WWCR
{{short description|Shortwave Christian radio station in Nashville, Tennessee, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WWCR
| logo = WWCR logo.gif
| city = Nashville, Tennessee
| country = US
| area = Worldwide
| branding = World Wide Christian Radio
| frequency = Shortwave: Various
| airdate = {{start date and age|1989|6}}
| format = Christian radio; brokered programming
| power = 100,000 watts
| owner = F.W. Robbert Broadcasting
| website = {{URL|http://www.wwcr.com/}}
| affiliations = Genesis Communications Network
| callsign_meaning = "World Wide Christian Radio"
}}
WWCR is a shortwave radio station located in Nashville, Tennessee, in the United States. WWCR uses four 100 kW transmitters to broadcast on about a dozen frequencies.
WWCR mainly leases out its four transmitters to religious organizations and speakers. It served as the shortwave home of Genesis Communications Network's programs.{{cite web|url=http://www.gcnlive.com/assets/forms/shortwaveSchedule.pdf |access-date=September 11, 2023|title=GCN SHORTWAVE SCHEDULE}} However, it does air a few hours of original programming per week.
F.W. Robbert Broadcasting also owns the AM (mediumwave) stations WNQM in Nashville, WMQM and WLRM in Memphis, WITA in Knoxville, and WVOG in New Orleans. Some of WWCR's programming is also broadcast on these local stations.
History
Originally known as "World Wide Country Radio", WWCR began broadcasting a country format but quickly switched to a standard evangelical Christian format, also selling leased airtime. Because of the station's policy of leasing airtime, and loose standards, WWCR acquired an early reputation for carrying an eclectic mix of political and entertainment programming in addition to the religious programs. WWCR continues to carry a daily hour of country music as a callback to its original format. The majority of the political commentary on the station is of a conservative or ultra-conservative nature with extensive discussion on conspiracy theories.{{cite web|url=http://www.carlabrooksjohnston.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=138%3Aalias-hate-radio&catid=60%3Aarticles&Itemid=68|title=Hate Radio|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131209223959/http://www.carlabrooksjohnston.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=138%3Aalias-hate-radio&catid=60%3Aarticles&Itemid=68|archive-date=December 9, 2013|access-date=September 11, 2023|first=Carla B|last=Johnston}}{{cite web| url=http://archive.adl.org/presrele/dirab_41/2655_41.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304045543/http://archive.adl.org/presrele/dirab_41/2655_41.html|title=ADL REPORT FINDS RIGHT-WING EXTREMISTS USE SHORTWAVE RADIO TO TARGET U.S. AUDIENCES; ASKS FCC TO INVESTIGATE POSSIBLE VIOLATION OF REGULATIONS |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=September 11, 2023}}
A December 1997 broadcast by Ted Gunderson over WWCR later became the subject of a court case. In that case, lawyers for Art Bell claimed that the broadcast had implied he had been charged with child molestation. A defamation lawsuit against the station was settled in October 2000 and Art Bell claimed that WWCR had apologized for the incident.{{Cite web|url=http://www.coasttocoastam.com/F0005.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001202164100/http://www.coasttocoastam.com/F0005.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 2, 2000|title=Coast to Coast AM — Art Bell Lawsuit Statement Oct 20, 2000|date=December 2, 2000}} Ted Gunderson disputes that any apology was ever made and asserts that the case was entirely baseless.{{Cite web |url=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=137884152254825718 |title=The Story of the Art Bell Lawsuit |access-date=December 27, 2008 |archive-date=April 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110418114612/http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=137884152254825718 |url-status=dead }}
Transmitters
All four WWCR transmitters operate 24/7, shifting frequencies throughout the day, each with 100 kilowatts of broadcast power. All frequencies in megahertz, directions in (parentheses).[https://www.wwcr.com/transmitter-sched.html WWCR summer transmitter schedule], retrieved September 8, 2023
;WWCR-1 (46° NE): Off air
;WWCR-2 (85° E): 12.160 day, 7.49 morning, 9.35 evening, 5.935 night
;WWCR-3 (40° NE): 13.845 day, 4.84 night
;WWCR-4 (90° E): 9.98 day, 7.52 evening, 5.89 night
7.49 is shared with WBCQ, which holds rights to the frequency from noon to midnight.[http://wbcq.com/schedule/index.php?fn=sked&freq=7490 WBCQ schedule for 7490], retrieved September 7, 2023
Programming
Transmitter 4 is almost entirely leased out to the Overcomer Ministry and the estate of R. G. Stair. The University Network run by the estate of Gene Scott also operates a 16-hour daily schedule split across transmitters 2 and 3. The remainder of WWCR's schedule is devoted mostly to religious brokered programming. A limited amount of political talk remains on the channel, less so since Genesis Communications Network dropped its programming from WWCR ahead of its May 2024 shutdown; remaining hosts of secular programs include Hal Turner, John Jurasek and Pat Boone.[https://www.wwcr.com/program-guides/WWCR_Program_Guide.pdf WWCR Program Guide], retrieved April 23, 2024
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.wwcr.com/ WWCR Shortwave] official site
- [http://wwcr.com/transmitter-sched.html Current transmitter schedules]
- [http://wwcr.com/program-guides/WWCR_Program_Guide.pdf Current program schedule]
- [http://transition.fcc.gov/ib/sand/neg/hf_web/WWCR.txt FCC information for WWCR] (not up-to-date)
{{coord|36.17|-86.78|type:landmark_region:US-TN|display=title}}
{{Nashville Radio}}
{{US Shortwave Radio}}
Category:Shortwave radio stations in the United States
Category:Radio stations established in 1989