WQBC is an AM broadcasting

AM broadcasting

AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...

 station licensed on 1420 kHz at Vicksburg, Mississippi

Vicksburg, Mississippi

Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...

. It was licensed on , and makes the claim of being the oldest operating radio station is Mississippi and one of the few remaining stations that still have their original call sign

Call sign

In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...

s. It has been silent

Dark (broadcasting)

In the broadcasting industry, dark is a term used to describe a radio station or television station that has gone off-the-air for an indefinite period of time, or as defined by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission , a "silent" station...

 since .

Well-known alumni of WQBC include Blues extraordinaire Willie Dixon

Willie Dixon

William James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...

, and his Jubilee Singers, Adrian Cronauer

Adrian Cronauer

Adrian Cronauer is a former United States Air Force sergeant and radio personality best known as the inspiration for the 1987 film Good Morning, Vietnam in which he was portrayed by Robin Williams....

, the inspiration for Good Morning, Vietnam

Good Morning, Vietnam

Good Morning, Vietnam is a 1987 American comedy-drama film set in Saigon during the Vietnam War, based on the career of Adrian Cronauer, a disc jockey on Armed Forces Radio Service , who proves hugely popular with the troops serving in South Vietnam, but infuriates his superiors with what they call...

; and Woodie Assaf, longest-serving weatherman in the United States, who began his broadcasting career at WQBC in the 1940s, before moving to 620 WJDX (AM) in Jackson, Mississippi

Jackson, Mississippi

Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...

 and serving at its sister station WLBT

WLBT

WLBT, virtual channel 3 , is the NBC-affiliated television station in Jackson, Mississippi, and it is owned by Raycom Media. WLBT transmits its signal from an antenna, 624 meters in height, located near Raymond.-History:...

 TV 3 from sign-on in December 1953.

History

The station was built and first operated by engineer I.R. Jones, and was originally licensed for Utica, Mississippi

Utica, Mississippi

Utica is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 966 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the URJ Henry S...

. It 1931, it was bought by the Cashman family, owners of the Vicksburg Evening Post, and moved to Vicksburg. When Federal Communications Commission

Federal Communications Commission

The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...

 rules banned cross ownership

Cross ownership

Cross ownership is a method of reinforcing business relationships by owning stock in the companies with which a given company does business. Heavy cross ownership is referred to as circular ownership....

 of newspapers and broadcast stations in the same area, WQBC was sold a Mr. Frank Hollifield, then to a Mrs. Elizabeth Owens. Mr. Bill Stanford bought the station in 1987. The station was later owned by Michael Corley.

Today WQBC radio is owned by Costar Broadcast Goup a Chicago IL based multi-media communications firm. The company's President is
Michael M. Davis

Michael M. Davis

Michael M. Davis was the Executive Chair of the Committee for the Nation's Health. Throughout his life he was a major figure in health care policy....

 a native son of Lorman, Mississippi- the site of Alcorn State University

Alcorn State University

Alcorn State University is an historically black university comprehensive land-grant institution in Lorman, Mississippi. It was founded in 1871-History:...

, the first African-American land grant institution in the United States

The station lost the lease on its tower site and went silent on while the sale to Michael M. Davis was pending. It received an extension to remain silent on , pending studies for a new construction permit.

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