WKEW

WKEW
City Greensboro, North Carolina
Broadcast area Piedmont Triad
Slogan The Light 1400
Frequency 1400 kHz
Repeaters Translator W242CD 96.3
WPOL 1340 AM
First air date February 6, 1942
Format Gospel music
Power 1000 Watts
Class C
Transmitter coordinates 36°04′N 79°48′W / 36.067°N 79.800°W / 36.067; -79.800
Owner Truth Broadcasting Corporation
Sister stations WPOL
Website lightthetriad.com

WKEW (1400 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a Gospel music radio format. Licensed to Greensboro, North Carolina, USA, the station is owned by Truth Broadcasting Corporation. In Greensboro and nearby communities, WKEW can also be heard on an FM translator at 96.3 MHz, for listeners who prefer FM radio. It is also simulcast on sister station 1340 kHz WPOL in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

It runs the Yolanda Adams nationally syndicated morning show as well as other syndicated and local gospel and religious shows aimed at the African-American community.


History

WGBG ("We're Going to Beat Germany") signed on 10 months before the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, playing such artists as Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw.[1]

Disc jockey Rick Dees began his career at WGBG, which was called "Top Gun Radio". Another student at Grimsley High School dared him to audition, and he succeeded.[2][3][4]

Dusty Dunn began his 44-year career at WGBG "when The Beatles were the next big thing." In the early 1980s, he returned to the station (which was WKEW by that time) to do a four-hour morning talk show. Open Line, Greensboro's first talk show hosted by Ken Karns moved to WKEW in November 1986 when WBIG 1470 signed off.[5]

In 1980, Bill Mitchell bought WGBG and changed its letters to WKEW. The station also became the first fulltime news/talk station in Greensboro.[6]

On September 4, 1998, WKEW changed to Radio Disney, a radio format designed for children.[1]

Truth Broadcasting bought WKEW in 2000.[7] In January 2001, Radio Disney moved to 1320 WCOG and WKEW began simulcasting the same programming as WPOL in Winston-Salem.[8][9]


References

  1. 1 2 Jeri Rowe, "A Mouse in the House - WKEW , Greensboro's Longtime News-Talk Station, Will Become a Radio Disney Affiliate Today," Greensboro News & Record, September 4, 1998.
  2. http://sd.pikes.org/607/SD607_E.pdf, Retrieved on 2009-03-24.
  3. http://www.comicgenius.com/DISCOFEVER/disco_profiles/rick_dees/rick_dees_profile.htm, Retrieved on 2009-03-24.
  4. "NAB Award Winner--Rick Dees" (PDF). Radio Journal (Special NAB Convention Issue). April 2007. Retrieved 24 March 2009.
  5. Jeri Rowe, "Greensboro's Voice Is Signing Off," Greensboro News & Record, May 29, 2008.
  6. Jeri Rowe, "'King' of Local Radio Dies at Age 78 - Radio Pioneer Bill Mitchell Helped Introduce Rock 'N' Roll to the City," Greensboro News & Record, December 6, 2000.
  7. "Lorillard Starts Governmental Section," Greensboro News & Record, August 10, 2000.
  8. "Dillon Fence Reunites for N.C. Performances," Greensboro News & Record, December 21, 2000.
  9. "Gospel Music AM Station Is Catching On," Greensboro News & Record, August 2, 2001.

External links


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