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WGST |
| WGST | |
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| City of license | Atlanta, Georgia |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Atlanta metropolitan area |
| Branding | 640 WGST |
| Slogan | "Atlanta. Talk. Radio." "Atlanta. Braves. Radio." |
| Frequency | 640 kHz (analog) |
| First air date | March 16, 1922 |
| Format | News/Talk radio |
| Power | 50,000 watts (day) 1,000 watts (night) |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 29730 |
| Transmitter Coordinates | |
| Callsign meaning | W Georgia School of Technology |
| Affiliations | Atlanta Braves Radio Network |
| Owner | Clear Channel Communications |
| Sister stations | WBZY, WKLS, WWLG, WUBL, WWVA |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | http://www.640wgst.com |
WGST (640 AM) is a radio station licensed in the city of Atlanta, Georgia operating at a frequency of 640 kHz with 50,000 watts of power during the daytime, and 1,000 watts of power during nighttime hours. The station, which airs little weekday local programming, is owned by the Clear Channel Communications subsidiary Citicasters Licenses (formerly part of Jacor Communications), and serves the Atlanta metropolitan area broadcast market with a News/Talk radio format.
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WGST's original license for 710 kHz was issued March 17, 1922 (or March 19, 1922),[1] with the call sign WGM.[2] The station's origin pre-dates the 1922 date when the station went by the experimental radio call sign of "4FT".[1] The owner was the Atlanta Constitution, responding to the rival Atlanta Journal 's new WSB. The FCC issued WGM's license days after WSB's March 15, 1922 grant.[1][3] The current WGST call sign was assigned to the station after the station was donated to the Georgia School of Technology (now Georgia Tech) in 1923 following the station going out of business in late July of that year.[1][3] The WGM license was allowed to expire in August 1923, and new call signs issued to the school on January 13 (or 11) of 1924 as WBBF,[1][3] later becoming WGST in 1925 when the station moved to 1110 kHz.[4]
In 1930, WGST moved to 890 kHz.[5] The station moved to 920 kHz after the Communications Act of 1934 created the clear channels in the U.S. and the use of the 890 kHz frequency was given to WLS, Chicago.[6] It was operated as a commercial station under a lease to Southern Broadcasting Company beginning in 1930, but the Georgia Board of Regents got back control of the station in 1946.[7]
In the 1940s, it was located in the Forsyth Building in downtown Atlanta. In 1944, funds from the station financed Georgia Tech's new Office of Long-Range Development within its College of Architecture, which created a "Master Plan" for the Institute's development and expansion.[8] WGST was a Mutual Broadcasting Company affiliate in 1949 and later became an ABC affiliate in 1950.[7][9]
WGST was the first station to play rock 'n roll in Atlanta in the 1950s.[10] Radio personality Paul Drew had his debut on WGST with a weekend show "The Big Record."[10] Ray Charles' song "I Got a Woman" was recorded at WGST in the early 1950s.[11] In 1956, WGST moved to a studio facility next to the Alexander Memorial Coliseum on the Georgia Tech campus. This facility was built on top of the Coliseum's locker rooms for the radio station, and it featured two large studios for live performances, complete with grand pianos. The studios still exist and WREK occupied a small area of the original until it moved to its current studio in the Georgia Tech Student Center. During the 1960s, WGST was running a Top 40 radio format, but by the late-60's had changed format to Easy Listening, in an attempt to cut-into WSB-AM's audience.[12]
In 1971, WGST changed format from Easy Listening to Top 40, and was billed simply as "92". By 1972, the station had changed to a Solid-Gold Format. In 1973 it adopted a modified Gold/Current Adult Contemporary format. The station did fair in the Ratings, and well at night, particularly in the Male 25-49 demographics, boosted in part when WGST became the originating station for the Atlanta Flames Hockey broadcasts. The station continued with its long-running Georgia Tech Football Network and Georgia Tech Basketball broadcasts. By the late-70's, WGST switched to an all news format.[12] In 1973, it was declared surplus property and was sold for five million dollars to Meredith Corporation in 1974, ignoring opposition from alumni, state legislators, and even the governor.[10] However, interest from the trust fund created by the sale was used to upgrade Tech's student-run WREK FM 91.1, which, in 1978, moved to the Coliseum studios vacated by WGST in 1975. Meanwhile, WGST tried to compete with WSB (AM) by becoming a full service, Top 40 station and hiring big name personalities such as Chuck Daugherty, Sam Holman from WABC, Tony Taylor from WNBC, and Skinny Bobby Harper who was in Kansas City. But their ratings languished, despite the high-priced talent Meredith had assembled.[10][12]
In 1989, the owners of WGST, Jacor Communications, saw the opportunity to purchase the former WPBD operating at 640 kHz.[13] WGST was then moved to 640 kHz since the station could operate with 50,000 watts during the daytime and 1,000 watts at night, a substantial increase in daytime power and signal coverage area from the former 920 kHz. The license for 920 kHz was then sold to Focus on the Family, a Los Angeles religious broadcasting group.[14]
Sean Hannity replaced Neal Boortz when Boortz left for WSB (AM) in 1992 and stayed until Roger Ailes offered Hannity a position on FOX News Channel in 1996. During his time at WGST, he was given the nickname "The Tin Man." The station was also the home for Atlanta Braves baseball game broadcasts for 3 years, from 1992-1994. WGST was the station that carried Sid Bream's winning slide in Game Seven of the 1992 NLCS. In May 1994 the station was outbid for Braves broadcast rights by rival station AM 750 WSB, which had carried the games from 1966 until 1991. WGST was also the home of the Atlanta Hawks util 1995, after which the Hawks followed the Braves to rival station AM 750 WSB. WGST carried NASCAR races in 1996 and 1997. It was the home of the Atlanta Falcons in 1998 when the team made its only Super Bowl appearance.[15]
The station was simulcast on WGST-FM 105.7 from 1993 until 2000.
2005 marked a year of change for WGST. Following the reacquisition of Atlanta Braves baseball radio rights,[15] the station changed its moniker to "Braves Radio 640 GST" to reflect the new rights. Subsequently, many out-of-Atlanta area fans complained about the change from AM 750 WSB, noting WGST's signal was much weaker at night than that of WSB. To remedy the situation, WGST sister station WKLS-FM (96 Rock) began broadcasting Braves games. Also, as part of a Clear Channel corporate change, WGST switched to Fox News Radio as its news provider. On March 20, 2006, WGST's moniker became "Atlanta. Talk. Radio." In March of 2005 WGST dropped Paul Harvey from its radio line-up. Harvey moved to country station WYAY for two years,and is now heard on sister station 96.7.
On November 21, 2006, WGST announced that morning show host Tom Hughes had resigned, and that midday host Denny Schaffer, and afternoon drive talk host Kim Peterson (The Kimmer) and their staffs had been fired.
On February 5, 2007, it was announced that veteran Atlanta morning show hosts Randy Cook and Spiff Carner would be joining the 640 WGST team for a new live and local morning show.
On September 24, 2007, it was announced that Glenn Beck would be returning to WGST in the 9am to noon slot on Thursday, September 27, 2007. The syndicated Glenn Beck Show was previously heard on WGST from 2001 to 2005. Beck took over Mike McConnell's weekday spot, though McConnell was still heard on weekends.
As of September 27, 2007 the lineup included "The Wall Street Journal This Morning" from 5am to 6 am, The Randy and Spiff Morning Show from 6 am to 9 am, Glenn Beck from 9 am to noon, Rush Limbaugh from noon to 3, Dave Ramsey from 3 to 7, Mark Levin from 7 to 9 and "Coast to Coast AM" with George Noory during the overnight hours. Flagship Atlanta Braves coverage is also broadcast during baseball season.
On October 9, 2007, morning co-host Spiff Carner was fired by WGST, after 8 months on the air. Randy Cook remained on the newly named The Morning Drive with Randy Cook.
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