 | |
| Frequency | 90.7MHz (HD Radio) |
|---|---|
| Branding | WKGC Public Media |
| Programming | |
| Format |
|
| Affiliations | American Public MediaNational Public Radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Gulf Coast State College |
| History | |
First air date | October 21, 1974; 51 years ago (1974-10-21) |
Call sign meaning | WKGulfCoast |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 25562 |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 100,000watts |
| HAAT | 108.6 meters (356 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 30°13′05″N85°51′16″W / 30.21806°N 85.85444°W /30.21806; -85.85444 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | https://wkgc.org/hd1stream/ (HD 1) https://wkgc.org/hd2stream/ (HD 2) https://wkgc.org/hd3stream/ (HD 3) |
| Website | www.wkgc.org |
WKGC Public Media (90.7FM) is aradio station licensed toPanama City, Florida, United States. The station is currently owned byGulf Coast State College.[2]
WKGC-FM was the brainchild of Gulf Coast students Charles Wooten andRon Johnson, who began developing the idea in 1968. Initially, the small team had only obtained enough materials for a 100-milliwatt AM signal, which proved to only be strong enough to beam rock music into the student center. On October 21, 1974, WKGC-FM went on the air with a power of ten watts. Over the course of two years, the District Board of Trustees appropriated $20,000 for the station's expansion. The station would only use $13,000 to expand to 9,200 watts, thanks to tower space donated by local radio stationWDLP.
In 1976, WKGC-FM became eligible for funding by the state'sDepartment of Education. With this funding, the current crew was able to hire full-time professional staff, which allowed more varied programming and the creation of new educational experiences for students. The state's funding was followed by further funding from theCorporation for Public Broadcasting. Later in 1976, WKGC secured an affiliation withNPR, broadening the station's repertoire with including original programs such asAll Things Considered.
In 1978, the station was granted a power increase to 28,500 watts, with its reach reportedly spanning fromPensacola toApalachicola and above the Alabama state line. In 1979, a satellite dish was installed on-site, to ease the pre-recording of programs. That same year, a grant from theFlorida Legislature and associated organizations granted WKGC-FM $350,000 for new facilities, marking the first time the station would operate from a real studio.
In 1982, Janus Broadcasting, then-owner of Panama City'sWGNE-FM, donated to the college what had been WGNE's AM counterpart on 1480 kHz. This acquisition led to WKGC becoming the first AM/FM community college radio station in the United States. Over time, programming between the AM and FM stations would diverge. This duopoly would be ended byHurricane Michael's October 2018 landfall destroying theWKGC (AM) transmitter, as the college would sell the silent station for $5,000 the following year.
WKGC carries programming from National Public Radio, American Public Media, and independently produced special interest programming on a variety of topics. Starting in February 2025, WKGC Public Media began airing locally-produced call-in style special interest shows on topics such as cinema, live performance music, visual and performing arts, culinary arts, and restaurant critiques. Additionally, the radio station began airing a true crime show.
WKGC broadcasts threeHD Radio channels:
  | This article about a radio station in Florida is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |