WGKC

Last updated

WGKC
WGKC US105.9 logo.png
Broadcast area Champaign-Urbana, Illinois
Frequency 105.9 MHz
BrandingUS 105.9
Programming
Format Country
Ownership
OwnerSJ Broadcasting LLC
WSJK, WJEK, WQQB
History
First air date
October 30, 1990 (as WHZT)
Former call signs
WHZT (1990–1996)
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 10112
Class A
ERP 2,500 watts
HAAT 156 meters (512 ft)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen Live
Website country1059.com

WGKC (105.9 FM, "U.S. 105.9") is a country music radio station licensed to Mahomet, Illinois and broadcasting in the Champaign-Urbana, Illinois radio market. The station is owned by SJ Broadcasting, LLC.

Contents

History

WGKC was originally WHZT and was started by Adlai Stevenson IV, grandson of former presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson II, in 1990. [2] WHZT was later owned and operated by Odyssey Communications, Inc. Oddyssey ran the syndicated Z-Rock format. Z-Rock was known as the station in Champaign-Urbana with the hearse.

Odyssey Communications sold WHZT in 1996 to Liberty Radio II, Inc. The new owners dropped the Z-Rock format and the WHZT call letters. On November 15, 1996, WHZT became Classic Rock 105.9 WGKC. The station gained its name from WCKG in Chicago, which was a classic rock station at the time. The first song played on WGKC was "Start Me Up" by The Rolling Stones.

WGKC was mostly jockless minus a live and local morning show hosted by Dennis Miller (not the comedian). In 1999, Liberty Radio moved syndicated morning duo Bob and Tom from sister station, WZNF "Rock 95-3", to WGKC.

In March 2000 Liberty Radio II, Inc. sold WGKC along with sister stations WQQB, WZNF, and WEBX to AAA Entertainment, LLC. The stations were subsequently purchased by one of the principals of Liberty Radio II, Jim Glassman under his new company (RadioStar, Inc.) in 2006.

On May 21, 2010, it was announced that RadioStar, Inc. was in the process of selling WGKC to SJ Broadcasting LLC. SJ Broadcasting is operated by Steve "Stevie Jay" Khachaturian and Clint Atkins (before Atkins' death in March 2011).

In 2011, the station replaced Bob and Tom with ESPN's Mike and Mike in the Morning.

In 2012, WGKC became the Champaign affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, as they took over from WDWS, who had been broadcasting the Cubs for one year.

On January 14, 2013, WGKC changed their format to country, branded as "US 105.9". [3] [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWPR-FM</span> Urban contemporary radio station in New York City

WWPR-FM is an urban contemporary music radio station licensed to New York, New York. The station is owned by iHeartMedia and broadcasts from studios located at 125 West 55th Street in Midtown Manhattan, while its transmitter is located at the Empire State Building. WWPR-FM is the flagship station of the nationally syndicated morning show, The Breakfast Club.

WPGU is a fully commercial, student-run college radio station on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, Illinois. It broadcasts an alternative rock radio format and other programming throughout Champaign-Urbana and surrounding communities. It is owned independently from the university by the Illini Media Company.

WDWS is a commercial radio station in Champaign, Illinois, calling itself "Newstalk 1400 & 93.9FM DWS." It airs a news/talk radio format and is owned by The News-Gazette, the primary daily newspaper in the Champaign-Urbana Metropolitan Area. The radio studios and offices are at the newspaper's headquarters on Fox Drive in Champaign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KZBD</span> Contemporary hit radio station in Spokane, Washington

KZBD is a commercial radio station in Spokane, Washington. It is owned by Stephens Media Group, through licensee SMG-Spokane, LLC, and airs a Top 40 (CHR) radio format. KZBD carries "Elvis Duran and the Morning Show" in AM drive time, syndicated by Premiere Networks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJMZ-FM</span> Radio station in Anderson, South Carolina

WJMZ-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Anderson, South Carolina and serving the Upstate South Carolina region, including Greenville and Spartanburg. The station is owned by SummitMedia and airs an urban adult contemporary radio format. It is among the highest rated stations in the Greenville–Spartanburg radio market, according to Nielsen ratings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WILL-FM</span> Radio station in Urbana, Illinois

WILL-FM is a public, listener-supported radio station owned by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and licensed to Urbana, Illinois, United States. It is operated by Illinois Public Media, with studios located at Campbell Hall for Public Telecommunication on the university campus. Most of WILL-FM's schedule is classical music with NPR news programs heard in weekday morning and afternoon drive times. Weekends feature classical and other genres of music, including jazz and opera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WQQB</span> Radio station in Rantoul, Illinois

WQQB is a Top 40/CHR FM radio station licensed to Rantoul, Illinois and serving the Champaign/Urbana radio market. It is owned by SJ Broadcasting LLC, headed by Stevie Jay Khachaturian, with radio studios and offices on Boulder Drive in Urbana. WQQB calls itself "Q96.1 - All The Hits!" It airs two nationally syndicated shows on weekdays, "The Kidd Kraddick Morning Show" from KHKS Dallas and "Zach Sang and the Gang" on weekday evenings.

WERC is a commercial radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama. It is owned by iHeartMedia and it simulcasts a talk radio format with sister station WERC-FM. The studios and offices are in Beacon Ridge Tower on First Avenue South in Birmingham, off Interstate 65.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WAMX</span> Radio station in Milton, West Virginia

WAMX is a classic rock radio station licensed to Milton, West Virginia, serving the Huntington metro area. Owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The WAMX studios are located in Huntington, while the station transmitter resides near Ona, West Virginia. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WAMX is available online via iHeartRadio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WAZR</span> Radio station in Woodstock, Virginia

WAZR is a contemporary hit radio formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Woodstock, Virginia, serving the Central Shenandoah Valley. WAZR is owned and operated by iHeartMedia, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFUS</span> Radio station in Gulfport, Florida

WFUS is a commercial radio station licensed to Gulfport, Florida. It airs a country music format and is one of the eight stations in the Tampa Bay radio market owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. It carries The Bobby Bones Show syndicated from Nashville in morning drive time. The studios are on Feather Sound Drive in Clearwater.

WGOG is a commercial American radio station licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to serve the tri-county area of Oconee, Pickens, and Anderson, South Carolina. The official city of license, and studio location, is Walhalla, South Carolina. WGOG is owned by Appalachian Broadcasting Co., Inc.

WIXY is a commercial radio station broadcasting a country music radio format. Licensed to Champaign, Illinois, United States, the station serves the Champaign-Urbana area. The station is owned by Saga Communications under licensee Saga Communications of Illinois, LLC, and operates as part of its Illini Radio Group. The radio studios and offices are on West Bradley Avenue in Champaign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WREE</span> Radio station in Urbana, Illinois

WREE is a commercial FM radio station broadcasting a classic hits format. Licensed to Urbana, Illinois, United States, the station serves the Champaign-Urbana area. The station is owned by Saga Communications under licensee Saga Communications of Illinois, LLC, and operates as part of its Illini Radio Group. The station calls itself "Rewind 92.5." The playlist ranges from hits of the 1960s to the 1990s, switching to Christmas music for part of November and December.

WRZE is a radio station airing a classic rock format. Licensed to Kingstree, South Carolina, United States, the station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., through licensee iHM Licenses, LLC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WZNF</span> Radio station in Lumberton, Mississippi

WZNF is a commercial radio station licensed to Lumberton, Mississippi and serving the Biloxi–Gulfport area. The station airs a top 40 (CHR) radio format and is owned by Lisa Stiglets and Elizabeth McQueen, through licensee JLE, Incorporated. WZNF is a Top 40 station.

WDWS-FM is a commercial radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Arcola, Illinois, the station is owned by The News-Gazette, and serves the Champaign-Urbana metropolitan area.

WJEK is a commercial radio station broadcasting a Christian Adult Contemporary radio format, known as "Christian FM 95.3." Licensed to Rantoul, Illinois, United States, the station serves the Champaign-Urbana metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by SJ Broadcasting, LLC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WXYK (FM)</span> Radio station in Pascagoula, Mississippi

WXYK is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Pascagoula, Mississippi and serving the Biloxi - Gulfport - Pascagoula radio market. The station has a top 40 (CHR) radio format and is owned by Telesouth Communications Inc. The studios and offices are on Three Rivers Road in Gulfport. WXYK carries The Kidd Kraddick Morning Show and American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest, syndicated from Premiere Networks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMGH-FM</span> Radio station in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania

WMGH-FM, is an FM radio station in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, sharing studios with co-owned WLSH in Lansford, Pennsylvania. WMGH broadcasts an Album Oriented Rock format. Magic 105.5 serves a five county area.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WGKC". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ http://www.huameicapital.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=28&Itemid=32
  3. ↑ "WGKC Champaign, IL Shifts to Country".
  4. ↑ "Format Changes". Your Midwest Media. 13 January 2013. Archived from the original on 17 March 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.

40°13′26″N88°17′56″W / 40.224°N 88.299°W / 40.224; -88.299


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.