WTKS-AM
Encyclopedia
WTKS is a radio station
licensed
to serve Savannah, Georgia
. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications
and licensed to Capstar TX Limited Partnership. It airs a talk radio
format. The station was assigned the WTKS call letters by the Federal Communications Commission
on January 25, 2002.
, Rush Limbaugh
, Dave Ramsey
, Michael Savage
, and Rusty Humphries
. Other notable weekday shows include the syndicated "Coast to Coast AM
" with George Noory
and the local "Savannah's News Now" with WTKS news director Bill Edwards.
nation-wide frequency shift in 1941, moved them to 1290. Shortly thereafter, they built their four tower array in Garden City, and increased to 5,000 watts at night.
WTOC ("Welcome To Our City"), was owned the Knight family, and was always a CBS affiliate. WTOC added an FM in 1946, first at 97.3, later moving to 94.1. Following the end of significant network programming for radio (with the shift to television), WTOC became a MOR station. They were feature (both network and local) heavy, as well as having significant news programming. It wasn't until the mid 1970s that WTOC became much more contemporary with their programming. For a while, they were "The Love Rock", and played primarily what we'd today call adult contemporary. They used TM's "Sound Of Chicago" jingle package, which had been created for WMAQ.
Over on the FM, they dropped BPI's music format, in favor of BPI's country format, and became "Country Ninety-Four".
In 1979, the Knights sold WTOC radio and television to the American Family Group from Columbus, who in turn spun the radio stations off to Bluegrass Broadcasting, out of Lexington, Kentucky
. Bluegrass built a huge studio-office complex adjacent to the AM transmitter site on Alfred Street, and renamed the AM WWSA ("Working With SAvannah"), and the FM to WCHY/Y-94 ("We're Country Hits, Y'all").
In the late 1990s, this station was WCHY, the Radio Disney
affiliate in Savannah, Georgia
.
On March 28, 2011, the station's parent Clear Channel Communications purchased an FM translator allowing the station to be heard on 97.7 FM.
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...
licensed
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
to serve Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
and licensed to Capstar TX Limited Partnership. It airs a 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...
format. The station was assigned the WTKS call letters by the 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...
on January 25, 2002.
Programming
Notable WTKS programming features syndicated personalities such as Glenn BeckGlenn Beck
Glenn Edward Lee Beck is an American conservative radio host, vlogger, author, entrepreneur, political commentator and former television host. He hosts the Glenn Beck Program, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks...
, Rush Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
, Dave Ramsey
Dave Ramsey
David L. Ramsey III is an American financial author, radio host, television personality, and motivational speaker.Ramsey's syndicated radio program The Dave Ramsey Show is promoted with a tagline that "It's about your life and your money," and it is heard on over 450 radio stations throughout the...
, Michael Savage
Michael Savage (commentator)
Michael Savage is a conservative American radio host, author, and political commentator. He is the host of The Savage Nation, a nationally syndicated talk show that airs throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network...
, and Rusty Humphries
Rusty Humphries
Ralph E. "Rusty" Humphries is an American radio host, conservative political commentator, and songwriter. Humphries' nationally-syndicated radio show, The Rusty Humphries Show, based in Atlanta, Georgia, airs on over 250 stations through Talk Radio Network.-Career:Humphries has hosted as a...
. Other notable weekday shows include the syndicated "Coast to Coast AM
Coast to Coast AM
Coast to Coast AM is a North American late-night syndicated radio talk show that deals with a variety of topics, but most frequently ones that relate to either the paranormal or conspiracy theories. It was created by Art Bell and is distributed by Premiere Radio Networks. The program currently...
" with George Noory
George Noory
George Ralph Noory is a Lebanese-American radio talk show host.As of 2010, he is the weekday host of the late-night radio talk show Coast to Coast AM. He is heard across the United States and Canada on many AM and FM stations as well as on XM Satellite Radio. His show is one of the most listened...
and the local "Savannah's News Now" with WTKS news director Bill Edwards.
History
WTOC was the first station in Savannah, on 1260 AM with 500 watts day and night. Later, they increased to 1,000 watts daytime, finally settling on 5,000 watts day, and 1,000 watts at night. The NARBANorth American Radio Broadcasting Agreement
The North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement, usually referred to as NARBA, is a treaty that took effect in March 1941 and set out the bandplan and interference rules for mediumwave AM broadcasting in North America. Although mostly replaced by other agreements in the 1980s, the basic bandplan...
nation-wide frequency shift in 1941, moved them to 1290. Shortly thereafter, they built their four tower array in Garden City, and increased to 5,000 watts at night.
WTOC ("Welcome To Our City"), was owned the Knight family, and was always a CBS affiliate. WTOC added an FM in 1946, first at 97.3, later moving to 94.1. Following the end of significant network programming for radio (with the shift to television), WTOC became a MOR station. They were feature (both network and local) heavy, as well as having significant news programming. It wasn't until the mid 1970s that WTOC became much more contemporary with their programming. For a while, they were "The Love Rock", and played primarily what we'd today call adult contemporary. They used TM's "Sound Of Chicago" jingle package, which had been created for WMAQ.
Over on the FM, they dropped BPI's music format, in favor of BPI's country format, and became "Country Ninety-Four".
In 1979, the Knights sold WTOC radio and television to the American Family Group from Columbus, who in turn spun the radio stations off to Bluegrass Broadcasting, out of Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
. Bluegrass built a huge studio-office complex adjacent to the AM transmitter site on Alfred Street, and renamed the AM WWSA ("Working With SAvannah"), and the FM to WCHY/Y-94 ("We're Country Hits, Y'all").
In the late 1990s, this station was WCHY, the Radio Disney
Radio Disney
Radio Disney is a radio network based in Burbank, California and headquartered out of the Disney Channel headquarters on West Alameda Ave., from where it has been based since November 2008. Prior to that, the network was based in Dallas, Texas...
affiliate in Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
.
On March 28, 2011, the station's parent Clear Channel Communications purchased an FM translator allowing the station to be heard on 97.7 FM.