I checked the history of the article. Robyn Watts, who is a member here, wrote that part of the article. Nearly all Wikipedia articles have multiple contributors, though.freqdev said:
If someone can find a source, it can be changed.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Whats in your call letters
- Thread starter Gatekeeper007
- Start date
If someone can find a source, it can be changed.
OK-since Art Sutton frequents these boards, I have always heard that WGOG stands for Walhalla Garden Of the Gods or some variation thereof. This info was told to me by a fellow I work with now who knew the ladies that put the original WGOG on the air in 1959. I remember him telling me about the struggles they had in building and operating the station in what was traditionally a man's world back then. Any truth to any of this or could it just all be hearsay?
vchimpanzee said:
page 5 from the scba history at http://www.scba.net/documents/SCBAHistory4-1FINAL.pdf
yeah...they are bad compared to a lot of other areas around. We don't even have a secondary talk station, sports, or anything...it's all Spanish or religious. The only AMs that have any signal close to impressive would be 660 (daytime), 1070 (if it's on), and 950...I would say the 950 signal is second-best in the area.freqdev said:
A
Art Sutton
Guest
Yes...that is what WGOG call sign means. Walhalla was established by a German group from Charleston in the early to mid 1800s. Valhalla is a German mythical garden, etc. and in the south, it's pronounced Walhalla. 
Yes, when WGOG began in 1959 (50th anniversary is April 15, 2009) is operated with 500 watts on 1460 and competed against an AM/FM in Seneca which was owned by the local newspaper. However, WGOG was a financial success from Day 1 and continues to be today. In the mid 1960s, WGOG moved to 1000 on the dial and referred to as Clear Channel 10. In those days Clear Channel meant something than it's associated with today. WGOG lost pre-sunrise authority but the 1kW on 1000 AM provided a much better signal across Seneca where most of advertisers were located, even in the early days of the station. Furthermore, 1460 is subject to lots of skywave early morning and late afternoon hours.
WSNW in Seneca stands for Walhalla Seneca aNd Wesminster. WSNW recently began operating on a FM translator, 103.3 with 180 watts ERP from the top of WSNW's 250 ft tower and the format was adjusted from Middle of the Road to 70s focused oldies. Afternoons remain talk (OReilly and Hannity plus SC Sports talk 6 to 8P)
Yes, when WGOG began in 1959 (50th anniversary is April 15, 2009) is operated with 500 watts on 1460 and competed against an AM/FM in Seneca which was owned by the local newspaper. However, WGOG was a financial success from Day 1 and continues to be today. In the mid 1960s, WGOG moved to 1000 on the dial and referred to as Clear Channel 10. In those days Clear Channel meant something than it's associated with today. WGOG lost pre-sunrise authority but the 1kW on 1000 AM provided a much better signal across Seneca where most of advertisers were located, even in the early days of the station. Furthermore, 1460 is subject to lots of skywave early morning and late afternoon hours.
WSNW in Seneca stands for Walhalla Seneca aNd Wesminster. WSNW recently began operating on a FM translator, 103.3 with 180 watts ERP from the top of WSNW's 250 ft tower and the format was adjusted from Middle of the Road to 70s focused oldies. Afternoons remain talk (OReilly and Hannity plus SC Sports talk 6 to 8P)
more kilowatts said:
In Western North Carolina:
WFGW - William Franklin Graham's Wife (Billy Graham)
WMIT - Mount Mitchell
WBRM - Wonderful Blue Ridge Mountains
WFGW - William Franklin Graham's Wife (Billy Graham)
WMIT - Mount Mitchell
WBRM - Wonderful Blue Ridge Mountains
Art Sutton said:
I guess my original post made it sound like the station struggled. Quite the contrary. The person who gave me the information about WGOG's beginnings told me the same thing you said-that the station was very successful from day 1. I believe his reference to struggles was to some of the obstacles the female owners were able to overcome to put the station on the air and make it successful. Most notably, some men did not like working for the female owners in that era.
A
Art Sutton
Guest
I never knew the ladies. Both were deceased by the time I moved to South Carolina but those who knew them well and worked for them said they were very respected and great community servant type people. I do have articles written about them in some industry trades. They mentioned they were usually the only female operators at industry gatherings but you can also tell they could have cared less what anyone thought. The story is told in the early 1960s they bought a brand new Tbird convertible and drove it on sales calls. A client told them that they should be a little more cautious about riding around in that Tbird that folks might think they were doing too well. I am told that one of the ladies told the client she hoped to hell everyone thought that because they had worked their butts off to be able to buy that car and she didn't give a damn what anyone thought. Years ago the FCC had the NAB Code which was basically a voluntary agreement that a station would not air more than 18 minutes of ads per hour. WGOG was always withdrawing since they were over the limit. Even the sign off was sold to a local funeral home.
We've bought stations from good operators and bad ones. Even if the operators were two or three owners prior...you can always do better with a station that had a good operator in its past vs one which didn't. Those earlier operators taught the local community the value of a good community radio station while a bad operator never established that importance t the community...advertisers and listeners.
We've bought stations from good operators and bad ones. Even if the operators were two or three owners prior...you can always do better with a station that had a good operator in its past vs one which didn't. Those earlier operators taught the local community the value of a good community radio station while a bad operator never established that importance t the community...advertisers and listeners.
more kilowatts said:
freqdev said:
Maybe that was those ladies' way of tacitly saying that not all of their listeners were gonna wake up the next day?
Plus, funeral home dollars=mattress company dollars dollar for dollar.
Those earlier operators taught the local community the value of a good community radio station while a bad operator never established that importance t the community...advertisers and listeners.
Even today never A truer word said.
Even today never A truer word said.
According to Wikipedia, WFGW is "From God's Word". It doesn't say what the source is. Can you give a source for yours?Preacherdude said:
more kilowatts said:
Does anybody know what the heck "WCSZ" stands for on 1070? I can't imagine what that would stand for..
I kinda thought that's what WCSZ meant, Sans Souci. Thanks....always thought it was weird that it was licensed to just a "community" like that.
WHYZ - Hits? Just a guess.
WHYZ - Hits? Just a guess.
A
Art Sutton
Guest
1070 was a daytimer most of its life in Greenville. Some 20 years or so ago, they added nighttime. Since it couldn't provide the required interference free nighttime contour over Greenville, the city of license was changed to Sans Souci.carolinaradio said:
vchimpanzee said:
I worked for the Grahams for 17 years. I was program director for most of those years. It was my job to build the southern gospel format we started in 1992 when we rebuilt the station. I have never heard "From God's Word" in my life. Not saying that was not an original thought long before I came on the scene, but I've never heard it. I have been told and have told listeners for years "William Franklin Graham's Wife." Anybody who know Mrs. Ruth would tell you WFGW was special to her.
I probably shouldn't change it without a definite source. I went back through the article's history and someone named Trekkie88 changed it. It didn't say before what the letters stood for. I'm going to ask this person.Preacherdude said:
I just went to Trekkie88's talk page. That's like private messages here, but on Wikipedia they're not private. Trekkie88 gets in trouble a lot.
- Status