WOGR (AM)

WOGR (1540 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Gospel format, licensed to Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. The station is currently owned by Victory Christian Center, Inc. and features programming from Salem Communications.[3][4]

WOGR
CityCharlotte, North Carolina
Frequency1540
Programming
FormatGospel
AffiliationsSalem Communications
Ownership
OwnerVictory Christian Center, Inc.
History
First air date
1964
Former call signs
WRPL (1964-1979)[1]
WQCC (1979-1989)[2]
Technical information
Facility ID70092
ClassD
ERP2,400 watts (daytime)
Transmitter coordinates
35° 16' 26" N, 80° 51' 40" W
Repeater(s)88.3 (Harrisburg)
Links
Webcastlisten live
Websitewordnet.org

Translators

In addition to the main station and WOGR-FM, WOGR (AM) is relayed by an additional translator to widen its broadcast area.

Broadcast translators of WOGR-FM
Call signFrequency
(MHz)		City of licenseERP
(W)		ClassFCC info
W202BW88.3Harrisburg, North Carolina10DFCC

History

The station was originally constructed and owned by Risden Allen Lyon. The call letters were WRPL (the initials of Lyon's father, Robert Phillip Lyon). WRPL signed on in 1964, broadcasting with 1,000 watts during the daytime from studios in a building that Lyon owned at 1402 East Morehead Street in Charlotte. The tower was located near the intersection of Monroe Road and East 5th Street.

Over the years many people referred to WRPL as "Ripple Radio."

The earliest format for WRPL was adult popular music, by artists such as the Three Sons, Perry Como and Les Brown. During that time the station gained notoriety with its "all girl" staff and big pink bus that shuttled the staff to various events.

WRPL changed formats in the late 1960s to R&B. For several years during this format the studios were located in the White House Inn Hotel in uptown Charlotte (formerly Hotel Charlotte). The on-air personalities, among them Chattie Hattie and Rockin' Ray Gooding, were visible to passersby on the sidewalk while they were doing their shows.

WRPL moved the studios back to the original location on East Morehead Street and changed to an eclectic album oriented rock format in the early 1970s. This format found much popularity in Charlotte. Among the staff members during this period were music genius Calvin Walker and Al Cafaro, who went on to become Chairman of A&M records. A popular poster and slogan used by the station during this period showed a variety of balls with the slogan 'Radio With Balls' imposed over them. Other DJs during that period were Daniel 'This is Daniel' Brunty, Dave Bell and Edward Theodore Faircloth. Daniel went on to WQDR in Raleigh. Following 2 years in Afghanistan, where he served as a Sr NATO Advisor to the Afghan Army Communications Directorate, Edward is now a software executive with Xytech Systems in Los Angeles.

During the late 1970s, the station played a progressive rock format and jazz as "The Ripple".[5] In one TV commercial, a disc jockey showed a small stack of 45s and said that represented what other stations played. Then he showed a large stack of 45s and said this was what "The Ripple" played.

In May 1978 Barbara Gammon's talk show began on Saturdays, similar to her WIST talk show from the early 1970s. Also, David Powell replaced Harold Lynne as host of the classical music program that aired Sundays from 9 A.M. to 1 P.M.[6]

WRPL switched to a three-fourths disco and one fourth jazz on January 22, 1979, with progressive rock limited to a Sunday program called "Eclectic Corner".[7]

In October 1979, the station changed its call letters to WQCC[8] and began a country music format (the call letters stood for "Charlotte Country"). This did not work so a switch to "Charlotte's solid gold radio"[5] with oldies and beach music took place in April 1980, though the format evolved into a more 70s-based sound. Then The PTL Club engineer and Heritage Village Church manager Terry White bought a 40 percent interest in the station from Risben Lyon[8] and on October 13, 1980, WQCC switched to "varied types of Christian music, from hymns to gospel to rock" along with teaching and Christian-oriented news.[9]

The Lyon family sold the radio station in 1983.

WQCC upgraded its signal from 1000 watts when on October 3, 1986, Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt officially turned on the 10,000-watt transmitter.[10]

Charlotte-based Satellite Radio Network started a 24-hour gospel music service July 4, 1987, with hopes for 20 affiliates, and maybe as many as 75 or 100. WQCC would air the programming part-time. Satellite Radio Networks of Dallas, Texas would distribute the programming for American Gospel Network.[11]

In the 1990s, with the call letters WOGR, the station added additional signals--WGAS in Gastonia, North Carolina on 1420 AM, and WOGR-FM in Salisbury, North Carolina on 93.3 FM.

Call sign history

The station's call letters were changed to WQCC from WRPL on 11/01/1979, and to WOGR on 03/27/1989.[2]

References
  1. History Cards for WOGR, fcc.gov. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  2. Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  3. "WOGR-FM Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  4. "WOGR-FM Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
  5. Robin Clark, "'Golden Oldies' Now The Stars: Switch By WQCC Is 6th In 15 Years," The Charlotte Observer, April 23, 1980, p. 3C.
  6. Ron Alridge, "Barbara Gammon Returns As Host Of Radio talk Show," The Charlotte Observer, May 10, 1978, p. 14A.
  7. "WRPL Switches To 75% Disco," The Charlotte Observer, January 26, 1979 p. 7D.
  8. Mark Wolf, "Radio Station WQCC To Shift To A Christian Music Format," The Charlotte Observer, October 6, 1980, p. 5B.
  9. "Stations Put Christian Message On Airwaves Of Metrolina," The Charlotte Observer, December 16, 1980.
  10. Jeff Borden, "WSOC, WLVK Radio Contests Strike Up a Familiar Chord," The Charlotte Observer, September 30, 1986, page 17A.
  11. Jeff Borden, "Charlotte-Based Gospel Network May Be Savior of Radio Stations," The Charlotte Observer, June 25, 1987.

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