VCY America

Originally known as "Milwaukee Youth For Christ", and later, "Greater Milwaukee Youth For Christ", it left the national YFC organization in 1973 and became known as the Wisconsin Voice of Christian Youth (WVCY) until 1995, when it changed to its present name. Its flagship stations in Milwaukee, WVCY-FM and WVCY-TV, share a call sign which refers to the ministry's original name.

File:VCY America Studios.jpg

The ministry operates 41 VCY America-owned radio stations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. It also broadcasts over 27 low-power FM translators.[https://www.vcyamerica.org/radio/ Radio], VCY America. Retrieved February 26, 2019. VCY America radio also provides programming such as Crosstalk, Worldview Weekend, and Music 'til Dawn to stations throughout the country via satellite. Additionally, VCY has a Christian bookstore in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin which is promoted on air and ships throughout the United States as an additional source of revenue.

VCY has attempted to expand into the San Francisco Bay Area, Las Vegas, and the Coachella Valley through the lease and attempted purchase of a group of three stations in a bankruptcy action: KFRH, KREV and KRCK-FM. In early 2022, the original owner sued successfully to nullify the bankruptcy action against them, and the bankruptcy debtor 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."[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/260386/kexp-vcy-america-autopilot-fm-to-acquire-stations-from-ed-stolz-auction/ KEXP, VCY America & AutoPilot FM To Acquire Stations From Ed Stolz Auction]", RadioInsight. December 12, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2024. KFRH in North Las Vegas, Nevada's call sign was changed to KVPH and it began airing VCY America's programming on March 18, 2024."[https://www.vcy.org/announcements/2024/03/19/kvph-104-3-fm-las-vegas-on-the-air/ KVPH 104.3 FM Las Vegas on the air!]", VCY America. March 19, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.

In December 2022 VCY America announced it would purchase WFAS-FM in the New York City area from Cumulus Media, pending final approval from the Federal Communications Commission.[https://www.insideradio.com/free/cumulus-media-s-exit-from-new-york-market-nearly-complete-with-sale-to-vcy-america/article_fe84d8d0-7730-11ed-9267-cb6d947d5b23.html InsideRadio.com "Cumulus Media to Exit from New York Market with Sale to VCY America" Dec. 8, 2022][https://radioinsight.com/headlines/245990/vcy-america-enters-new-york-city-with-wfas-fm-purchase/ RadioInsight.com "VCY America Enters New York City with WFAS-FM Purchase Dec. 8, 2022] Renamed WVBN, the acquisition, completed on February 6, 2023, gave VCY America its first broadcast outlet on the East Coast.{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=VCY America Debuts In New York - RadioInsight |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/248388/vcy-america-debuts-in-new-york/ |access-date=February 7, 2023 |work=RadioInsight |date=February 6, 2023}} VCY America added to its Northeastern expansion in August 2023 with its purchase of WJBR-FM in Wilmington, Delaware, from Beasley Broadcast Group.{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=VCY America Acquires WJBR |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/257408/vcy-america-acquires-wjbr/ |access-date=August 15, 2023 |work=RadioInsight |date=August 15, 2023}} VCY took control of the station October 6, changing its call sign to WVCW; the move brings its programming into the Philadelphia market.

VCY America's radio programming includes Christian talk and teaching programming, among them:

• Crosstalk, hosted by Jim Schneider, with past Vic Eliason-hosted episodes also aired
• Worldview Weekend with Brannon Howse
• Grace to You with John MacArthur
• In Touch with Charles Stanley
• Love Worth Finding with Adrian Rogers
• Revive Our Hearts with Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth
• The Alternative with Tony Evans
• Liberty Counsel's Faith and Freedom Report
• Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee
• Joni and Friends with Joni Eareckson Tada
• Unshackled!
• Moody Radio's Stories of Great Christians"[https://www.vcyamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/VCY-Network-Central-Time-Schedule.pdf VCY America Central Time Schedule]" VCY America. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
• Brinkman Adventures

VCY America also airs a variety of vocal and instrumental traditional Christian music, as well as children's programming such as Ranger Bill. Notably, the network (including WVCY-TV) eschews any programs featuring Contemporary 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 a commercial license but is completely viewer supported. As of January 2018, it is carried under a channel share agreement with commercial station WITI, owned by Fox Television Stations. It vacated its former independent frequency in the FCC's spectrum repack auction, the proceeds of which ($76.3 million,{{cite web|url=http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2017/db0413/DA-17-314A2.pdf|title=FCC Broadcast Television Spectrum Incentive Auction Auction 1001 Winning Bids|publisher=April 13, 2017|access-date=April 14, 2017}} plus donations and bookstore purchases since) have been utilized to expand VCY's radio network. WVCY-TV is also carried in the Wausau television market via translator W26EE-D, licensed to Wittenburg.

In 1994, WVCY-TV rejected an offer to be purchased by CBS and become the network's new Milwaukee affiliate, following WITI's defection to Fox as part of the 1994–1996 United States broadcast television realignment.

The ministry also operates a summer camp, near Hillsboro, Wisconsin, called, "Trail Ridge Camp""[http://www.trailridgecamp.org Trail Ridge Camp]" Trail Ridge Camp. Retrieved July 4, 2019. as well as its religious bookstore, with a physical location in Wauwatosa, a suburb of Milwaukee, and its [https://www.vcy.com online presence].

The ministry is run by a team formerly headed by the late Vic Eliason, a former Youth for Christ worker, ordained Christian minister and a recipient of an honorary doctorate from Bob Jones University, in 2001.Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; May 22, 2001 Jim Schneider is the current Executive Director."[https://www.vcyamerica.org/about/jim-schneider-executive-director/ Jim Schneider, Executive Director]", VCY America. Retrieved April 22, 2021.

Notes:

{{Notelist|group="sta"}}

{{reflist}}

• {{official website|http://www.vcyamerica.org/}}

{{American broadcast radio}}

Category:American radio networks

Category:Christian radio stations in the United States

Category:Radio broadcasting companies of the United States

Category:VCY America stations

Category:Christian mass media companies

Category:1954 establishments in Wisconsin