WCTC

WCTC (1450 AM) is an American radio station broadcasting a syndicated and live talk radio format. Licensed to New Brunswick, New Jersey, the station serves the Middlesex, Somerset and Union County areas ("M-S-U"...Arbitron Market #41). The station is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group (through Beasley Media Group, LLC).[2] The station broadcasts in C-QUAM AM stereo. It is the chief radio broadcaster for Rutgers University athletic events and Somerset Patriots independent league baseball games. WCTC is also the primary source for winter school closing announcements. WCTC's former Talk format continues with the weekday morning show featuring New Jersey radio veteran Bert Baron, entitled "Jersey Central." The weekday lineup includes Laura Ingraham, Rich Eisen, and Tommy G. WCTC also airs special interest shows on the weekends.

WCTC
CityNew Brunswick, New Jersey
Broadcast areaMiddlesex area
Branding1450 Talk Radio
Slogan"The Voice of Central Jersey"
Frequency1450 kHz
First air date1946
FormatTalk
Power1,000 watts unlimited
250 watts auxiliary (backup)
ClassC
Facility ID55180
Transmitter coordinates40°29′32″N 74°25′11″W
40°28′33″N 74°29′34″W auxiliary (backup)
Call sign meaningChanTiCleer Broadcasting, original[1]
OwnerBeasley Broadcast Group
(Beasley Media Group Licenses, LLC)
Sister stationsWMGQ, WDHA-FM, WMTR, WJRZ-FM, WRAT
WebcastListen Live
Websitewctcam.com

WCTC derives its call sign from the Chanticleer, a flamboyant fighting rooster from the medieval fable Reynard the Fox (Le Roman de Renart). It is also used by Geoffrey Chaucer in the Canterbury Tales which was the Rutgers mascot from 1925 to 1955. Its sister station is WMGQ/98.3.

History

WCTC is considered New Jersey's first radio station built during the postwar broadcast boom.[3] When it opened in 1946, it broadcast in an unknown format. From the 1960s through the 1980s, it adopted a full service format featuring local news, talk, sports, and MOR adult pop music. In 1992, WCTC changed its format to a full-time News/Talk station, featuring programming from ABC Radio and Premiere Radio Networks. As of July 2, 2008, WCTC went back to its roots by reverting to an oldies music format.[4]

On February 28, 2011, WCTC changed their format to talk, launching the local midday show New Jersey TODAY from one to three in the afternoon hosted by Bert Baron.[5]

On July 19, 2016, Beasley Media Group announced it would acquire Greater Media and its 21 stations (including WCTC) for $240 million.[6] The FCC approved the sale on October 6, and the sale closed on November 1.[7]

Former on-air staff
  • WCTC logo used from 2004 until July 2, 2008.

References
  1. "Call Letter Origins". Radio History on the Web.
  2. "WCTC Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. Jaker, Bill; Sulek, Frank; Kanze, Peter (2008). The Airwaves of New York: Illustrated Histories of 156 AM Stations in the Metropolitan Area, 1921–1996. Jefferson: McFarland. p. 56. ISBN 978-0-7864-3872-3.
  4. "Greater Media takes talker WCTC to "Good Time Oldies" in Central New Jersey". Radio-Info.com. July 2, 2008. Retrieved July 2, 2008.
  5. "Greater Media's WCTC, New Brunswick NJ (1450) drops oldies for talk". Radio-Info.com. February 28, 2011. Archived from the original on March 5, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
  6. Beasley Acquires Greater Media
  7. Beasley Closes on Greater Media Purchase; Makes Multiple Staff Moves
  8. http://blogs.mycentraljersey.com/patriots/2010/03/28/adam-amin-named-patriots-broadcaster/
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