 | |
| Type | Radio network |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Headquarters | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | VCY America, Inc. |
| History | |
| Founded | 1954 byVic Eliason |
| Launch date | 1954; 71 years ago (1954) |
Former names | Milwaukee Youth for Christ |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | https://www.vcy.org/ |
VCY America, Inc. is a traditional,evangelical,conservativeChristian ministry based inMilwaukee, Wisconsin. The VCY America Radio Network maintains a format ofChristian talk and teaching, as well as traditionalChristian music through its broadcast outlets.
Originally known as "MilwaukeeYouth For Christ", and later, "Greater Milwaukee Youth For Christ", it left the national YFC organization in 1973 and became known as theWisconsin Voice of Christian Youth (WVCY) until 1995, when it changed to its present name. Itsflagship stations in Milwaukee,WVCY-FM andWVCY-TV, share acall sign which refers to the ministry's original name.
The ministry operates 41 VCY America-ownedradio stations inArizona,California,Colorado,Delaware,Illinois,Indiana,Iowa,Kansas,Michigan,Minnesota,Missouri,Nevada,New Mexico,New York,Ohio,South Dakota,Texas,West Virginia, andWisconsin. It also broadcasts over 27 low-powerFM translators.[1] VCY America radio also provides programming such asCrosstalk,Worldview Weekend, andMusic 'til Dawn to stations throughout the country via satellite. Additionally, VCY has aChristian bookstore inWauwatosa, Wisconsin which is promoted on air and ships throughout the United States as an additional source of revenue.
VCY has attempted to expand into theSan Francisco Bay Area,Las Vegas, and theCoachella Valley through the lease and attempted purchase of a group of three stations in abankruptcy action:KFRH,KREV andKRCK-FM. In early 2022, the original owner sued successfully to nullify the bankruptcy action against them, and the bankruptcydebtor in possession and trustee was forced to return to the stations to them and nullify the VCY America leases. In October 2023, VCY America participated in a bankruptcy auction for these stations and was the winning bidder for KFRH, KRCK-FM, and two translators in the Palm Springs area for $2,445,952.88.[2] KFRH inNorth Las Vegas, Nevada's call sign was changed toKVPH and it began airing VCY America's programming on March 18, 2024.[3]
In December 2022 VCY America announced it would purchase WFAS-FM in theNew York Cityarea fromCumulus Media, pending final approval from theFederal Communications Commission.[4][5] RenamedWVBN, the acquisition, completed on February 6, 2023, gave VCY America its first broadcast outlet on theEast Coast.[6] VCY America added to its Northeastern expansion in August 2023 with its purchase of WJBR-FM inWilmington, Delaware, fromBeasley Broadcast Group.[7] VCY took control of the station October 6, changing its call sign toWVCW; the move brings its programming into thePhiladelphia market.
VCY America's radio programming includes Christian talk and teaching programming, among them:
VCY America also airs a variety of vocal and instrumental traditional Christian music, as well as children's programming such asRanger Bill.[8] Notably, the network (including WVCY-TV) eschews any programs featuringContemporary Christian music, and has dropped programming which has switched to it in any form, including as theme music.
The ministry also owns WVCY-TV (Channel 30) in Milwaukee, which holds acommercial license but is completely viewer supported. As of January 2018, it is carried under a channel share agreement with commercial stationWITI, owned byFox Television Stations. It vacated its former independent frequency in the FCC's spectrum repack auction, the proceeds of which ($76.3 million,[9] plus donations and bookstore purchases since) have been utilized to expand VCY's radio network. WVCY-TV is also carried in theWausautelevision market via translator W26EE-D, licensed toWittenburg.
In 1994, WVCY-TV rejected an offer to be purchased byCBS and become the network's new Milwaukee affiliate, following WITI's defection toFox as part of the1994–1996 United States broadcast television realignment.
The ministry also operates a summer camp, nearHillsboro, Wisconsin, called, "Trail Ridge Camp"[10] as well as itsreligious bookstore, with a physical location inWauwatosa, a suburb of Milwaukee, and itsonline presence.
The ministry is run by a team formerly headed by the lateVic Eliason, a former Youth for Christ worker,ordained Christianminister and a recipient of anhonorary doctorate fromBob Jones University, in 2001.[11] Jim Schneider is the current Executive Director.[12]
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | State | Class | Power (W) | ERP (W) | Height (m (ft)) | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KVCP | 88.3 FM | Phoenix | Arizona | C1 | — | 22,500 | 304 m (997 ft) | FCC (KVCP) |
| KVCC | 88.5 FM | Tucson | Arizona | A | — | 1,500 | 115 m (377 ft) | FCC (KVCC) |
| KVPW | 97.7 FM | Mecca | California | A | — | 1,600 | 197 m (646 ft) | FCC (KVPW) |
| WVCW | 99.5 FM | Wilmington | Delaware | B | — | 50,000 | 152 m (499 ft) | FCC (WVCW) |
| WLUV | 1520 AM | Loves Park | Illinois | D | 500 (day) 13 (night) | — | — | FCC (WLUV) |
| WPTH | 88.1 FM | Olney | Illinois | A | — | 2,900 | 61 m (200 ft) | FCC (WPTH) |
| WVSB | 106.3 FM | South Bend | Indiana | A | — | 1,400 | 134.8 m (442 ft) | FCC (WVSB) |
| KVPG | 103.9 FM | Dunkerton | Iowa | C3 | — | 14,000 | 65 m (213 ft) | FCC (KVPG) |
| KVDI | 99.3 FM | Huxley | Iowa | A | — | 5,300 | 95 m (312 ft) | FCC (KVDI) |
| KVCI | 89.7 FM | Montezuma | Iowa | C1 | — | 100,000 | 151 m (495 ft) | FCC (KVCI) |
| KVPJ | 94.7 FM | Rockford | Iowa | A | — | 3,100 | 65 m (213 ft) | FCC (KVPJ) |
| KVCY | 104.7 FM | Fort Scott | Kansas | C3 | — | 16,000 | 125 m (410 ft) | FCC (KVCY) |
| KCVS | 91.7 FM | Salina | Kansas | C2 | — | 11,500 | 228 m (748 ft) | FCC (KCVS) |
| WVCN | 104.3 FM | Baraga | Michigan | C1 | — | 100,000 | 262 m (860 ft) | FCC (WVCN) |
| WVCM | 91.5 FM | Iron Mountain | Michigan | A | — | 500 | 183 m (600 ft) | FCC (WVCM) |
| WQRN | 88.9 FM | Cook | Minnesota | C3 | — | 16,000 | 70 m (230 ft) | FCC (WQRN) |
| WQRM | 850 AM | Duluth | Minnesota | B | 50,000 (day) 14,000 (c.h.) | — | — | FCC (WQRM) |
| KVCS | 89.1 FM | Spring Valley | Minnesota | C3 | — | 12,000 | 138 m (453 ft) | FCC (KVCS) |
| WRVX | 91.7 FM | Cameron | Missouri | C2 | — | 27,500 | 116 m (381 ft) | FCC (WRVX) |
| KIRS | 107.7 FM | Stockton | Missouri | C3 | — | 11,700 | 146 m (479 ft) | FCC (KIRS) |
| KVPH | 104.3 FM | North Las Vegas | Nevada | C | — | 24,500 | 1,128 m (3,701 ft) | FCC (KVPH) |
| KVCN | 106.7 FM | Los Alamos | New Mexico | C0 | — | 44,000 | 592 m (1,942 ft) | FCC (KVCN) |
| WVBN | 103.9 FM | Bronxville | New York | A | — | 980 | 162.1 m (532 ft) | FCC (WVBN) |
| WJIC | 91.7 FM | Zanesville | Ohio | A | — | 6,000 | 97 m (318 ft) | FCC (WJIC) |
| KVCF | 90.5 FM | Freeman | South Dakota | C2 | — | 9,000 | 246 m (807 ft) | FCC (KVCF) |
| KVCX | 101.5 FM | Gregory | South Dakota | C1 | — | 100,000 | 195 m (640 ft) | FCC (KVCX) |
| KVCH | 88.7 FM | Huron | South Dakota | C1 | — | 60,000 | 161 m (528 ft) | FCC (KVCH) |
| KVFL | 89.1 FM | Pierre | South Dakota | A | — | 400 | 113 m (371 ft) | FCC (KVFL) |
| KVPC | 97.7 FM | Rapid City | South Dakota | C | — | 100,000 | 579 m (1,900 ft) | FCC (KVPC) |
| KVDT | 103.3 FM | Allen | Texas | C | — | 98,000 | 606 m (1,988 ft) | FCC (KVCE) |
| KVLM | 104.7 FM | Tarzan | Texas | C1 | — | 100,000 | 224 m (735 ft) | FCC (KVLM) |
| KVCE | 92.7 FM | Slaton | Texas | C1 | — | 100,000 | 182 m (597 ft) | FCC (KVCE) |
| WVIW | 104.1 FM | Bridgeport | West Virginia | A | — | 2,450 | 158 m (518 ft) | FCC (WVIW) |
| WVCF | 90.5 FM | Eau Claire | Wisconsin | A | — | 1,600 | 112 m (367 ft) | FCC (WVCF) |
| WVFL | 89.9 FM | Fond du Lac | Wisconsin | A | — | 1,000 | 117 m (384 ft) | FCC (WVFL) |
| WVCY-FM[a] | 107.7 FM | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | B | — | 43,000 | 161 m (528 ft) | FCC (WVCY-FM) |
| WVCY | 690 AM | Oshkosh | Wisconsin | B | 250 (day) 77 (night) | — | — | FCC (WVCY) |
| WVCS | 90.1 FM | Owen | Wisconsin | C3 | — | 1,900 | 153 m (502 ft) | FCC (WVCS) |
| WVCX | 98.9 FM | Tomah | Wisconsin | C0 | — | 100,000 | 300 m (980 ft) | FCC (WVCX) |
| WEGZ | 105.9 FM | Washburn | Wisconsin | C1 | — | 100,000 | 226 m (741 ft) | FCC (WEGZ) |
| WVRN | 88.9 FM | Wittenberg | Wisconsin | C2 | — | 25,000 | 147 m (482 ft) | FCC (WVRN) |
Notes:
