WMGE (1670

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 ...

) is a AM radio station broadcasting an African American-oriented

all-news radio All-news radio is a radio format devoted entirely to the discussion and broadcast of news. All-news radio is available in both local and radio syndication, syndicated forms, and is carried on both major US satellite radio networks. All-news sta ...

format from the

Black Information Network Black Information Network (BIN) is a Broadcast network, radio network and content brand owned by iHeartMedia. Launched on June 30, 2020, it is an all-news radio network of stations targeting African American communities, carrying mostly important ...

. Licensed to

Dry Branch, Georgia Dry Branch (also Drybranch, Pikes Peak) is an unincorporated community located in Twiggs and Bibb counties, Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the s ...

, United States, the station serves the Macon area during the day and the southeast United States at night. The station is owned by

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History

WMGE originated as the expanded band "twin" of an existing station on the standard AM band. In 1967, a new station in Warner Robins began broadcasting as WRBN on 1600 kHz. On March 17, 1997, the

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, wi-fi, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains j ...

(FCC) announced that 88 stations had been given permission to move to newly available " Expanded Band" transmitting frequencies, ranging from 1610 to 1700 kHz, with now-WRCC authorized to move from 1600 to 1670 kHz."FCC Public Notice: Mass Media Bureau Announces Revised AM Expanded Band Allotment Plan and Filing Window for Eligible Stations"
(FCC DA 97-537), March 17, 1997. A construction permit for the expanded band station was assigned the call sign WAXP on March 6, 1998. An FCC policy stated that both the original station and its expanded band counterpart could operate simultaneously for up to five years, after which owners would have to turn in one of the two licenses, depending on whether they preferred the new assignment or elected to remain on the original frequency. It was ultimately decided to transfer full operations to the expanded band station, so on January 10, 2002, the license for the original station at 1600 AM, at this point holding the call sign WAXP, was cancelled.
in the FCC Licensing and Management System The call letters for the new expanded band station on 1670 AM were changed from WAXP to WNML on May 4, 1998, to WRNC on March 1, 1999, to WMWR on November 17, 2003, to WVVM on February 21, 2006, to WFSM on March 2, 2009, to WPLA on October 14, 2010, and to WMGE on December 14, 2016. On June 29, 2020, fifteen iHeart stations in markets with large African American populations, including WMGE, began stunting with African American speeches, interspersed with messages such as "Our Voices Will Be Heard" and "Our side of the story is about to be told," with a new format slated to launch on June 30.Fifteen iHeartMedia Stations Stunting Ahead Of New Network Launch
/ref> That day, WMGE, along with the other fourteen stations, became the launch stations for the

, an African American-oriented

network. Prior to the change, WMGE was a

Fox Sports Radio Fox Sports Radio is an Radio in the United States, American Sports radio, sports radio network. Based in Los Angeles, California, the network is operated and managed by Premiere Networks in a content partnership with Fox Corporation's Fox Sports ...

affiliate.

Previous logo

Logo as a Fox Sports Radio affiliate

References

External links

*
FCC History Cards for operation on 1600 AM
(covering 1961-1981 as WRBN / WQCK) {{All-News Radio 1998 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) All-news radio stations in the United States Black Information Network stations IHeartMedia radio stations Radio stations established in 1998 MGE (AM)