WACL

For the former World Anti-Communist League, see World League for Freedom and Democracy.
WACL
City of license Elkton, Virginia
Broadcast area Harrisonburg, Virginia
Staunton, Virginia
Waynesboro, Virginia
Branding "98 Rock"
Slogan "Harrisonburg's Rock Station"
Frequency 98.5 FM MHz
First air date March 6, 1989[1]
Format Mainstream Rock[2]
Power 900 Watts
HAAT 490 meters (1,610 ft)
Class B1
Facility ID 63491
Transmitter coordinates 38°23′36.0″N 78°46′14.0″W / 38.393333°N 78.770556°W / 38.393333; -78.770556
Callsign meaning WA "CooL"
former branding
Former callsigns WVLC (1987-1989)[3]
WPKZ (1989-1997)
WACL (1997-present)[4]
Owner iHeartCommunications, Inc.
(Capstar TX, LLC)
Sister stations WAZR, WKCI, WKCY, WKCY-FM, WKDW, WSVO
Webcast WACL Webstream
Website WACL Online

WACL is a Mainstream Rock-formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Elkton, Virginia, serving Harrisonburg, Staunton and Waynesboro in Virginia.[2] WACL is owned and operated by iHeartCommunications, Inc.[5]

History

Pre-launch

The history of WACL begins on October 15, 1983,[6] when Robert James Lacey applied for a construction permit to build a radio station licensed to Elkton, Virginia.[6] The application asked that the station air on 98.3 FM and broadcast with a power of 3,000 watts.[6] Lacey's application was returned on January 22, 1984, for undetermined reasons.[7] On April 2, 1984, another company, Elkton Broadcasters, Inc. filed their own construction permit, also requesting use of the 98.3 FM frequency and to operate at 3,000 watts.[8] Elkton Broadcasters, Inc. was operated by Pamela Joan Davis, her brother Fred W. Greaves Jr., and their father, Fred W. Greaves Sr.[8]

On March 4, 1987, Administrative law judge Joseph B. Gonzalez held oral argument an appeal to determine whether the approval of Lacey's application (now operating as Stonewall Broadcasting Company) and the rejection of Elkton's was proper.[9] Stonewall Broadcasting Company retained the license, applying for the WVLC call sign in late-July 1987.[3] On September 22, 1988, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) amended the Table of allotments, moving the new station from 98.3 FM to 98.5 FM.[10] The station's call sign was changed on February 22, 1989, to WPKZ.[4][11]

Post-launch

On March 6, 1989, WPKZ began broadcasting for the first time, carrying an Adult Contemporary format.[1][12] The Radio Futures Committee awarded WPKZ an "Honorable Mention" for Excellence in Creative Commercial Production on January 19, 1990.[13] In late April 1990, M. Belmont VerStandig agreed to "program and advertise" Stonewall Broadcasting Company.-owned WPKZ for 10 years.[14] In 1994, WPKZ switched from an Adult Contemporary format to a Country format.[15]

On March 7, 1997, the station's call sign changed from WPKZ to its current WACL.[4] In early August 1997, Stonewall Broadcasting Company sold WACL to Mid-Atlantic Network, Inc. for $1.75 million.[16] WACL joined current sister stations WKCY and WKCY-FM.[16] The deal was approved by the FCC on August 26, 1997, and the transaction became final on September 2, 1997.[17]

In 1998, WACL switched from Country to an Oldies format.[18] In early January 2001, Mid-Atlantic Network, Inc. sold WACL, along with sisters WKCY and WKCY-FM to Clear Channel Communications for $7.2 million.[19] The deal was approved by the FCC on March 12, 2001, and the transaction closed on March 30, 2001.[20] In 2003, WACL debuted its current Mainstream Rock format.[21]

References

  1. 1 2 Broadcasting Yearbook 2010 (PDF). ProQuest, LLC/Reed Publishing (Nederland), B.V. 2010. p. D-552. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Broadcasting Magazine" (PDF). Lawrence B. Taishoff/Broadcasting Publications, Inc. July 20, 1987. p. 82. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 "Call Sign History". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  5. ↑ "WACL Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 "Broadcasting Magazine" (PDF). Lawrence B. Taishoff/Broadcasting Publications, Inc. November 14, 1983. p. 84. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Broadcasting Magazine" (PDF). Lawrence B. Taishoff/Broadcasting Publications, Inc. February 13, 1984. p. 220. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  8. 1 2 "Broadcasting Magazine" (PDF). Lawrence B. Taishoff/Broadcasting Publications, Inc. April 16, 1984. p. 99. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Broadcasting Magazine" (PDF). Lawrence B. Taishoff/Broadcasting Publications, Inc. March 16, 1987. p. 87. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Broadcasting Magazine" (PDF). Lawrence B. Taishoff/Broadcasting Publications, Inc. August 22, 1988. p. 72. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Broadcasting Magazine" (PDF). Lawrence B. Taishoff/Broadcasting Publications, Inc. March 6, 1989. p. 68. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  12. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1990 (PDF). Stanley Walker/Leigh Carol Yuster-Freeman/Reed Reference Publishing Company. 1990. p. B-323. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Broadcasting Magazine" (PDF). Stanley Walker/Leigh Carol Yuster-Freeman/Reed Reference Publishing Company. January 29, 1990. p. 32. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Broadcasting Magazine" (PDF). Stanley Walker/Leigh Carol Yuster-Freeman/Reed Reference Publishing Company. April 29, 1991. p. 34. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  15. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1994 (PDF). Stanley Walker/Leigh Carol Yuster-Freeman/Reed Reference Publishing Company. 1994. p. B-386. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  16. 1 2 "Broadcasting Magazine" (PDF). Bowker/Reed Elsevier, Inc. August 4, 1997. p. 33. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Application Search Details - BALH-19970529GG". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. August 27, 1997. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Broadcasting Yearbook 1998" (PDF). Bowker/Reed Elsevier, Inc. 1998. p. D-457. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Broadcasting Magazine" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable/Reed Elsevier, Inc. January 8, 2001. p. 67. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Application Search Details - BALH-20001204AIX". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. March 12, 2001. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Broadcasting Yearbook 2003-2004" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable/Reed Elsevier, Inc. 2003. p. D-495. Retrieved December 9, 2015.

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