar Creek Broadcasting Corp.
The deal, worth 4.2 million dollars, was announced in March 2006. The deal was finalized after a 45-day waiting period
on June 29, one day before GPB began broadcasting on the frequency. Most of WKCX's staff left the station on May 31 in preparation for the changeover.
WGPB is the first GPB or NPR radio station in northwest Georgia
, and covers all of Floyd
and about half of each neighboring county reliably. The only other NPR/PRI stations available are WABE FM 90.1 from Atlanta, and WUTC FM 88.1 and WSMC-FM
90.5 from Chattanooga, both of which have marginal to poor reception
in the Rome area. GPB Radio is also usually available on the second audio program
of GPB TV station WNGH-TV 18, from near Chatsworth
, except for when WNGH is using the SAP channel for other uses.
The station broadcasts with a power of 4.3 kW at 241 m HAAT, and is class C3. Despite what seems like a low effective radiated power
, its height makes it approximately equivalent to the class C3 maximum of 25 kW at 100 m, which gives a reference distance of nearly 40 km or 25 miles from the radio antenna site. This is the first GPB station, and one of the few non-commercial educational
stations in the country, that use a channel outside of the 88-92 MHz reserved band. WQMT FM 98.9 in Chatsworth
was purchased under similar circumstances for $3.2 million and switched to GPB programming on January 2, 2008 as WNGH-FM
. Both stations have a single station ID done together each hour and heard on both stations, indicating they use the same feed.
with 55 watts at 19 meters HAAT
. It was located along Cobb Parkway
(U.S. Route 41
) on the north-northeast corner of Awtrey Church Road (34°3′57"N 84°43′24"W), west of Acworth
and just north of SR 92
, and reached as far north as the southern parts of Emerson
according to FCC maps.
It was owned by Radio Assist Ministry, not GPB/GPTC, and may not have actually been airing WGPB. It has since been reassigned to relay commercial station WWWQ
FM 99.7 MHz, and was sold by RAM to Cumulus Licensing, owner of WWWQ. The station was moved west-southwest in 2009 to the far exurbs between Dallas
and Hiram
, and has a construction permit
to move between Powder Springs
and Austell
to serve Lithia Springs
on 92.3 MHz.
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
97.7 is a public radio station
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...
in Rome, Georgia
Rome, Georgia
Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Rome is the largest city and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Floyd County...
. It is part of the Georgia Public Broadcasting
Georgia Public Broadcasting
Georgia Public Broadcasting is the public broadcasting radio and television state network in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is operated by the Georgia Public Telecommunications Commission....
radio network
Radio network
There are two types of radio networks currently in use around the world: the one-to-many broadcast type commonly used for public information and mass media entertainment; and the two-way type used more commonly for public safety and public services such as police, fire, taxicabs, and delivery...
, a state network
State network
A State Network in the United States broadcasting industry is a term which refers to a miniature television network serving an entire state or multiple states...
which in turn is a member of National Public Radio, Public Radio International
Public Radio International
Public Radio International is a Minneapolis-based American public radio organization, with locations in Boston, New York, London and Beijing. PRI's tagline is "Hear a different voice." PRI is a major public media content creator and also distributes programs from many sources...
, and American Public Media
American Public Media
American Public Media is the second largest producer of public radio programs in the United States of America after NPR. Its non-profit parent, American Public Media Group, also owns and operates radio stations in Minnesota, California, and Florida. Its station brands are Minnesota Public Radio,...
. Unlike most stations on the GPB network, WGPB does not completely simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
with the network. WGPB also produces its own programs. The studio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
s are located at Georgia Highlands College
Georgia Highlands College
Georgia Highlands College, commonly known as Georgia Highlands, is a two-year community college associate degree-granting unit of the University System of Georgia, and located in Rome, Georgia, USA; with satellite campuses in Heritage Hall, Rome, Georgia; Cartersville, Georgia; Marietta, GA;...
's Heritage Hall campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
in downtown Rome, from which locally-produced programming originates. The station began broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
as WGPB at 5 AM on June 30, 2006.
The station began as WROM-FM, sister station
Sister station
In broadcasting, sister stations or sister channels are radio and/or television stations operated by the same ownership....
to WROM
WROM (AM)
WROM is a radio station broadcasting a Gospel music format. Licensed to Rome, Georgia, USA, the station serves Rome, GA and Vicinity. The station is currently under ownership of LGV Broadcasting, Inc....
AM 710, and had that callsign until November 1979. It then became WKCX, known as "K98", most recently with a hot adult contemporary format
Radio format
A radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
. A satellite-delivered format was used during most of the broadcast day, except for mornings and afternoons. The station was previously owned by Mills Fitzner, who owned WKCX for 20 years under the name Briar Creek Broadcasting Corp.
The deal, worth 4.2 million dollars, was announced in March 2006. The deal was finalized after a 45-day waiting period
Waiting period
A waiting period is a period of time which one must wait in order for a specific action to occur, after that action is requested or mandated.The term is commonly used in reference to gun control in the United States, where some U.S...
on June 29, one day before GPB began broadcasting on the frequency. Most of WKCX's staff left the station on May 31 in preparation for the changeover.
WGPB is the first GPB or NPR radio station in northwest Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, and covers all of Floyd
Floyd County, Georgia
Floyd County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 90,565. Census estimates for 2007 show a population of 95,618...
and about half of each neighboring county reliably. The only other NPR/PRI stations available are WABE FM 90.1 from Atlanta, and WUTC FM 88.1 and WSMC-FM
WSMC-FM
WSMC-FM , is the Chattanooga, Tennessee, area's only radio station featuring classical music programming. It is licensed to Southern Adventist University , a four-year institution located in nearby Collegedale. Its signal reaches parts of the states of Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and North Carolina...
90.5 from Chattanooga, both of which have marginal to poor reception
Reception
Reception is a noun form of receiving, or to receive something, such as information, art, experience, or people. It is often used in the following contexts:...
in the Rome area. GPB Radio is also usually available on the second audio program
Second audio program
Second audio program , also known as secondary audio programming, is an auxiliary audio channel for analog television that can be broadcast or transmitted both over the air and by cable TV.-Usage:...
of GPB TV station WNGH-TV 18, from near Chatsworth
Chatsworth, Georgia
Chatsworth is a city in Murray County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Dalton, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,531 at the 2000 census, but was estimated around 3,890 as of the 2005 census. The city is the county seat of Murray County...
, except for when WNGH is using the SAP channel for other uses.
The station broadcasts with a power of 4.3 kW at 241 m HAAT, and is class C3. Despite what seems like a low effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
, its height makes it approximately equivalent to the class C3 maximum of 25 kW at 100 m, which gives a reference distance of nearly 40 km or 25 miles from the radio antenna site. This is the first GPB station, and one of the few non-commercial educational
Non-commercial educational
The term non-commercial educational applies to a radio station or TV station that does not accept on air advertisements , as defined in the United States by the Federal Communications Commission . NCE stations do not pay broadcast license fees for their non-profit uses of the radio spectrum...
stations in the country, that use a channel outside of the 88-92 MHz reserved band. WQMT FM 98.9 in Chatsworth
Chatsworth, Georgia
Chatsworth is a city in Murray County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Dalton, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,531 at the 2000 census, but was estimated around 3,890 as of the 2005 census. The city is the county seat of Murray County...
was purchased under similar circumstances for $3.2 million and switched to GPB programming on January 2, 2008 as WNGH-FM
WNGH-FM
WNGH-FM is an NPR-member public radio station , licensed to Chatsworth, Georgia, USA. The station is currently owned by Georgia Public Broadcasting , which the station simulcasts all radio programming from...
. Both stations have a single station ID done together each hour and heard on both stations, indicating they use the same feed.
Broadcast translator
The station was also assigned broadcast translator W221CG FM 92.1 MHz, licensed to, but not reaching any part of, KennesawKennesaw, Georgia
Kennesaw is a city in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. It had a population of 29,783 according to the 2010 census. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. Founded in 1887, Kennesaw has a past surrounded with railroad history...
with 55 watts at 19 meters HAAT
Height above average terrain
Height above average terrain is used extensively in FM radio and television, as it is actually much more important than effective radiated power in determining the range of broadcasts...
. It was located along Cobb Parkway
Cobb Parkway
Cobb Parkway is a major arterial road which runs northwest and southeast through Cobb County, Georgia. It concurrently carries both U.S. 41, and the much less-recognized Georgia 3...
(U.S. Route 41
U.S. Route 41
U.S. Route 41 is a north–south United States Highway that runs from Miami, Florida to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, was U.S...
) on the north-northeast corner of Awtrey Church Road (34°3′57"N 84°43′24"W), west of Acworth
Acworth, Georgia
Acworth is a city in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,425. Acworth is located in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains along the southeastern banks of Lake Acworth and Lake Allatoona on the Etowah River.Acworth's nickname is "The...
and just north of SR 92
Georgia State Route 92
State Route 92 is a highway in the U.S. state of Georgia. The road runs for from Griffin to Roswell. Primarily signed from south to north, Route 92 is a rural route that passes through three county seats.- Route description :...
, and reached as far north as the southern parts of Emerson
Emerson, Georgia
Emerson is a city in far southern Bartow County, Georgia, United States, on highways 41, 293, and 75. The population was 1,092 at the 2000 census....
according to FCC maps.
It was owned by Radio Assist Ministry, not GPB/GPTC, and may not have actually been airing WGPB. It has since been reassigned to relay commercial station WWWQ
WWWQ (FM)
WNNX is an Atlanta radio station that is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. The station broadcasts from the same building as its other Cumulus Atlanta sister stations WWWQ FM 99.7 and 99X...
FM 99.7 MHz, and was sold by RAM to Cumulus Licensing, owner of WWWQ. The station was moved west-southwest in 2009 to the far exurbs between Dallas
Dallas, Georgia
Dallas is a city in and the county seat of Paulding County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 11,544. It was named for George M. Dallas, Vice President of the United States of America under James K. Polk.-History:...
and Hiram
Hiram, Georgia
Hiram is a city in Paulding County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,361 at the 2000 census. It is home to country music star, Travis Tritt.-Geography:Hiram is located at ....
, and has a construction permit
Construction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
to move between Powder Springs
Powder Springs, Georgia
Powder Springs is a city in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 13,940 at the 2010 census.- History :The town of Powder Springs was incorporated as Springville in 1838 in the lands of two Cherokee Indian chiefs, Chief Nose and Chief Ana Kanasta . Gold had been discovered in...
and Austell
Austell, Georgia
Austell is a city in Cobb County in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 6,581.-History:Austell used to be known as Salt Springs, and was frequented by hunters who would trap and hunt game on their way to the salt licks. Some enterprising hunters claimed...
to serve Lithia Springs
Lithia Springs, Georgia
Lithia Springs is an unincorporated area, formerly incorporated as a city, located in northeastern Douglas County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 2,072. The city is named for its historic Lithia Springs springs.Incorporated in 1882, Lithia...
on 92.3 MHz.
External links
- Georgia Public Broadcasting
- Rome News-Tribune article
- K98's former site
- Coosa Valley News - operated by former K98 staffers