WFGL

Infobox Radio station
name = WFGL


city = Fitchburg, Massachusetts
area =
branding =
slogan = "Good Life Radio"
frequency = 960 kHz
airdate = February 15, 1950
format = Christian radio
power = 1,000 watts
class = B
facility_id = 8418
coordinates = coord|42|35|24.00|N|71|49|43.00|W|region:US_type:city
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns = WXLO, WFGM
owner = CSN International
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast =
website = [http://www.goodliferadio.org goodliferadio.org]
affiliations =

WFGL (960 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format and licensed to Fitchburg, Massachusetts, USA. [cite news |title=On the Radio: Corporate bigfoot CSN tunes out community stations |date=2005-03-04 |work=The Boston Phoenix |url=http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/this_just_in/documents/04509192.asp |first=Mike |last=Miliard] The station is currently owned by CSN International. [cite web |url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WFGL |title=WFGL Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division]

History

The station went on the air February 15, 1950 as WFGM at 1580 AM. Original studios were located on the third floor of a downtown building at the corner of Main and Prichard Streets in Fitchburg. The original transmitter included one broadcast tower on Lunenburg Street near the current intersection of John Fitch Highway. The station had a power output of 1,000 watts. Several years later new studios were constructed in a renovated townhouse at 170 Prichard Street which was then renamed Broadcast House. (In 2001, the studio left broadcast house for a new facility in a renovated mill building across town.) A new four-tower transmitter was constructed atop Alpine Hill and the station's dial position was changed to 960 AM. In 1960 the station was granted a license for FM station WFGM-FM, which later became WBNE, WFMP and eventually WXLO at 104.5 FM. On November 1, 1962 the stations were sold to local businessman George Chatfield who in turn acquired a local newspaper, The Montachusett Review. The AM call letters were changed to WFGL in 1967. WFMP-FM became popular for featuring country music in the 1970's. In 1979 both stations were sold to Montachusett Broadcasting. WFGL AM was granted a power increase to 2,500 watts in 1984. The current owner, CSN International purchased the station in 1993.

Programming

Throughout its initial years WFGM and WFGL were considered full service radio stations, providing news and current affairs programming to the Fitchburg area communities. Among the programs carried was Frankly Speaking, a telephone call-in talk program that ran in various forms for over thirty years. The station also broadcast a middle of the road music format, featuring popular vocalists of the time. As did many radio stations, in the 1980's the music format shifted to what became known as Adult Contemporary. The station also featured many popular local personalities including Tal Hood, Ed Broughey and Dick Ziegler. In 1985 the station returned to its musical roots by switching to a traditional pop music format, once again featuring popular vocalists and instrumentals from the 1930's through 1960's, while also serving as a full service outlet carrying live local sports and news. At this time the station was an affiliate of the CBS Radio Network.

Return to the air

WFGL left the air in 1991 after a short stint as a simulcast of FM station WXLO. The station changed its call sign back to WFGL. It returned to the air in October 1994, broadcasting Christian radio programming to the Fitchburg area and continues to do so today. In 2001, the studios moved to a refurbished brick mill building across town. [cite web |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=8418&Callsign=WFGL |title=WFGL Call Sign History |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division ]

References

External links

*AMQ|WFGL
*AML|WFGL
*AMARB|WFGL