WGOC is an
AM radio station
Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting 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 rad ...
broadcasting in
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city in Sullivan and Hawkins counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It lies along the Holston River and had a population of 55,442 at the 2020 census. It is the largest city in the Kingsport–Bristol metropolitan area, ...
, under a
business radio format. It broadcasts on AM frequency 1320
kHz
The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base uni ...
and is under ownership of
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is a broadcasting company of the United States and is the second largest owner and operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States ahead of Audacy and behind iHeartMedia
iHeartMedia, Inc., or CC Media Holdi ...
.
History
The station signed on the air in 1951 under the call letters
WKIN
WGOC is an AM radio station broadcasting in Kingsport, Tennessee, under a business radio format. It broadcasts on AM frequency 1320 kHz and is under ownership of Cumulus Media.
History
The station signed on the air in 1951 under the call lette ...
and was soon owned by
Cy Bahakel
Cy Nesbe Bahakel (April 12, 1919 – April 20, 2006) was an American politician. He was a North Carolina state North Carolina Senate, senator and a media magnate. He was a member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party. His so ...
. The station was originally daytime-only and, over the years, increased its power to 5,000 watts.
In the 1960s and 1970s the station was a popular
Top 40
In the music industry, the Top 40 is a list of the 40 currently most popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "To ...
outlet with a personality-DJ format. Some key names over the years included:
* Bill Austin
* Eddie Skelton
* Joe Mills
* Phil Roberts
* John Selby Engineer
* Gary Morse
* Dick Winstead ("Richard Bailey Winstead," "Dickie-Doo")
* Wayne Bernard ("Nard") (now known as
Charlie Chase)
* Mike Casey ("The Mighty Casey")
* Charlie O'Day ("Good-Time Charlie")
* Oscar Harris ("The Big O")
* Ron Mack
* Jonathan Lee Forrester
* Terry Thomas
* Ken Maness
* Roger Lynn
* Ric Darby
* Reggie Jordan ("The Hit Man")
* Jeff Taylor ("The Rocket Man," "J. Rocket")
* Chuck Carroll ("The Funky Ol' Chuck-A-Luck")
* Bill Meade
* Bob Gordon ("Robert W. Gordon")
* Mike Lee
* TB Scott
* Dave Miller
* Steve Howard
* John R. Kelly
* Robin Hyatt
* Gary Trudeau
* Mark Evan McKinney
* Tom Shannon ("Curly")
* Steve Gilly
* Don Dale
* Dave Jeffries
* Darwin Paustian
* Dick McClellan
* "Lonesome" Jim Edwards
* Chuck Ness
* "Professor" Matt Stevens
* Fred Williams
* Claude "Red" Kirk
* Dave Ray
* Joseph Reed (Jay Lee)
Nighttime service was added in 1981 with a new 4-tower directional array at the intersection of East Stone Drive and New Beason Well Road in Kingsport, and a nighttime power of 500 watts. The 5-kW daytime operation was consolidated to this site as well in about 1990.
In 1982 WKIN changed to a country format under the branding "A Great Brand Of Country." Variations of country and classic country would continue over the next couple of decades.
The WGOC callsign was on 640 AM from April 9, 1993 until February 26, 2007, when the callsign was moved to what had been WKIN, a
news/talk
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. They may feature monologues, dialogues between the hosts, interviews ...
and
sports
Sport is a physical activity or game, often competitive and organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The number of participants in ...
station.
Citadel Broadcasting
Citadel Broadcasting Corporation was a Las Vegas, Nevada-based broadcast holding company founded and developed by Larry Wilson. Citadel owned 243 radio stations across the United States and was the third-largest radio station owner in the count ...
, which had owned
WJCW and
WQUT since 1977, bought WGOC and WKIN in 2000.
Prior to its current programming, WGOC was broadcasting a
Classic Country/
Bluegrass/
Gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...
format. Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011.
References
External links
WKIN studio, exterior, 1953WKIN studio, interior, 1953
GOC
Cumulus Media radio stations
Business talk radio stations
Radio stations established in 1951
1951 establishments in Tennessee
{{Tennessee-radio-station-stub