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WGST (AM)

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WGST
Broadcast area
LaGrange - Newnan - West Central Georgia
Frequency720 kHz
Branding720 The Voice
Programming
FormatTalk
Affiliations24/7 News
Premiere Networks
Ownership
Owner
WBIN, WBZW, WBZY, WRZX, WMGP, WRDG, WUBL, WWPW
History
First air date
August 12, 1985; 41 years ago (1985-08-12)
Former call signs
WMXY (1984–1999)
WGSE (1999–2003)
WVCC (2003–2020)
Call sign meaning
"Georgia School of Technology", now Georgia Tech; founders of WGST (920 AM), now WGKA
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
39620
ClassD
Power7,970 watts day
Transmitter coordinates
33°3′54.00″N 84°57′23.00″W / 33.0650000°N 84.9563889°W / 33.0650000; -84.9563889
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Website720thevoice.iheart.com

WGST (720 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Hogansville, Georgia, and serving West Central Georgia, including LaGrange and Newnan. It airs a talk radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. Most programming on WGST is syndicated. It carries Premiere Networks shows from Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck and "Clay Travis & Buck Sexton." On weekends, sports programming from the Fox Sports Radio Network is heard. On weekdays, most hours begin with 24/7 News.

WGST transmits with power of 7,970 watts, using a non-directional antenna, but because it shares AM 720, the same frequency as Class A clear-channel station WGN in Chicago, WGST is a daytimer, required to be off the air at night when AM radio waves travel farther.

History

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The station was assigned the WMXY call sign on September 18, 1984;[2] it signed on August 12, 1985,[3] owned by Tharpe Communications and programming an urban contemporary format.[4] Tharpe sold the station to T. Wood and Associates for $5,000 in 1991; L.A. Wood was a principal of both companies.[5] Two years later, WMXY and its FM sister station, WEIZ, were sold to Magnolia Broadcasting for $200,000.[6] Magnolia sold the stations to First Georgia Broadcasting, owner of WKZJ in Greenville, for $145,000 in 1995;[7] the following year, First Georgia sold WVCC and what had become WZLG to Janz Broadcasting for $510,000.[8]

Janz Broadcasting sold WMXY and WZLG to Radio LaGrange for $975,000 in 1997, with a local marketing agreement commencing on December 1; Radio LaGrange's principals owned WCOH in Newnan and WMKJ in Peachtree City.[9] Jacor Communications announced a $4.4 million purchase of all four stations in January 1999;[10] Jacor was itself acquired by Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia) a few months later.[3][11] WMXY changed its call sign to WGSE on July 12, 1999,[2] accompanied by a switch to a news/talk format;[12] the previous call sign was moved to WKBN-FM in Youngstown, Ohio.[13] The call sign was changed to WVCC on December 22, 2003, and to WGST on July 13, 2020.[2]

References

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  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WGST". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. 1 2 3 "WGST Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. 1 2 Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010 page D-164
  4. ↑ Broadcasting Cablecasting Yearbook 1986 (PDF). 1986. p. B-75. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  5. ↑ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 12, 1991. p. 56. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Broadcasting Partners Gets Motown Duopoly With $40 Million For WMTG & WNIC" (PDF). Radio & Records. November 26, 1993. pp. 6–10. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  7. ↑ "EZ Communications Creates Kansas City Duopoly For $35 Million" (PDF). Radio & Records. January 13, 1995. pp. 6–8. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Clear Channel Claims Heftel In $275 Million Stock Sale" (PDF). Radio & Records. June 7, 1996. pp. 6–8. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Elsewhere" (PDF). The M Street Journal. p. 9. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Jacor expands into Georgia with four new stations". Cincinnati Business Courier. January 5, 1999. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Closings Galore" (PDF). The M Street Journal. May 5, 1999. p. 1. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Format Changes & Updates" (PDF). The M Street Journal. August 11, 1999. p. 1. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Call Letter Changes" (PDF). The M Street Journal. July 28, 1999. p. 4. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
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