WKEW
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WKEW
| logo =
| above = Simulcast of WPOL Winston-Salem
| city = Greensboro, North Carolina
| area = Piedmont Triad
| branding = The Light
| airdate = {{Start date and age|1942|2|6|p=y}}
| frequency = {{Frequency|1400|kHz}}
| repeater =
| translator = {{Radio Relay|96.3 MHz|W242CD|Greensboro}}
| format = Gospel music
| power = {{val|760|u=watts|fmt=commas}}
| erp =
| haat =
| class = C
| facility_id = 73156
| coordinates = {{coord|36|3|42|N|79|47|35|W}}
| callsign_meaning =
| former_callsigns =
| owner = Truth Broadcasting Corporation
| licensee =
| sister_stations = {{hlist|WPOL|WFMO}}
| webcast = [https://broadcast.truthnetwork.com/play.lasso?p=WPOL Listen Live]
| website = [https://lightthetriad.com/ lightthetriad.com]
| affiliations =
| licensing_authority= FCC
}}
WKEW (1400 AM) is a commercial radio station broadcasting a Gospel music radio format. Licensed to Greensboro, North Carolina, US, the station is owned by Truth Broadcasting Corporation. In Greensboro and nearby communities, WKEW can also be heard on an FM translator at 96.3 MHz, for listeners who prefer FM radio. It is also simulcast on sister station 1340 kHz WPOL in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
It runs the Erica Campbell nationally syndicated morning show as well as other syndicated and local gospel and religious shows aimed at the African-American community.
History
WGBG ("We're Going to Beat Germany") signed on 10 months before the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, playing such artists as Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw.{{cite web |url=https://greensboro.com/a-mouse-in-the-house-wkew-greensboros-longtime-news-talk-station-will-become-a-radio/article_0d7068b2-80c4-5192-b530-1d4aaf7325e6.html |title=A Mouse in the House - WKEW, Greensboro's Longtime News-Talk Station, Will Become a Radio Disney Affiliate Today |work=Greensboro News & Record |first=Jeri |last=Rowe |date=September 3, 1998 |access-date=September 5, 2022}}
John Cirt Gill, Jr., known as "Jam-A-Ditty", became the state's first African American disc jockey in 1949.{{cite news|url=https://greensboro.com/news/local/guilford-county-black-history-from-a-to-z/article_5d6e9074-6000-11eb-b712-7f289efdd1fd.html|title=Guilford County Black history, from A to Z|last=Fernandez|first=Jennifer|work=Greensboro News & Record|date=February 7, 2021|accessdate=February 8, 2021}}
Disc jockey Rick Dees began his career at WGBG, which was called "Top Gun Radio". Another student at Grimsley High School dared him to audition, and he succeeded.{{cite web |url=http://sd.pikes.org/607/SD607_E.pdf |title=From the Mouth of the South to the Hall of Fame |website=sd.pikes.org |access-date=March 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727175001/http://sd.pikes.org/607/SD607_E.pdf |archive-date=July 27, 2011 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://www.comicgenius.com/DISCOFEVER/disco_profiles/rick_dees/rick_dees_profile.htm |title=Disco Profiles - Rick Dees |website=www.comicgenius.com |access-date=March 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106031928/http://www.comicgenius.com/DISCOFEVER/disco_profiles/rick_dees/rick_dees_profile.htm |archive-date=January 6, 2009 |url-status=dead}}{{cite news |title=NAB Award Winner--Rick Dees |work=Radio Journal |date=April 2007 |issue=Special NAB Convention Issue |accessdate=March 24, 2009 |url=http://ftp.media.radcity.net/ZMST/NAB/RJNAB07.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326011335/http://ftp.media.radcity.net/ZMST/NAB/RJNAB07.pdf |archive-date=March 26, 2009 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}
Dusty Dunn began his 44-year career at WGBG "when The Beatles were the next big thing." In the early 1980s, he returned to the station (which was WKEW by that time) to do a four-hour morning talk show. Open Line, Greensboro's first talk show hosted by Ken Karns moved to WKEW in November 1986 when WBIG 1470 signed off.{{cite web |url=https://greensboro.com/news/columnists/greensboro-s-voice-is-signing-off/article_55e2664c-7d8b-53be-a8b7-862cd3aef1d1.html |title=Greensboro’s voice is signing off |work=Greensboro News & Record |first=Jeri |last=Rowe |date=May 28, 2008 |access-date=September 5, 2022}}
In 1980, Bill Mitchell bought WGBG and changed its callsign to WKEW. The station also became the first full-time news/talk station in Greensboro.{{cite web |url=https://greensboro.com/king-of-local-radio-dies-at-age-78-radio-pioneer-bill-mitchell-helped-introduce-rock/article_0dd49d18-1d0d-5339-9ccb-372f35984a5d.html |title="King" of Local Radio Dies at Age 78 - Radio Pioneer Bill Mitchell Helped Introduce Rock 'n' Roll to the City. |work=Greensboro News & Record |first=Jeri |last=Rowe |date=December 5, 2000 |access-date=September 5, 2022}}
On September 3, 1998, WKEW changed to Radio Disney, a radio format designed for children.
Truth Broadcasting bought WKEW in 2000.{{cite web |url=https://greensboro.com/article_ea10634a-b439-5337-8fda-9d867cd91c61.html |title=Lorillard Starts Governmental Section |work=Greensboro News & Record |date=August 9, 2000 |access-date=September 5, 2022}} In November 2000, Radio Disney moved to 1320 WCOG and WKEW began simulcasting the same programming as WPOL in Winston-Salem.{{cite web |url=https://greensboro.com/dillon-fence-reunites-for-n-c-performances/article_990207c1-b2eb-5ffd-a488-075cf46dd532.html |title=Dillon Fence Reunites for N.C. Performances |work=Greensboro News & Record |date=December 20, 2000 |access-date=September 5, 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://greensboro.com/gospel-music-am-station-is-catching-on/article_e30e7076-1b27-5cdb-adac-20f7b2e8142c.html |title=Gospel Music AM Station Is Catching On |work=Greensboro News & Record |date=August 1, 2001 |access-date=September 5, 2022}}
Translators
In addition to the AM signal, WKEW is relayed by an FM translator.{{cite web|url= https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?call=W242CD&x=0&y=0&sr=Y&s=C#google_vignette|title=W242CD Radio Station Information}}
{{RadioTranslators
| call1 = W242CD
| watts1 = 250
| class1 = D
| freq1 = 96.3
| city1 = Greensboro, North Carolina
| fid1 = 142274
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=62230 FCC History Cards for WKEW]
{{AM station data|73156|WKEW}}
- {{FM station data|142274|W242CD}}
{{clear}}
{{Piedmont Triad Radio}}