WQBC article in the Vicksburg Post

[danfling]

There is an interesting article on WQBC-AM in the Vicksburg Post.

The link is:

http://www.vicksburgpost.com/articles/2009/09/23/news/doc4ab8ff3f832c2762236632.txt


Appartly, the station is no longer on the air.

 

[Interstate4Jammer]

My understanding was always that the oldest radio station in Mississippi was WFOR-AM Hattiesburg. As a matter of fact, I am certain that was actually noted in the World Book Encyclopedia that I read as a kid.

 

[rfburns]

My understanding was always that the oldest radio station in Mississippi was WFOR-AM Hattiesburg. As a matter of fact, I am certain that was actually noted in the World Book Encyclopedia that I read as a kid.

According to "The History of Radio in Mississippi", WQBC was licensed on February 18, 1928. WFOR-AM (originally WRBJ-AM) was granted a license on March 27, 1928.

RFB

 

[robgrayson]

And, of course, there was KFNG, Coldwater, MS; June 30, 1924.

But they didn't stick around. They moved to Memphis (WREC).

 

[K4WRF]

There exists some distinction between those claims. WQBC might have been licensed, but off the air for a time or something like that. The old engineer that told me that has been gone a long time and I wasn’t around during that period. Radio in general is in a world of hurt and AM radio is specifically in a lot deeper hole.
w/

 

[flytrap]

I guess yall already know this, but WQBC stood for "We Quote Better Cotton" and was originally in Utica. And had lots of cotton news to the farmers in the area.

 

[dlhalper]

I guess yall already know this, but WQBC stood for "We Quote Better Cotton" and was originally in Utica. And had lots of cotton news to the farmers in the area.

Actually, that's a myth. It was an advertising slogan. Back then, stations could either request call letters from the Federal Radio Commission or take whatever calls the government assigned to you. Many stations took their assigned calls and then created an advertising slogan to go along with it-- for example, in Massachusetts (where I'm from), a station called WSAR was assigned those call letters, and then created the slogan "We Sell Advertising Results."

As of May 1923, there were still no commercial radio stations listed in Mississippi (California had the most stations-- 59); but due to the fact that AM signals traveled long distances, residents of that state had no trouble hearing the stations from neighboring states. Also, up until February of 1922, it was still legal for ham radio operators to play music or broadcast sports reports. I am sure I could find some of the names of early Mississippi hams who did that.

 

[radionekkid]

station started in uitca later moved to v-burg. If that is the criteria, then the old wcoc would be the oldest if it is still operating. Started in columbus then moved to meridian

 

[the golden boy]

The only WCOC I could find is in Dora, AL (near Birmingham), but it's currently off the air.

 

[RONNY]

WCOC WAS CHANGED TO WALT IN MERIDIAN STILL ON AIR AS TALK STATION, USING IS SAME TOWER AN LOCATION.

 

[rfburns]

It is probably safe to say that WQBC is the oldest continuously operating station in Mississippi with the same call letters since first signing on.

rfb

 

[Powerpig56]

What about WGCM AM1240 in Gulfport? I always thought they were the second oldest station in MS. They are still on the air and have been since around 1929.

 

[stephend2]

for now, WQBC is no more, I'm hoping someone gets the license and does something with it. The owner of the current site is demanding it be vacated including removing the tower. I'm dropping this tower this weekend and hauling it all away.