WCTC
| City | New Brunswick, New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Middlesex area |
| Branding | WCTC 1450 |
| Slogan | "The Voice of Central Jersey" |
| Frequency | 1450 kHz |
| First air date | 1946 |
| Format | Talk |
| Audience share | 2.0, #20 (Ja '12, All Access [1]) |
| Power |
1,000 watts unlimited 250 watts auxiliary (backup) |
| Class | C |
| Facility ID | 55180 |
| Transmitter coordinates |
40°29′32″N 74°25′11″W / 40.49222°N 74.41972°W 40°28′33″N 74°29′34″W / 40.47583°N 74.49278°W auxiliary (backup) |
| Callsign meaning | ChanTiCleer Broadcasting, original[2] |
| Owner |
Greater Media (The Sentinel Publishing Co.) |
| Sister stations | WMGQ, WDHA-FM, WMTR, WJRZ-FM, WRAT |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | wctcam.com |
WCTC (1450 AM) is an American radio station broadcasting a syndicated and live talk radio format. Licensed to New Brunswick, New Jersey, the station serves the Middlesex, Somerset & Union County area ("M-S-U"...Arbitron Market #41). The station is currently owned by Greater Media (through The Sentinel Publishing Co.).[3] The station broadcasts in C-QUAM AM stereo. It is the chief radio broadcaster for Rutgers University athletic events and Somerset Patriots independent league baseball games. WCTC is also the primary source for winter school closing announcements. WCTC's former Talk format continues with the weekday morning show featuring New Jersey radio veteran Bert Baron, entitled "Jersey Central." The weekday lineup includes Laura Ingraham from 9 to noon, Rich Eisen from noon to 3, and Tommy G from 3 to 6 PM. WCTC also airs special interest shows on the weekends.
WCTC derives its callsign from the Chanticleer, a flamboyant fighting rooster from the medieval fable Reynard the Fox (Le Roman de Renart). It is also used by Geoffrey Chaucer in the Canterbury Tales which was the Rutgers mascot from 1925 to 1955. The station is currently owned by Greater Media, Inc. Its sister station is WMGQ-FM, another Greater Media property.
History
WCTC got its start in 1946 broadcasting an unknown format. From the 1960s through the 1980s, it broadcast a Full Service format featuring local news, talk, sports, and MOR adult pop music. In 1992, WCTC changed its format to a full-time News/Talk station featuring programming from ABC Radio and Premiere Radio Networks. As of July 2, 2008, WCTC went back to its roots broadcasting an oldies music format.[4]
On February 28, 2011 WCTC changed their format to talk, launching the local midday show New Jersey TODAY from 1 to 3 hosted by Bert Baron.[5]
Former on-air staff
- Jack Shreve, in addition to being a long-time on-air personality for the radio station also served as Program Director and Operations Manager for the radio station.
- Bob Aaronson
- Bernard Spigner
- Dan Flatt
- Jim Florio
- Gary R'Nel
- Joe Spicuzzo
- Ted Efaw
- Rich DeMarco, who currently calls play-by-play for the Army Black Knights football team on WABC (AM)
- Neil Solondz, who currently is the pregame and postgame radio host for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Dick Farrel
- Ralph Saviano
- Liz Maita
- Bruce Williams, a well-known syndicated radio personality. He began his broadcast career at WCTC.
- Jack Ellery
- Noted newsmen Herb Kaplow, Dave Marash and Harvey Hauptman began their careers at the station.
- Joseph Dembo, eventual GM at WCBS in New York began his management rise at WCTC.
- Gordon Deal host of Wall Street Journal This Morning once served as a News Anchor at the station.
- Jennifer Kushinka a news anchor for the Dow Jones Money Report was once a News Anchor at WCTC.
- Brian Rickman a former board operator and producer at WCTC is now the Vice President of Programming for URBan Radio Broadcasting.
- Dean Hunter, formerly of WMGM (FM), was the PD for WCTC during the late 1970s.
- Bruce Johnson[6]
Former logo
-
WCTC logo used from 2004 until July 2, 2008.
References
- ↑ "Middlesex Market Ratings". Radio & Records.
- ↑ "Call Letter Origins". Radio History on the Web.
- ↑ "WCTC Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ↑ "Greater Media takes talker WCTC to "Good Time Oldies" in Central New Jersey". Radio-Info.com. July 2, 2008. Retrieved July 2, 2008.
- ↑ "Greater Media's WCTC, New Brunswick NJ (1450) drops oldies for talk". Radio-Info.com. February 28, 2011.
- ↑ http://www.nj.com/middlesex/index.ssf/2014/05/bruce_johnson_longtime_wctc_radio_journalist_laid_off.html
External links
- Query the FCC's AM station database for WCTC
- Radio-Locator Information on WCTC
- Query Nielsen Audio's AM station database for WCTC
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