WBFJ (AM)

{{Infobox radio station

| name = WBFJ-AM

| logo =

| city = Winston-Salem, North Carolina

| area = Piedmont Triad

| branding =

| airdate =

| frequency = 1550 kHz AM

| translators = {{Radio Relay|103.5 MHz|W278AM|Sedalia}}

| format = Christian Teaching and Talk

| power = 1,000 watts day

| erp =

| haat =

| class = D

| facility_id = 73708

| coordinates = {{coord|36|06|33|N|80|14|44|W}}

| callsign_meaning = We Broadcast For Jesus

| former_callsigns = WPEG
WFCM
WPGD

| affiliations = USA Radio

| owner = Triad Family Network, Inc.

| licensee =

| sister_stations = WBFJ-FM

| webcast = [http://streamdb4web.securenetsystems.net/v5/WBFJAM Listen Live]

| website = [https://zktdad.wixsite.com/stereo1550 zktdad.wixsite.com/stereo1550]

| licensing_authority= FCC

}}

WBFJ 1550 AM is a radio station broadcasting a Christian teaching and talk format. Licensed in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, it serves the Piedmont Triad area and is currently owned by Triad Family Network, Inc.

History

The station began broadcasting in 1960 from a transmitter and studios on Northwest Blvd. in Winston-Salem with the call letters WPEG (based on the name of then-owner Nick Reisenweaver's wife, Peggy). The theme song was "Peg O' My Heart".Sandra Whisnant, "Radio Station Is Named for 'Peg of His Heart," Winston-Salem Journal, November 6, 1960. The station broadcast a popular music and light classical format, mostly instrumental with "lush strings and a lot of show tunes".{{cite news|title=Piano Music From Prison Thrilled Early Radio Fans Here|last=Barron|first=Richard|work=Winston-Salem Journal|date=April 10, 1966|page=J8}} WPEG became the area's first country music station in 1963,"WPEG Is Changing Its Format," Twin City Sentinel, February 16, 1963. also playing gospel music. A plan to move to 1560 AM and increase to 10,000 watts was never carried out. In October 1966, Suburban Radio Group of Belmont, North Carolina, bought WPEG and changed its call letters to WFCM."Familiar Voice Returns to Radio," Winston-Salem Journal, November 14, 1966. After its 1971 sale to Rev. Robert A. Mayer, Pastor D.W. Long of Thomasville, North Carolina, became manager"New Owner of WFCM Takes Over," Winston-Salem Journal, October 6, 1971. and WFCM switched to Southern Gospel and preaching.

The station was previously owned by Forsyth Broadcasting and Quality Media.

In 1979, after its sale to Word of Life Broadcasting, Inc., the station changed its callsign to WBFJ, moved its studios to Trenwest Drive in Winston-Salem, and began playing a mix of Contemporary Christian music (CCM) and evangelical Christian and Charismatic teaching & talk. In the early 1990s, WBFJ moved its studios to the current location on North Trade Street in Winston-Salem and began broadcasting in AM stereo, while retaining the same format. In September 1994, sister station WBFJ-FM, 89.3 Winston-Salem, signed on the air with a mostly-music CCM format;"Station Provides Christian Content", Greensboro News & Record, February 7, 1997. the AM station expanded its Christian teaching-and-talk lineup, dropping most of its music blocks but retaining its stereo signal. WBFJ 1550 reverted to AM mono broadcasting in March 2010.

Around 2016, WBFJ aired Dave Ramsey's financial advice show.,{{cite news|url=http://www.journalnow.com/news/ask_sam/ask-sam-do-leash-laws-apply-to-cats-in-winston/article_b80bed93-e796-5f13-880e-67c9d8d092bf.html|title=Ask SAM|last=Clodfelter|first=Tim|work=Winston-Salem Journal|date=February 10, 2016|access-date=March 3, 2016}} but the show is no longer heard on the station.

Effective November 23, 2016, Word of Life Broadcasting was dissolved and WBFJ was acquired by Triad Family Network, Inc., which also owns WBFJ-FM.

References

External links

[http://www.stereo1550.com/ Official website]

[https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=50643 FCC History Cards for WBFJ]

BFJ

Category:Moody Radio affiliate stations

Category:Radio stations established in 1960

BFJ