WGCS
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WGCS
| logo = WGCS-FM 2021.png
| logo_size = 200px
| city = Goshen, Indiana
| country = US
| area = {{ubl|Elkhart, Indiana
South Bend, Indiana}}
| branding = 91-1 The Globe
| airdate = {{start date|1958|10|2}}
| frequency = {{Frequency|91.1|MHz}}
| format = Adult album alternative
| erp = 6,000 watts
| haat = {{convert|89|m|ft|sp=us}}
| class = A
| facility_id = 24663
| licensing_authority = FCC
| coordinates = {{coord|41|33|29.2|N|85|51|6|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| callsign_meaning = "Goshen College Station"
| owner = Goshen College
| licensee = Goshen College Broadcasting Corporation
| sister_stations =
| webcast = {{listenlive|http://media.goshen.edu:8000/wgcs-128vbr}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.globeradio.org/}}
| affiliations = {{ubl|PRX|Regional Radio Sports Network}}
}}
WGCS is an adult album alternative-formatted broadcast radio station. The station is licensed to Goshen, Indiana, and serves Goshen, Elkhart, and South Bend in Indiana. WGCS is owned by Goshen College and operated under their Goshen College Broadcasting Corporation licensee.
History
File:Union Building With Snow (8246169020).jpg
On January 28, 1957, Goshen College applied for a construction permit to build a new noncommercial radio station in Goshen{{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=70271 |title= History Cards for WGCS|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} (Guide to reading History Cards) after the class of 1956 made a gift of nearly $2,000 to establish one on the campus. Goshen College had previously operated a carrier current transmitter on the campus beginning in the 1940s; this ended in 1952 when the low-power broadcast was found to be operating with too much power after being heard as far away as Milford, Indiana.{{Cite web |title=About The Globe |url=https://globeradio.org/about/ |access-date=2021-07-23 |website=globeradio.org |language=en-US}} With a transmitter previously used at Western Michigan University,{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82011286/|access-date=July 22, 2021|title=Radio Station to Broadcast From Goshen College.|date=March 31, 1958|page=14|work=The South Bend Tribune|first=Louise|last=Purvis}} WGCS began broadcasting in 1958. In 1972, the station was transferred to the communications department, allowing Goshen College students to earn credit for working at WGCS.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82011377/wgcs-work-earns-credit/|date=January 7, 1973|title=WGCS Work Earns Credit|first=Louise|last=Purvis|work=The South Bend Tribune|page=35|access-date=July 23, 2021}} For much of its history, WGCS aired primarily classical music, along with educational and religious programs and specialty music shows.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82011446/colleges-station-adds-news-wire/|access-date=July 23, 2021|date=March 27, 1974|title=College's Station Adds News Wire|page=26|work=The South Bend Tribune}}
In the late 1970s, WGCS was approved to increase effective radiated power from 390 watts to more than 7,000; stereo broadcasts also began, with both being made possible by more used equipment from another Michigan station, WAUS in Berrien Springs.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82011494/goshen-station-gets-power-boost/|title=Goshen Station Gets Power Boost|page=IN-3|work=The South Bend Tribune|date=April 8, 1979|access-date=July 23, 2021}} As an educational tool, the station occasionally developed its own teaching materials; chief engineer Curt Holsopple wrote a textbook, Skills for Radio Broadcasting, for use in introductory broadcasting courses, in response to the need for a text that was more easily comprehended by Goshen College's international student body.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82011564/goshen-engineer-writes-new-textbook/|access-date=July 23, 2021|title=Goshen engineer writes new textbook|page=18|work=The South Bend Tribune|date=June 11, 1982}}
The longtime classical station made major changes in 2003 when Goshen alumnus Jason Samuel was hired as general manager, including a format change to a mix of Americana and adult album alternative and increased sports coverage.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82012452/pursuit-of-excellence-radio-station-at/|work=The South Bend Tribune|title=Pursuit of excellence: Radio station at Goshen College revitalized by new general manager|first=Alesia I.|last=Redding|date=January 4, 2004|pages=E1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82012489/ E2]|access-date=July 23, 2021}} Since the format change, the station has been recognized nationally, being the first college station to repeat as winner of the "Best College Station in the Nation" award from the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System{{cite news|url=https://anabaptistworld.org/goshen-college-radio-station-wins-national-award/|access-date=July 23, 2021|work=Anabaptist World|date=November 8, 2015|title=Goshen College radio station wins national award}} and also winning awards from the Indiana Association of School Broadcasters, and Broadcast Education Association. In 2017, WGCS won the Dr. Marjorie Yambor Signature Station Award from the Broadcast Education Association.
References
{{reflist|30em|refs=
{{cite web|url=http://www1.arbitron.com/sip/displaySip.do?surveyID=SP21&band=fm&callLetter=WGCS|title=Arbitron Station Information Profiles|access-date=July 22, 2021|work=Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings}}
{{cite web|url=https://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WGCS|title=WGCS Facility Record|access-date=July 22, 2021|work=Federal Communications Commission, audio division}}
{{cite web|url=https://www.goshen.edu/news/2016/02/19/broadcasting-students-nab-six-broadcast-educators-association-awards/|title=Broadcasting students nab six national Broadcast Educators Association awards|date=February 19, 2016|access-date=July 22, 2021|work=Goshen College}}
{{cite web|url=https://www.goshen.edu/news/2016/02/19/broadcasting-students-nab-six-broadcast-educators-association-awards/|title=Globe Wins 5 National Awards in NYC|date=March 4, 2019|access-date=July 22, 2021|work=WGCS/Goshen College}}
{{cite news|newspaper=The Record|location=Goshen, Indiana|publisher=Goshen College|title=The Globe seeks repeat title|url=https://record.goshen.edu/2012/02/19839-globe-seeks-repeat|date=February 16, 2012|access-date=July 22, 2021|last=Sutter|first=Ben}}
{{cite news|newspaper=South Bend Tribune|location=South Bend, Indiana|publisher=Gannett|title=91.1 The Globe named best in state|url=https://www.southbendtribune.com/story/entertainment/2020/04/05/911-the-globe-named-best-in-state/43955941/|date=April 5, 2020|access-date=July 22, 2021}}
{{cite news|newspaper=The Goshen News|location=Goshen, Indiana|publisher=CNHI|title=Goshen College broadcasters win national awards|url=https://www.goshennews.com/news/local_news/goshen-college-broadcasters-win-national-awards/article_1785e566-8d9c-11eb-abe5-47a51a5c11e0.html|date=March 25, 2021|access-date=July 22, 2021}}
}}
External links
- [https://www.globeradio.org/ 91-1 The Globe Online]
- {{FM station data|24663|WGCS}}
{{Clear}}
{{South Bend Radio}}
{{Goshen College}}
Category:1958 establishments in Indiana
Category:Adult album alternative radio stations in the United States