WGYV (1380 AM) is a radio stationlicensed to serve Greenville, Alabama, United States. The station, established in August 1948, is currently owned by Robert John Williamson. In August 2008, WGYV was granted a construction permit to relocate to the Cincinnati suburb of Aurora, Indiana, but the move was not completed before the permit expired in August 2011. As of August2013[update], WGYV is still broadcasting in Alabama.
This radio station, Greenville's first, began regular operations on August 18, 1948, broadcasting with 250 watts of power on a frequency of 1400kHz.[9][10] The station was assigned the WGYV call letters by the Federal Communications Commission.[11] The WGYV license holder, Greenville Broadcasting Company, was owned by a partnership of E. Vernon Stabler, Calvin Poole, and S.W. Ferrel, Jr.[9] In 1950, William H. Miller, Jr. took over as the station's general manager.[12]
Move to 1380
In 1956, WGYV received authorization from the FCC to change its broadcast frequency from 1400 to 1380kHz.[13] This change allowed the station to increase its daytime signal strength to 1,000 watts but forced WGYV to switch to daytime-only operation.[13] At the time of the shift, J.D. Bell was serving as WGYV's chief engineer.[14]
WGYV would continue its full-service mix of contemporary music and country music through the 1960s and 1970s. William H. Miller, Jr. served as general manager of the station from 1950 through the late 1970s when C.S. Heartsill, Jr. stepped into the role.[15]
New ownership
In May 1982, the Greenville Broadcasting Corporation reached an agreement to sell this station to Butler Broadcasters, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on July 16, 1982.[16] In April 1984, Millard V. Oakley acquired control of WGYV through purchase of stock in Butler Broadcasters, Inc., from Robert W. Gallaher. The transfer of control was approved by the FCC on April 26, 1984, and the transaction was consummated on July 6, 1984.[17]
In May 1985, Butler Broadcasters, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to William Terry Golden's Golden Broadcasting Company.[18] The deal was approved by the FCC on July 14, 1995, and the transaction was consummated on August 1, 1995.[19]
WGYV today
In October 2002, the Golden Broadcasting Company reached an agreement to sell this station to Robert John Wiliamson. The deal was approved by the FCC on November 29, 2002, and the transaction was consummated on December 16, 2002.[10][20] Williamson began the process in January 2004 to relocate this station from central Alabama to southeastern Indiana.[21]
In October 2005, the station applied to the FCC for a change of community of license from Greenville, Alabama, to Aurora, Indiana.[22] The move would also bring a change of frequency to 1030kHz and a reduction in power to 250 watts. (A separate application has been filed to increase that signal power to 500 watts.) The authorization for these major changes was granted on August 6, 2008. Aurora, Indiana is a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio.[23] The construction permit was allowed to expire on August 6, 2011.[22]As of August2013[update], the station is still operating from Alabama.
12"Directory of Standard (AM) Broadcasting Stations of the United States". Broadcasting-Telecasting 1949 Yearbook. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1949. p.70.
↑"Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
↑"Directory of AM, FM, and TV Stations of the United States". Broadcasting-Telecasting 1950 Yearbook. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1950. p.71.
12"Directory of AM and FM Stations and Market Data for the United States". 1957 Broadcasting Yearbook-Marketbook. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1957. p.50.
↑"Directory of AM and FM Radio Stations in the U.S.". 1958 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1958. p.A-235.
↑"The Facilities of Radio". 1979 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1979. p.C-4.
↑"America's Junction". Mayflower Tours. Archived from the original on February 12, 2008. Retrieved May 19, 2009. A suburb of Cincinnati, Aurora began as a stop on the Underground Railroad that secretly aided runaway slaves.
