WAFS (AM)

WAFS
City Atlanta, Georgia
Broadcast area Atlanta metropolitan area
Branding Biz 1190
Frequency 1190 kHz (AM)
First air date 1956
Format Business News Talk
Power 25,000 Watts daytime
2,300 Watts critical hours
350 Watts PSRA
54 to 150 Watts PSSA
Class D
Transmitter coordinates 33°48′34″N 84°21′14″W / 33.809444°N 84.353889°W / 33.809444; -84.353889
Former callsigns WGKA (1956-2004)
Former frequencies 1600 kHz (1956-1967)
Affiliations Bloomberg Radio
Owner Salem Media Group
(Salem Communications Holding Corporation)
Sister stations WNIV, WGKA, WLTA
Webcast Listen Live
Website biz1190.com

WAFS, AM 1190, is radio station licensed to Atlanta, Georgia that broadcasts business news talk radio programming. The station transmits on a frequency of 1190 kHz, and is classified as a Class D AM broadcast station according to the Federal Communications Commission, with 25,000 watts of power during the daytime and 2,300 watts during critical hours using a non-directional antenna. WAFS also operates pre-sunrise (PSRA) with 350 watts and post-sunset (PSSA) with power levels from 54 to 150 watts. (WNIV, AM 970 kHz, broadcasts from the same tower as WAFS using an antenna diplexing system.)

History

WGKA

The station was first licensed on January 24, 1956 as WGKA, transmitting on 1600 AM. In its earliest days, WGKA was owned by Glenkaren Associates, headed by Locke E. Glenn, hence the acronym. Glenkaren Associates also owned a hi-fi audio store adjoining the radio station. In 1967, the station moved to 1190 kHz.

Like WGKA AM, WGKA-FM 92.9 was a classical-music station in Atlanta from the 1950s to 1971. Although it existed in the days before NPR, it occasionally carried programs which were not locally produced, such as BBC Music Showcase, hosted by British composer/lecturer Antony Hopkins (not to be confused with film actor Anthony Hopkins). Several of the hosts who once worked at the station, such as Jonathan Phelps and David Jacobs, switched to working at WABE FM when WGKA-FM was sold and their program format changed. Lee Nance and Arthur Borgeson were also hosts. The station's call letters also changed to WZGC, which still exists on 92.9 today.

WGKA was later sold to Salem Communications.

WAFS

On March 24, 2004 the Moody Bible Institute sold their station, WAFS on 920 kHz, to Salem Communications.[1] Salem next swapped the call letters between WGKA and WAFS, effective August 2, 2004, resulting in the WAFS call moving to 1190 kHz, and the WGKA call letters transferring to 920 kHz.[2]

In July 2006, Salem entered an Local marketing agreement (LMA) that changed the station's format to Spanish Tropical under the brand of "Mega 1190".[3] However, the arrangement was abruptly pulled by Salem in February 2007 due to a dispute with the LMA.[4] WAFS then switched to a Spanish language Christian format with "Radio Luz" branding until April 2010.

On April 6, 2010, the format was changed again, to a business news and talk radio format with "Biz 1190" branding, carrying programming from the Bloomberg Radio network.

References

  1. ↑ "Scooping up stations" by Lisa R. Schoolcraft, Atlanta Business Chronicle, August 16, 2004 (bizjournals.com)
  2. ↑ "News Talk Station WGKA-AM Moves to 920 AM Aug. 2; Atlanta Radio Station Improves News Talk Signal with Frequency Change", July 30, 2004 (salemmedia.com)
  3. ↑ Sitio Oficial de RadioAlAire.com - Noticias de la Industria - Agosto 2004
  4. ↑ LatinWorks and Anheuser-Busch, Salem and "Mega 1190" Ricardo Villalona and Clear Channel
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