WWBG

WWBG (1470 AM, "Activa") is an American radio station licensed to serve Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. The station, launched in 1999, is currently owned by Mahan Janbakhsh's TBLC Holdings, LLC and the broadcast license is held by TBLC Greensboro Stations, LLC.

WWBG
CityGreensboro, North Carolina
Broadcast areaPiedmont Triad
BrandingActiva Network
Frequency1470 kHz
First air date1999
FormatSilent
was Spanish Contemporary
Language(s)Spanish
Power10,000 watts (day)
5,000 watts (night)
ClassB
Facility ID67831
Transmitter coordinates36°09′01″N 79°54′48″W
Call sign meaninghomage to WBIG
OwnerTBLC Holdings, LLC
(TBLC Greensboro Stations, LLC)
Sister stationsWWNT
WSGH
Websiteactivanetwork.com

WWBG broadcasts a Spanish-language contemporary music format to the Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem, North Carolina area.[1] WWBG is now part of "Activa TRIAD, 1470 AM (WWBG), 1380 AM WWNT and 1040 AM WSGH". As of August 1, 2018, the station is silent.[2]

History of WBIG

In 1925, Jefferson Standard Life Insurance bought WNRC (Wayne Nelson Radio Company) and changed the call letters to WBIG ("We Believe In Greensboro Where Business Is Good."). Among the programs that aired on the station: Arthur Godfrey, Jack Benny, and murder mysteries. In its early days, the station was located in the basement of the O. Henry Hotel. Bluegrass musician Bill Monroe, a resident of the area, was one of the country music performers who played live in the studio. According to former WKEW owner Bill Mitchell, Manoree, the tonic that sponsored Monroe's show, "helped get you going." WBIG also had its own 10-piece orchestra.[3]

In 1934, Jefferson Standard sued to collect $790 in overdue rent from WBIG, which had its facilities at the top of the Jefferson Standard Building, claiming the station was attempting to get out of paying by having Guilford Broadcasting take over the license.[4]

In 1980, WBIG was the number one station in Guilford County.[5]

For more than 20 years, Bob Poole, the "Duke of Stoneville," was a DJ.[3] "The smooth, deep-voiced morning man for the old BIG ... would whistle with his theme song each day and ... went down nice and easy, like a first cup of coffee." Dusty Dunn was a long-time morning host, his sidekick was Buddy Bray, and Jim Pritchett was sports director.[6][7]

Lloyd Gordon, the news and programming director, said that Jefferson-Pilot signed off WBIG on November 20, 1986, because the station was not making money.[3][8] Dunn and Ken Karns were among those still working there at the time.[9]

History of WWBG

On December 9, 1994, Walt Cockerham announced that the former WBIG would return to the air with its old frequency, but the call sign was no longer available.[10] (A station in Aurora, Illinois would adopt the WBIG callsign in 1991.) During the year after WKEW changed from news/talk, Truth Broadcasting bought several stations in the Greensboro area, including the one that would be called WWBG, the call sign that the new station was assigned by the Federal Communications Commission on August 21, 1992.[11] Truth Broadcasting planned to do what WKEW had done.[3] This meant news, talk, sports and community affairs relating to Greensboro. On November 1, 1999, Dunn and Bray returned to 1470 AM. Dunn said, "It's like being home. We've got the old morning crew back together."[7]

The news/talk format only lasted until January 1, 2002, because, program director David Albright said, it was not profitable and a number of Spanish-speaking people wanted a radio station of their own. "La Movidita" was already airing on WTOB in Winston-Salem.[12]

In 2003, Truth Broadcasting stopped selling time to La Movidita, which moved to its former home WSGH. Que Pasa moved from WSGH to WWBG and WTOB.[13]

WTOB began airing separate programming in 2013.[14]

References
  1. "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
  2. F.C.C.'s list of silent A.M. stations as of March 7, 2019; retrieved March 14, 2019.
  3. Rowe, Jeri (September 14, 1999). "News-Talk Radio Returning to Air - WWBG Resurrects Part of Greensboro's Heritage to Start a News-Talk Station". Greensboro News & Record.
  4. Scism, Jack (March 8, 2009). "Remember When". Greensboro News & Record.
  5. "Battle for Big Bucks". Greensboro News & Record. April 27, 1980.
  6. "A Familiar Voice Returns - A Local Radio Tradition Is Revived". Greensboro News & Record. September 19, 1999.
  7. Rowe, Jeri (October 28, 1999). "Dusty Dunn Returns to Greensboro Airwaves". Greensboro News & Record.
  8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqjLzfIi83k
  9. Burchette, Bob (November 19, 2006). "Music Is Still First in His Heart". Greensboro News & Record.
  10. Schlosser, Jim (December 10, 1994). "Radio Revival Planned on Triad Airwaves". Greensboro News & Record.
  11. "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
  12. Kritzer, Jamie (December 27, 2001). "Radio Station WWBG Changing Format". Greensboro News & Record.
  13. "Hispanic Radio Stations Switch Places on Dial". Greensboro News & Record. March 20, 2003.
  14. Clodfelter, Tim (March 13, 2013). "WTOB going back to the future with oldies, beach music". Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
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