WGML (990 AM) was a

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...

broadcasting a

Gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...

format. Licensed to

Hinesville, Georgia Hinesville is a city in Liberty County, Georgia, Liberty County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States, located on the Atlantic coastal plain. The population was 33,437 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census and an estimated 33,273 ...

, United States, it served the Savannah area. The station was last owned by Powerhouse of Deliverance Church, Inc.

History

WGML began as daytime-only broadcaster in November 1958. It was originally owned by the Liberty Broadcasting Company, established by local businessmen Paul Sikes and Roscoe Denmark. During that time, it was the only station that could be heard with a strong signal at Fort Stewart. (Several Savannah stations and a Jacksonville station could be picked up during the daytime with somewhat weaker signals.) In the 1960s, the station offered a mix of middle-of-the-road music and local interest programming. The station underwent numerous format changes, from its original middle-of-the-road programming to pop/rock, country, talk, and its final format of gospel. WGML ownership changed several times since its inception. Jim Watson, who had become the station's general manager, bought it in 1959. It was subsequently owned by Harris Slotin, a Savannah businessman, who sold it to Dave Steele in the 1970s. It was ultimately purchased by the Powerhouse of Deliverance Church. The first announcer/manager of WGML was Don Kordecki. In addition to Jim Watson, many local announcers were hired, particularly in its early years. Some of the local personalities were Donald Browning, David (Butch) Fulton, Gary Smiley, Bill Meacham, Dennis Eversoll, Bob Groover, and Brian Steele. Many other local persons have served in various capacities, giving the station a strong local area appeal. WGML's license was canceled on April 2, 2020, due to the station failing to file an application for renewal of the license by April 1. In October 2020, a man who appeared to have been having a

mental breakdown A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitti ...

climbed to the top of the station's radio tower in Hinesville, and was eventually lowered after a several hour standoff with local police and firefighters.

References

External links

FCC Station Search Details: DWGML
(Facility ID: 7815)
FCC History Cards for WGML
(covering 1957-1979} GML Radio stations established in 1958 1958 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Defunct radio stations in the United States Radio stations disestablished in 2020 2020 disestablishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Defunct religious radio stations in the United States GML {{GeorgiaUS-radio-station-stub