WGHR
Encyclopedia
WGHR is a noncommercial
radio station
operated solely by the students of Southern Polytechnic State University
in Marietta
, Georgia
, USA
. The station is student- and listener-supported, with diverse programming from a wide variety of genre
s.
stations, WGHR originally began as a carrier current
low-power AM station in 1969, transmitting on 1280kHz from a wire
loop antenna
run atop the circle of buildings at the center of campus
. Although not an officially-assigned callsign, it took the name WSTB, an acronym for Southern Tech Broadcasting. Nickname
d "Stubby", its studio
was in a dormitory
.
In the mid-1970s, the station applied for a low-power FM station. First trying 91.7, it was initially rejected for being too close to 91.9 (WCLK) and 91.1 (WREK). It then selected 102.5, and was eventually given a construction permit
in 1979 for that frequency
. Since there was already a WSTB FM in Streetsboro, Ohio
, the students selected WGHR to mean "Green Hornet Radio", after the school's mascot
. The nickname, likewise, became "Wooger" (later mocked by the station's own promos). After an extra year's delay due to a recalled
Harris Broadcast transmitter
, it finally began FM broadcasting in 1981, serving most of Cobb County
in the northwest metro Atlanta
area.
At that time, it shared an office
in the student center with The STING
, the student newspaper
. In 1993, the expansion and renovation
of the building was completed, and it moved from the old office to its own studio. While the size of the building doubled, the size of the new station was actually cut in half, which was seen by many as a sign of how the station was viewed by the administration. However, it did include its own restroom (a definite necessity), and a large window
into the atrium
, right at the main entrance where students and visitors could see into the broadcast studio. This is still the station's current facility.
's "Looks Like We Made It", and it continued playing top 40. It gradually went to a "college rock
" format during the 1980s, and diversified during the early 1990s
, which it has continued since.
Early on, empty time slots were filled by going off the air, because the FCC at the time required a license
d human attendant at all times. When this requirement was later dropped, the station purchased a multi-cassette tape player, like might be used in a department store
. It had four replaceable decks which alternated playing one after the other, and had no controls except for eject buttons. Because it already received so much wear and tear, the station still went off the air during the prolonged breaks between academic quarters. During the 1980s, the station would remain on air during morning/afternoon academic hours, going off air in the evening and weekends unless DJs were willing to volunteer. The station at the time was not a high priority among student activities and volunteer participation was often sparse.
This changed when the 1996 Summer Olympics
came to town. After a DJ went to Canada
and heard CBC Radio
running the World Radio Network
overnight instead of going off-air, the amateur radio
club helped revive the satellite dish
atop the building. The station then started broadcasting international news
from WRN at night, on weekends, and during breaks. A simple broadcast automation
system SPSU students put together now runs the station 24/7 when nobody is there.
class D (low-power) FM signal was later forced from the air by a sequence of events related to FCC rulings, and the evolution of the commercial band in metro Atlanta.
When WGHR first applied, FM class D stations were considered equal to other full-power stations. This changed in 1980, when the National Association of Broadcasters
(representing only large commercial stations), the then-new National Public Radio, and even the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
convinced the FCC to demote class D stations to a second-class status, and to stop issuing new class D licenses altogether. The exception of course was for NPR and NAB-member stations, who could continue building new broadcast translators (also class D) however they liked. While the discrimination
against technically-identical stations just for originating their own programming seems appalling and unconstitutional
to many, these small stations have never had the resources to challenge this in court
.
Because of the ruling, WGHR (among many) was left completely vulnerable to any full-power station that wanted its spot on the dial. FCC docket 80-90, introduced in 1980, allowed full-power stations to move-in or fill-in closer together, forcing many class Ds off the air with no other place to go.
In the Atlanta area, two new docket 80-90 allotments were proposed in the early 1980s, one north of Atlanta on 107.5, and one west-northwest on 102.5: WGHR's exact frequency. Five proposals were submitted to the FCC for the latter: one for Forest Park
, one for Douglasville
, one for Lithia Springs
, one for Mableton
, and finally WGHR's for Marietta, reserved as non-commercial educational
(NCE). At the time, the FCC had no rules to level the playing field for NCE stations, so WGHR lost out. The remaining proposals floated around until 1988, when Mableton was selected, and the new allotment was opened for applications. Those applicants battled it out in court for years, until one was finally selected in the mid-1990s.
The allotment of a new class A station at 102.5 MHz in Mableton prompted WGHR to move from that frequency to 100.7 MHz in 1998. When WWWQ
(now WNNX
) began broadcasting on 100.5 MHz in Atlanta, WGHR moved back to 102.5 temporarily to avoid receiving and causing interference, and an application was filed with the FCC to move to 101.1 MHz. Shortly afterward however, the full-power station WAMJ
(now WPZE
) began broadcasting, and WGHR was again forced to move. Because they were still licensed for 100.7 MHz, WGHR resumed broadcasting there. The owners of 100.5 (Susquehanna Radio Corporation
) strongly objected to this, and consequently, WGHR ceased over-the-air broadcasts in order to avoid trouble with the FCC.
In January 2004, after being unable to broadcast for 12 consecutive months, the FM license for WGHR was automatically canceled by the FCC as required by Congress, and the application to move to 101.1 was dismissed as moot
. It continues to webcast
, and hopes that the LPFM rules will later be relaxed, allowing it to return to the airwaves.
Non-commercial educational
The term non-commercial educational applies to a radio station or TV station that does not accept on air advertisements , as defined in the United States by the Federal Communications Commission . NCE stations do not pay broadcast license fees for their non-profit uses of the radio spectrum...
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...
operated solely by the students of Southern Polytechnic State University
Southern Polytechnic State University
Southern Polytechnic State University is a public, co-educational state university located in Marietta, Georgia, USA just northwest of Atlanta...
in Marietta
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The station is student- and listener-supported, with diverse programming from a wide variety of genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
s.
History
Like many other college radioCampus radio
Campus radio is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. Programming may be exclusively by students, or may include programmers from the wider community in which the radio station is based...
stations, WGHR originally began as a carrier current
Carrier current
Carrier current is a method of low power AM radio transmission that uses the AC electrical system of a building to propagate a medium frequency, AM signal to a relatively small area, such as a building or a group of buildings...
low-power AM station in 1969, transmitting on 1280kHz from a wire
Wire
A wire is a single, usually cylindrical, flexible strand or rod of metal. Wires are used to bear mechanical loads and to carry electricity and telecommunications signals. Wire is commonly formed by drawing the metal through a hole in a die or draw plate. Standard sizes are determined by various...
loop antenna
Antenna (radio)
An antenna is an electrical device which converts electric currents into radio waves, and vice versa. It is usually used with a radio transmitter or radio receiver...
run atop the circle of buildings at the center of campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
. Although not an officially-assigned callsign, it took the name WSTB, an acronym for Southern Tech Broadcasting. Nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
d "Stubby", its studio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
was in a dormitory
Dormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
.
In the mid-1970s, the station applied for a low-power FM station. First trying 91.7, it was initially rejected for being too close to 91.9 (WCLK) and 91.1 (WREK). It then selected 102.5, and was eventually given a construction permit
Construction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
in 1979 for that frequency
Frequency
Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit time. It is also referred to as temporal frequency.The period is the duration of one cycle in a repeating event, so the period is the reciprocal of the frequency...
. Since there was already a WSTB FM in Streetsboro, Ohio
Streetsboro, Ohio
Streetsboro is a city in Portage County, Ohio, United States. It is formed from the former township of Streetsboro, which was formed from the Connecticut Western Reserve. It is nearly co-extant with the former Streetsboro Township; the village of Sugar Bush Knolls was also formed in part from a...
, the students selected WGHR to mean "Green Hornet Radio", after the school's mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
. The nickname, likewise, became "Wooger" (later mocked by the station's own promos). After an extra year's delay due to a recalled
Product recall
A product recall is a request to return to the maker a batch or an entire production run of a product, usually due to the discovery of safety issues. The recall is an effort to limit liability for corporate negligence and to improve or avoid damage to publicity...
Harris Broadcast transmitter
Transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an electronic device which, with the aid of an antenna, produces radio waves. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating...
, it finally began FM broadcasting in 1981, serving most of Cobb County
Cobb County, Georgia
Cobb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat and largest city is Marietta, which is located in the center of the county. The county was named for Thomas Willis Cobb, who in the early 19th century was a United States representative and senator from Georgia...
in the northwest metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta
The Atlanta metropolitan area or metro Atlanta, officially designated by the US Census Bureau as the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta Metropolitan Statistical Area, is the most populous metro area in the U.S. state of Georgia and the ninth-largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States...
area.
At that time, it shared an office
Office
An office is generally a room or other area in which people work, but may also denote a position within an organization with specific duties attached to it ; the latter is in fact an earlier usage, office as place originally referring to the location of one's duty. When used as an adjective, the...
in the student center with The STING
The Sting
The Sting is a 1973 American caper film set in September 1936 that involves a complicated plot by two professional grifters to con a mob boss . The film was directed by George Roy Hill, who previously directed Newman and Redford in the western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.Created by...
, the student newspaper
Student newspaper
A student newspaper is a newspaper run by students of a university, high school, middle school, or other school. These papers traditionally cover local and, primarily, school or university news....
. In 1993, the expansion and renovation
Renovation
Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Two prominent types of renovations are commercial and residential.-Process:The process of a renovation, however complex, can usually be broken down into several processes...
of the building was completed, and it moved from the old office to its own studio. While the size of the building doubled, the size of the new station was actually cut in half, which was seen by many as a sign of how the station was viewed by the administration. However, it did include its own restroom (a definite necessity), and a large window
Window
A window is a transparent or translucent opening in a wall or door that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound. Windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent material like float glass. Windows are held in place by frames, which...
into the atrium
Atrium (architecture)
In modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within a larger multistory building and often located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
, right at the main entrance where students and visitors could see into the broadcast studio. This is still the station's current facility.
Programming
Not much is known about what the station sounded like back in the AM days. When it went to FM, the first song played was Barry ManilowBarry Manilow
Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
's "Looks Like We Made It", and it continued playing top 40. It gradually went to a "college rock
College rock
College rock is a term that was used in the United States to describe 1980s alternative rock before the term "alternative" came into common usage. The term's use of the word "college" refers to campus radio stations located at institutions of higher education in Canada and the United States, where...
" format during the 1980s, and diversified during the early 1990s
1990s in music
For music from a year in the 1990s, go to 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99This article includes trends in popular music in the 1990s....
, which it has continued since.
Early on, empty time slots were filled by going off the air, because the FCC at the time required a license
License
The verb license or grant licence means to give permission. The noun license or licence refers to that permission as well as to the document recording that permission.A license may be granted by a party to another party as an element of an agreement...
d human attendant at all times. When this requirement was later dropped, the station purchased a multi-cassette tape player, like might be used in a department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
. It had four replaceable decks which alternated playing one after the other, and had no controls except for eject buttons. Because it already received so much wear and tear, the station still went off the air during the prolonged breaks between academic quarters. During the 1980s, the station would remain on air during morning/afternoon academic hours, going off air in the evening and weekends unless DJs were willing to volunteer. The station at the time was not a high priority among student activities and volunteer participation was often sparse.
This changed when the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
came to town. After a DJ went to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and heard CBC Radio
CBC Radio One
CBC Radio One is the English language news and information radio network of the publicly-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial free and offers both local and national programming...
running the World Radio Network
WRN Broadcast
WRN Broadcast, formerly known as WRN, is an international broadcast services company that works with television channels and radio broadcasters, media owners and brands enabling them to deliver content to target audiences worldwide....
overnight instead of going off-air, the amateur radio
Amateur radio
Amateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
club helped revive the satellite dish
Satellite dish
A satellite dish is a dish-shaped type of parabolic antenna designed to receive microwaves from communications satellites, which transmit data transmissions or broadcasts, such as satellite television.-Principle of operation:...
atop the building. The station then started broadcasting international news
International broadcasting
International broadcasting is broadcasting that is deliberately aimed at a foreign, rather than a domestic, audience. It usually is broadcast by means of longwave, mediumwave, or shortwave radio, but in recent years has also used direct satellite broadcasting and the Internet as means of reaching...
from WRN at night, on weekends, and during breaks. A simple broadcast automation
Broadcast automation
Broadcast automation incorporates the use of broadcast programming technology to automate broadcasting operations. Used either at a broadcast network, radio station or a television station, it can run a facility in the absence of a human operator...
system SPSU students put together now runs the station 24/7 when nobody is there.
License
WGHR's 17-watt ERPEffective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
class D (low-power) FM signal was later forced from the air by a sequence of events related to FCC rulings, and the evolution of the commercial band in metro Atlanta.
When WGHR first applied, FM class D stations were considered equal to other full-power stations. This changed in 1980, when the National Association of Broadcasters
National Association of Broadcasters
The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association, workers union, and lobby group representing the interests of for-profit, over-the-air radio and television broadcasters in the United States...
(representing only large commercial stations), the then-new National Public Radio, and even the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a non-profit corporation created by an act of the United States Congress, funded by the United States’ federal government to promote public broadcasting...
convinced the FCC to demote class D stations to a second-class status, and to stop issuing new class D licenses altogether. The exception of course was for NPR and NAB-member stations, who could continue building new broadcast translators (also class D) however they liked. While the discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
against technically-identical stations just for originating their own programming seems appalling and unconstitutional
Constitutionality
Constitutionality is the condition of acting in accordance with an applicable constitution. Acts that are not in accordance with the rules laid down in the constitution are deemed to be ultra vires.-See also:*ultra vires*Company law*Constitutional law...
to many, these small stations have never had the resources to challenge this in court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
.
Because of the ruling, WGHR (among many) was left completely vulnerable to any full-power station that wanted its spot on the dial. FCC docket 80-90, introduced in 1980, allowed full-power stations to move-in or fill-in closer together, forcing many class Ds off the air with no other place to go.
In the Atlanta area, two new docket 80-90 allotments were proposed in the early 1980s, one north of Atlanta on 107.5, and one west-northwest on 102.5: WGHR's exact frequency. Five proposals were submitted to the FCC for the latter: one for Forest Park
Forest Park, Georgia
Forest Park is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. It is located approximately nine miles south of Atlanta and is part of the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Marietta Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, one for Douglasville
Douglasville, Georgia
The city of Douglasville is the county seat of Douglas County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 30,961...
, one for Lithia Springs
Lithia Springs, Georgia
Lithia Springs is an unincorporated area, formerly incorporated as a city, located in northeastern Douglas County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 2,072. The city is named for its historic Lithia Springs springs.Incorporated in 1882, Lithia...
, one for Mableton
Mableton, Georgia
Mableton is a census-designated place in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a population of 37,115.It was named for Robert Mable, who in 1843 bought 300 acres of land on September 11...
, and finally WGHR's for Marietta, reserved as non-commercial educational
Non-commercial educational
The term non-commercial educational applies to a radio station or TV station that does not accept on air advertisements , as defined in the United States by the Federal Communications Commission . NCE stations do not pay broadcast license fees for their non-profit uses of the radio spectrum...
(NCE). At the time, the FCC had no rules to level the playing field for NCE stations, so WGHR lost out. The remaining proposals floated around until 1988, when Mableton was selected, and the new allotment was opened for applications. Those applicants battled it out in court for years, until one was finally selected in the mid-1990s.
The allotment of a new class A station at 102.5 MHz in Mableton prompted WGHR to move from that frequency to 100.7 MHz in 1998. When WWWQ
WWWQ (FM)
WNNX is an Atlanta radio station that is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. The station broadcasts from the same building as its other Cumulus Atlanta sister stations WWWQ FM 99.7 and 99X...
(now WNNX
WNNX (FM)
WWWQ FM 99.7, known as "Q100", is an Atlanta radio station airing a top-40 contemporary hit radio format. It is owned and operated by Cumulus Media from the same building as its other co-owned sister stations WNNX FM "Rock 100.5", W258BU FM 99.1 "99X", and W250BC FM 97.9 "Journey 97-9"...
) began broadcasting on 100.5 MHz in Atlanta, WGHR moved back to 102.5 temporarily to avoid receiving and causing interference, and an application was filed with the FCC to move to 101.1 MHz. Shortly afterward however, the full-power station WAMJ
WAMJ (FM)
WPZE is a radio station located in Atlanta, Georgia. Operating on 102.5 MHz, it is assigned Mableton as its city of license, and transmits from a location in southwest Atlanta, near I-285 and Langford Parkway...
(now WPZE
WPZE (FM)
WUMJ is a radio station simulcasting an Urban adult contemporary format with sister station WAMJ . Licensed to the suburb of Fayetteville, Georgia, it serves the Atlanta metropolitan area. It first began broadcasting in 1978 under the call sign WKUE-FM...
) began broadcasting, and WGHR was again forced to move. Because they were still licensed for 100.7 MHz, WGHR resumed broadcasting there. The owners of 100.5 (Susquehanna Radio Corporation
Susquehanna Radio Corporation
The Susquehanna Radio Corporation was a media corporation which operated from 1941 to 2006 that was headquartered in York, Pennsylvania. The company was a unit of Susquehanna Pfaltzgraff, a conglomerate more widely known for the Pfaltzgraff kitchenware line than its broadcasting pursuits.Some of...
) strongly objected to this, and consequently, WGHR ceased over-the-air broadcasts in order to avoid trouble with the FCC.
In January 2004, after being unable to broadcast for 12 consecutive months, the FM license for WGHR was automatically canceled by the FCC as required by Congress, and the application to move to 101.1 was dismissed as moot
Mootness
In American law, a matter is moot if further legal proceedings with regard to it can have no effect, or events have placed it beyond the reach of the law...
. It continues to webcast
Webcast
A webcast is a media presentation distributed over the Internet using streaming media technology to distribute a single content source to many simultaneous listeners/viewers. A webcast may either be distributed live or on demand...
, and hopes that the LPFM rules will later be relaxed, allowing it to return to the airwaves.