WGAD

Infobox Radio station
name = WGAD


city = Rainbow City, Alabama
area =
branding = "Gadsden's Gold"
slogan =
airdate = November 30, 1981
frequency = 930 kHz
format = Oldies
power = 5,000 watts (day)
500 watts (night)
class = B
facility_id = 22995
coordinates = coord|33|59|08|N|86|02|15|W|region:GB_type:city
callsign_meaning = GADsden
former_callsigns =
owner = Coosa River Communications, Inc.
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast =
website = http://www.wgad.com
affiliations = ABC Radio Networks

WGAD (930 AM) is a radio station broadcasting an Oldies format and known on air as "Gadsden's Gold". [ cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?call=WGAD |title=WGAD Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division ] Licensed to Rainbow City, Alabama, USA, the station is currently owned by Coosa River Communications, Inc. [ cite web|url=http://www.arbitron.com|title=Station Information Profile |work=Arbitron ]

History

The call letters WGAD originally were assigned to a station which began operation in 1946, at 1350 on the dial. In fact, WGAD at 1350 was the only station in Gadsden, Alabama to have never undergone a call letter change until the last few years. The original 1350 WGAD signed on in 1946 with 1,000 watts day non-directional, and 1,000 watts at night with a two tower directional signal, towers located west of Gadsden proper in Attalla, Alabama. Not long after the station began operation it was sold to a group of broadcasters consisting of Ed Z. Carrell who also served as General Manager, Lavelle Jackson and Senator Albert Rains, who raised the daytime power to 5,000 watts. WGAD was Gadsden's only full time station until 1960. The station was also the first to jump on the pop music bandwagon in the late 50's when it began broadcasting "Top 40" music with ABC news and special programs.

Programming

WGAD's oldies music programming is a mix of locally originated shows and programming from the ABC Radio Networks. In addition to its regular music programming, WGAD is part of the University of Alabama Men's Basketball Radio Network [ cite web|url=http://www.rolltide.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8000&ATCLID=239737|title=Men's Basketball Radio Network |work=University of Alabama Athletics ] , Women's Basketball [ cite web|url=http://www.rolltide.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8000&ATCLID=239738|title=Women's Basketball Radio Network |work=University of Alabama Athletics ] , and Baseball [ cite web|url=http://www.rolltide.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8000&ATCLID=239739|title=Baseball Radio Network |work=University of Alabama Athletics ] radio networks. The station is also an affiliate of the Atlanta Braves radio network, the largest radio affiliate network in Major League Baseball. [ cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/atl/schedule/affiliates.jsp|title=Affiliate Radio Stations|work=The Official Site of the Atlanta Braves]

External links

* [http://www.wgad.com WGAD official website]
*AMQ|WGAD
*AML|WGAD
*AMARB|WGAD

References