WWAC
{{Distinguish|WomenWriteAboutComics{{!}}Women Write About Comics (WWAC)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WWAC
| logo =
| logo_size = 200px
| city = Ocean City–Somers Point, New Jersey
| area = Atlantic City–Jersey Shore
| branding = Hot Country 101
| frequency = {{Frequency|1020|kHz}}
| translator = {{ubl|{{Radio Relay|97.9|W250AK|Rio Grande}}|
{{Radio Relay|101.3|W267BP|Pleasantville}}|
{{Radio Relay|101.9|W270DV|Palermo}}}}
| format = Country music
| airdate = {{Start date and age|1964|6|12}}
| licensing_authority = FCC
| facility_id = 19617
| class = D
| power = {{ubl|1,900 watts (day)|680 watts (critical hours)}}
| owner = Enrico S. Brancadora
| sister_stations = {{hlist|WIBG-FM|WMID|WCMC}}
| callsign_meaning = Atlantic City
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WYKP (CP; 1962–1964)|WSLT (1964–1978)|WIBG (1978–2021)}}
| former_frequencies = 1520 kHz (1964–198?)
| webcast = {{Listen live|https://streamdb6web.securenetsystems.net/cirruscontent/WIBGAM&}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.wibg.com/hotcountry101}}
}}
WWAC (1020 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Ocean City, New Jersey, and serving the Atlantic City area of the Jersey Shore. It is owned by Enrico S. Brancadora, broadcasting a country music radio format. WWAC is co-owned with WIBG-FM, a classic hits station licensed to Avalon, New Jersey.
By day, WWAC is powered at 1,900 watts, non-directional.{{Cite web|url=https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?call=wwac&x=3&y=5&sr=Y&s=C|title=WWAC-AM 1020 kHz - Ocean City/Somers Point, NJ|website=radio-locator.com}} WWAC's signal reaches from Toms River to Cape May. Because 1020 AM is a clear channel frequency reserved for 50,000 watt Class A station KDKA in Pittsburgh, WWAC must go off the air at night to avoid interference. During critical hours, WWAC is powered at 680 watts.
Programming is also heard on several FM translators around the clock: W250AK 97.9 Mhz in Rio Grande, W267BP 101.3 MHz in Pleasantville, and W270DV 101.9 MHz in Palermo.
History
The station signed on the air on June 12, 1964.{{cite periodical |title=WSLT |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1970/B%20Radio%20All%20BC%20YB%201970%20All-3.pdf#page=127 |periodical=Broadcasting Yearbook |year=1970 |page=B-129 |via=worldradiohistory.com}} The original call sign was WSLT and the original frequency was 1520 kHz. The studios were on Asbury Avenue and the original owner was Salt-Tee Radio.
The call sign was changed to WIBG in 1978 after the call sign went out of use in Philadelphia.{{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=60665 |title= History Cards for WWAC|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} (Guide to reading History Cards) The station broadcast with various formats over the years including middle of the road (MOR), Top 40, oldies and country music. In the early 1980s, WIBG lost the lease on its transmitter site in Somers Point and went off the air for a time. A replacement site in Cape May County was eventually located. The station built a new tower site and returned to the air, changing its frequency to 1020 kHz in the process. The revived WIBG aired Spanish-language programming and tourist information before adopting a Christian radio format.
On November 19, 2008, WIBG joined Radiolicious and began streaming on the iPhone and iPod Touch.{{cite web |first=James |last=Careless |website=rwonline.com |title=Radiolicious Brings AM FM Radio to iPhones |url=http://www.rwonline.com/article/70486 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123200204/http://rwonline.com/article/70486 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=January 23, 2009 |date=November 28, 2008}}
In October 2011, the station changed to a talk radio format. In May 2013, WIBG dropped its syndicated talk programs and began programming music on weekdays, with some local talk shows and religious broadcasts continuing to be broadcast on weekends, along with "Wibbage Gold" oldies. On June 3, 2013, the format changed to Spanish hits "En Vivo 1020".{{cite web |title=WIBG Goes En Vivo |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/82266/wibg-goes-en-vivo/ |website=radioinsight.com |date=June 4, 2013}}
In January 2017, the station changed its moniker to "La Mega 101.3", referring to the dial position of its primary FM translator. The call sign was switched to WWAC on April 7, 2021.
On August 12, 2023, WWAC dropped its simulcast of La Mega in favor of "Wibbage Gold" oldies, while retaining its long-form Saturday talk programs. However, this would turn out to be a placeholder, as the station would end up stunting on August 31 with a loop of "Last Night" by Morgan Wallen, with bumpers between playings consisting solely of sounds of a cat running away, a nod towards new rival WPUR, branded as "Cat Country". This lead into a flip to country music as "Hot Country 101" the following day.{{cite web |title=Hot Country 101 Debuts In South Jersey |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/258228/last-nite-on-loop-in-south-jersey/ |website=radioinsight.com |date=September 1, 2023}}
Translators
Programming is also heard on several FM translators around the clock: W250AK 97.9 Mhz in Rio Grande, W267BP 101.3 MHz in Pleasantville, and W270DV 101.9 MHz in Palermo.
{{Radio translators
| callsign = WWAC
| call1 = W250AK
| freq1 = 97.9
| city1 = Rio Grande, New Jersey
| fid1 = 141479
| watts1 = 38
| coord1 = {{Coord|39|0|32.4|N|74|52|11.6|W}}
| call2 = W267BP
| freq2 = 101.3
| city2 = Pleasantville, New Jersey
| fid2 = 142147
| watts2 = 250
| haat2 = 84
| haat1 = 81
| coord2 = {{Coord|39|22|35.8|N|74|33|42.2|W}}
| call3 = W270DV
| freq3 = 101.9
| city3 = Palermo, New Jersey
| fid3 = 200731
| watts3 = 250
| haat3 = 84
| coord3 = {{Coord|39|13|45.0|N|74|40|53.0|W}}
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.wibg.com/hotcountry101}}
{{AM station data|19617|WWAC}}
- {{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=60665 |title= History Cards for WWAC|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} (Guide to reading History Cards)
;FM translators
- {{FCC-LMS-Facility|142147|W267BP}}
- {{FXL|W267BP}}
- {{FCC-LMS-Facility|200731|W270DV}}
- {{FXL|W270DV}}
{{Atlantic City Radio}}
{{Country Radio Stations in New Jersey}}
{{Daytime-only radio stations in New Jersey}}
{{coord|39|13|45|N|74|40|53|W|type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC|display=title}}
Category:Country radio stations in the United States