WERC
Encyclopedia
WERC — branded News Radio 105.5 WERC — is a news/talk
radio station
licensed to Birmingham, Alabama
, and serving the Birmingham market as a complete simulcast of sister station WERC-FM
. It operates at unlimited hours with 5,000 watt
s.
WERC originated the talk format currently heard on WERC-FM from 1982 until 2011, and was the first station in Birmingham to carry an all-talk format. The format - and the WERC calls - migrated to the 105.5 facility in 2010 before both returned to the AM station in July 2011.
WERC is owned by Clear Channel Communications
. Other stations in the Birmingham market owned by Clear Channel include WMJJ
(96.5 FM), WDXB
(102.5 FM), WQEN
(103.7 FM), and WERC-FM (105.5 FM). Clear Channel also programs W276BQ (103.1), a translator owned by Red Mountain Broadcasting, LLC. W276BQ rebroadcasts the programming of the HD2 channel of WQEN, branded as "103.1 The Vulcan" (and was also relayed on this facility from January to June 2011 under the WVVB calls).
, The Schnitt Show, The Savage Nation
, America Now with Andy Dean and The Mutual Fund Show
with Adam Bold
. In addition, WERC simulcasts the audio feed of WBRC-TV's early morning and late night newscasts, along with breaking news/weather coverage (in effect continuing the linkage between WERC and its' onetime sister TV station). Overnight, the station broadcasts the syndicated Coast to Coast AM
hosted by George Noory
. The station also broadcasts the syndicated Saturday night program Somewhere In Time, which consists of reruns of Art Bell
-hosted editions of Coast to Coast AM.
network.
In 1946, WBRC introduced the first FM station in Birmingham. Due to the lack of FM radios in Birmingham, WBRC-FM was not very successful, and was taken off the air two years later. In 1949, the owners of WBRC launched the second television station in Birmingham, as WBRC-TV
made its debut on channel 4. The local owners of WBRC and WBRC-TV sold the stations to Storer Broadcasting
in 1953, and four years later, the stations were sold to Taft Broadcasting
.
The advent of television in the 1950s caused network radio programming to decline. By the early 1960s, WBRC was one of two "middle of the road" music stations in Birmingham. It continued in that format until 1972, when Taft Broadcasting sold WBRC and a revived WBRC-FM (106.9 FM) to Mooney Broadcasting. Taft retained ownership of WBRC-TV until 1987; as Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) regulations at that time prohibited non-commonly owned stations from sharing call letters, Mooney changed the call letters of the radio stations to WERC and WERC-FM. WERC was christened “96-ERC”, and launched an all-out assault on the market’s leading top 40 station, WSGN (now WAGG
).
For much of the 1970s, WERC and WSGN were two of the most listened-to stations in Birmingham. The beginning of WERC's demise as a top 40 powerhouse came in 1977, when its own FM sister station was relaunched as top 40 station WKXX, “Kicks 106” (now WBPT
). By 1980, WERC modified its format to adult contemporary music and was known as ”News Plus 960, WERC”. An afternoon drive sports call-in show hosted by future University of Alabama football announcer Eli Gold
was launched in 1981. Competing unsuccessfully against WSGN and WAPI as an adult contemporary station, WERC dropped music in 1982 and changed to a news-talk format, which it continued with until January 2011. The station was an early affiliate for Rush Limbaugh
's radio network.
For much of the 1990s the WERC line-up featured TC and John Ed as morning hosts, Paul Finebaum
in the afternoons, and Russ and Dee Fine hosting evenings.
During a 1993 snowstorm that paralyzed the Birmingham area, WERC became the primary source of information and assistance for hundreds of thousands of residents that were stranded by the weather without power (in some cases, for weeks).
WERC began to transition its format to the FM dial on July 6, 2009, when a new incarnation of WERC-FM
replaced modern rock
station WVVB (”The Vulcan”) at 105.5 FM. 960 AM simulcast with 105.5 FM until January 7, 2011, when it began originating the programming being broadcast on a new FM translator, W276BQ, that began broadcasting on the 103.1 frequency. After stunting
with several formats, ranging from oldies
to classic country
to adult album alternative
to urban, the station settled on a permanent format on January 13, 2011, reviving the ”Vulcan” branding with an active rock
format. In addition to broadcasting on 960 AM and 103.1 FM, "The Vulcan" also broadcast on WQEN
-HD2 103.7-2. The transition was completed on February 15, 2011, when the WERC call letters were replaced with 105.5's former WVVB call letters.
On June 23, 2011, WVVB changed their format back to news/talk, simulcasting WERC-FM (105.5 FM). On July 14, 2011 WVVB changed their call letters back to WERC. 103.1 continues to broadcast the active rock format from WQEN-HD2.
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
licensed to Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, and serving the Birmingham market as a complete simulcast of sister station WERC-FM
WERC-FM
WERC-FM — branded News Radio 105.5 WERC — is an news/talk radio station licensed to Hoover, Alabama and serving the Birmingham market. It operates at an effective radiated power of 29.5 kilowatts...
. It operates at unlimited hours with 5,000 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s.
WERC originated the talk format currently heard on WERC-FM from 1982 until 2011, and was the first station in Birmingham to carry an all-talk format. The format - and the WERC calls - migrated to the 105.5 facility in 2010 before both returned to the AM station in July 2011.
WERC is owned by Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
. Other stations in the Birmingham market owned by Clear Channel include WMJJ
WMJJ
WMJJ , "Magic 96.5") is a Clear Channel-owned Adult contemporary radio station that broadcasts from Birmingham, Alabama. Other stations in the Birmingham market owned by Clear Channel include WDXB-FM , WQEN-FM , WERC-FM , and WERC...
(96.5 FM), WDXB
WDXB
WDXB is a Clear Channel Communications-owned country music formatted radio station licensed to Pelham, Alabama, that serves Birmingham and north-central Alabama.-Programming:...
(102.5 FM), WQEN
WQEN
WQEN is a radio station licensed to serve Trussville, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications...
(103.7 FM), and WERC-FM (105.5 FM). Clear Channel also programs W276BQ (103.1), a translator owned by Red Mountain Broadcasting, LLC. W276BQ rebroadcasts the programming of the HD2 channel of WQEN, branded as "103.1 The Vulcan" (and was also relayed on this facility from January to June 2011 under the WVVB calls).
Programming
Like most Clear Channel talk stations, WERC airs several local programs, as well as nationally syndicated programs such as The Glenn Beck Program, The Rush Limbaugh ShowThe Rush Limbaugh Show
The Rush Limbaugh Show is an American talk radio show hosted by Rush Limbaugh on Premiere Radio Networks...
, The Schnitt Show, The Savage Nation
The Savage Nation
The Savage Nation is an American radio show hosted by conservative commentator Michael Savage on Talk Radio Network. His show is heard by 8-10 million listeners a week and syndicated across the U.S. in over 300 markets, making it the 3rd most listened to radio show in the country...
, America Now with Andy Dean and The Mutual Fund Show
The Mutual Fund Show
The Mutual Fund Show is an American talk radio program and is the first national program covering primarily mutual fund investments. The show started in 1998 on KMBZ 980 AM in Kansas City, MO, and now airs in multiple markets nationwide. The Mutual Fund Show is an hour-long show with Adam Bold...
with Adam Bold
Adam Bold
Adam Bold is an American author and businessman. He is the founder and minority shareholder of The Mutual Fund Store, and host of The Mutual Fund Show, a national weekly talk radio show focused on actively managed mutual fund investments...
. In addition, WERC simulcasts the audio feed of WBRC-TV's early morning and late night newscasts, along with breaking news/weather coverage (in effect continuing the linkage between WERC and its' onetime sister TV station). Overnight, the station broadcasts the syndicated Coast to Coast AM
Coast to Coast AM
Coast to Coast AM is a North American late-night syndicated radio talk show that deals with a variety of topics, but most frequently ones that relate to either the paranormal or conspiracy theories. It was created by Art Bell and is distributed by Premiere Radio Networks. The program currently...
hosted by George Noory
George Noory
George Ralph Noory is a Lebanese-American radio talk show host.As of 2010, he is the weekday host of the late-night radio talk show Coast to Coast AM. He is heard across the United States and Canada on many AM and FM stations as well as on XM Satellite Radio. His show is one of the most listened...
. The station also broadcasts the syndicated Saturday night program Somewhere In Time, which consists of reruns of Art Bell
Art Bell
Arthur W. "Art" Bell, III is an American broadcaster and author, known primarily as one of the founders and the original host of the paranormal-themed radio program Coast to Coast AM. He also created and formerly hosted its companion show, Dreamland...
-hosted editions of Coast to Coast AM.
History
The forerunner of WERC was the first radio station in Birmingham, and the second station in Alabama. In May 1925, WBRC (for the Bell Radio Corporation) signed on, broadcasting with 50 watts power at 1210 AM. Throughout the 1920s the station increased its broadcast power several times as well as its broadcast frequency. By 1935, the station was affiliated with the NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
network.
In 1946, WBRC introduced the first FM station in Birmingham. Due to the lack of FM radios in Birmingham, WBRC-FM was not very successful, and was taken off the air two years later. In 1949, the owners of WBRC launched the second television station in Birmingham, as WBRC-TV
WBRC
WBRC, virtual channel 6, is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the Birmingham, Alabama designated market area. The station is owned by Raycom Media, and its transmitter is located atop Red Mountain in Birmingham...
made its debut on channel 4. The local owners of WBRC and WBRC-TV sold the stations to Storer Broadcasting
Storer Broadcasting
Storer Broadcasting, Inc. was an American company which owned several television and radio stations in the northeast United States. It was incorporated in Ohio in 1927, and sold its broadcasting properties in 1983.-1920s—1940s:...
in 1953, and four years later, the stations were sold to Taft Broadcasting
Taft Broadcasting
The Taft Broadcasting Company, also known as Taft Television and Radio Company, Incorporated, was an American media conglomerate based in Cincinnati, Ohio....
.
The advent of television in the 1950s caused network radio programming to decline. By the early 1960s, WBRC was one of two "middle of the road" music stations in Birmingham. It continued in that format until 1972, when Taft Broadcasting sold WBRC and a revived WBRC-FM (106.9 FM) to Mooney Broadcasting. Taft retained ownership of WBRC-TV until 1987; as Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) regulations at that time prohibited non-commonly owned stations from sharing call letters, Mooney changed the call letters of the radio stations to WERC and WERC-FM. WERC was christened “96-ERC”, and launched an all-out assault on the market’s leading top 40 station, WSGN (now WAGG
WAGG
WAGG is a radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama. It broadcasts at a daytime power 5,000 watts, and at nighttime, it broadcasts at 1,000 watts. WAGG is a gospel music station that targets Birmingham's African-American population. It is owned by Cox Radio, which also owns six other...
).
For much of the 1970s, WERC and WSGN were two of the most listened-to stations in Birmingham. The beginning of WERC's demise as a top 40 powerhouse came in 1977, when its own FM sister station was relaunched as top 40 station WKXX, “Kicks 106” (now WBPT
WBPT
WBPT is a classic hits music-formatted radio station licensed to Homewood, Alabama, that serves the Birmingham and central Alabama area. The station was assigned the WBPT call letters by the Federal Communications Commission on October 17, 2001. Since October 2005, it has used the branding "106.9...
). By 1980, WERC modified its format to adult contemporary music and was known as ”News Plus 960, WERC”. An afternoon drive sports call-in show hosted by future University of Alabama football announcer Eli Gold
Eli Gold
Eli Gold is an American sportscaster. Gold is best known as the radio voice for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, along with Tom Roberts, as part of the Crimson Tide Sports Network since 1988. He has also been the host of NASCAR Live on the Motor Racing Network since 1982...
was launched in 1981. Competing unsuccessfully against WSGN and WAPI as an adult contemporary station, WERC dropped music in 1982 and changed to a news-talk format, which it continued with until January 2011. The station was an early affiliate for Rush Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
's radio network.
For much of the 1990s the WERC line-up featured TC and John Ed as morning hosts, Paul Finebaum
Paul Finebaum
Paul Finebaum is an American sports author, television and radio personality and former columnist based in Birmingham, Alabama. His primary focus is sports, particularly those in the Southeast. Finebaum was born in Memphis, Tennessee and attended the University of Tennessee, where he received a...
in the afternoons, and Russ and Dee Fine hosting evenings.
During a 1993 snowstorm that paralyzed the Birmingham area, WERC became the primary source of information and assistance for hundreds of thousands of residents that were stranded by the weather without power (in some cases, for weeks).
WERC began to transition its format to the FM dial on July 6, 2009, when a new incarnation of WERC-FM
WERC-FM
WERC-FM — branded News Radio 105.5 WERC — is an news/talk radio station licensed to Hoover, Alabama and serving the Birmingham market. It operates at an effective radiated power of 29.5 kilowatts...
replaced modern rock
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
station WVVB (”The Vulcan”) at 105.5 FM. 960 AM simulcast with 105.5 FM until January 7, 2011, when it began originating the programming being broadcast on a new FM translator, W276BQ, that began broadcasting on the 103.1 frequency. After stunting
Stunting (broadcasting)
In radio broadcasting, stunting occurs when a station abruptly airs programming that is seemingly uncharacteristic compared to what they normally play...
with several formats, ranging from oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
to classic country
Classic country
Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country hits from past decades.This genre generally follows one of two formats: those specializing in hits from the 1920s through the early 1970s, and focus primarily on innovators and artists from country music's Golden...
to adult album alternative
Adult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
to urban, the station settled on a permanent format on January 13, 2011, reviving the ”Vulcan” branding with an active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
format. In addition to broadcasting on 960 AM and 103.1 FM, "The Vulcan" also broadcast on WQEN
WQEN
WQEN is a radio station licensed to serve Trussville, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications...
-HD2 103.7-2. The transition was completed on February 15, 2011, when the WERC call letters were replaced with 105.5's former WVVB call letters.
On June 23, 2011, WVVB changed their format back to news/talk, simulcasting WERC-FM (105.5 FM). On July 14, 2011 WVVB changed their call letters back to WERC. 103.1 continues to broadcast the active rock format from WQEN-HD2.