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| Broadcast area | Augusta metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 580kHz |
| Branding | NewsTalk WGAC |
| Programming | |
| Format | News/talk |
| Affiliations | Fox News Radio Premiere Networks Westwood One |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| WCHZ-FM,WDRR,WGAC-FM,WGUS-FM,WKXC-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | 1940 |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 4435 |
| Class | B |
| Power | 5,000watts day 840 watts night |
Transmitter coordinates | 33°40′44″N82°4′48″W / 33.67889°N 82.08000°W /33.67889; -82.08000 (day) 33°31′29″N81°54′31″W / 33.52472°N 81.90861°W /33.52472; -81.90861 (night) |
| Repeater(s) | 95.1WGAC-FM (Harlem) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | wgac.com |
WGAC (580kHz) is acommercialAMradio station inAugusta, Georgia. The station carries anews/talkformatsimulcast with co-owned 95.1WGAC-FMHarlem, Georgia. The stations are owned byBeasley Broadcast Group, Inc., through licensee Beasley Media Group Licenses, LLC. Theradio studios and offices are on Jimmie Dyess Parkway in Augusta.[2]
WGAC is a rare radio station that usestransmitter sites in different states. In the daytime, WGAC is powered at 5,000watts, using anon-directional antenna off King Street inMartinez, Georgia. But at night, to avoid interfering with other stations on580 AM, WGAC reduces power to 840 watts, using adirectional antenna with a four-tower array, off Old Sudlow Lake Road inNorth Augusta, South Carolina.[3]
On weekdays, WGAC has local shows in AM and PMdrive time, withnationally syndicated shows heard the rest of the day. Weekdays begin with "Augusta's Morning News" with John Patrick, Mary Liz Nolan and Steve Smith. In late afternoons, Austin Rhodes hosts aconservative talk call-in show. Also on the schedule areGlenn Beck,Dave Ramsey,Mark Levin,Coast to Coast AM withGeorge Noory andAmerica in the Morning with John Trout.
Weekends feature shows on money, gardening, golfing, cars, technology, religion and law. Syndicated weekend shows includeKim Komando,The Motley Fool,Handel on the Law andSomewhere in Time with Art Bell as well as repeats of weekday shows. WGAC broadcasts games of theAugusta GreenJacketsminor league baseball team. Most hours begin with world and national news fromFox News Radio.
In 1940, WGACsigned on the air. It originally broadcast on 1210kilocycles at only 250 watts, a fraction of its current power. It was owned by Twin States Broadcasting.[4] WGAC was anNBC Blue Networkaffiliate, carrying its schedule of dramas, comedies, news, sports,soap operas,game shows andbig band broadcasts during the "Golden Age of Radio."
In 1941, after the enactment of theNorth American Regional Broadcasting Agreement (NARBA), WGAC moved toAM 1240. A few years later, WGAC got approval from theFederal Communications Commission (FCC) to move to 580kHz, with a big increase in power, 5,000watts by day and 1,000 watts at night.[5] The Blue Network became theABC Radio Network.
In 1978, theBeasley Broadcast Group acquired WGAC-AM and later, added an FM station (95.1) which is licensed to Harlem, Ga. and simulcasts the WGAC-AM programing.[6]
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