WCAZ (990 AM)

WCAZ (990 AM, "Talk 990") was formerly a commercial radio station, whose operating license was cancelled by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on April 21, 2017. First licensed in May 1922, WCAZ had been one of the oldest radio stations in the United States. At the time of its deletion the station was licensed to the Ralla Broadcasting Company in Carthage, Illinois, and featured a talk/personality format.

WCAZ
Frequency990 kHz
BrandingTalk 990
Programming
FormatDefunct, was talk/personality
AffiliationsUSA Radio Network
Ownership
OwnerRalla Broadcasting Co.
History
First air date
May 15, 1922 (1922-05-15)[1]
(initial licensing date)
Last air date
April 21, 2017 (2017-04-21)
(date of license cancellation)
December 31, 2017
(end of unlicensed operation)
Call sign meaning
None (sequentially assigned)
Technical information
Facility ID7634
ClassD
Power
  • 1,000 watts day
  • 9 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
40°24′32″N 91°10′13″W

Following the license cancellation, in the opinion of the FCC the station effectively began operating as a pirate radio station, when it continued regular broadcasts, still identifying itself as "WCAZ", despite FCC orders to cease. The station finally ended operations shortly after noon CST on December 31, 2017.[2]

History

WCAZ was first licensed on May 15, 1922, to Robert E. Compton and the Quincy Whig-General newspaper in Quincy, Illinois, operating on the shared 360 meter (833 kHz) "entertainment" wavelength.[3] The WCAZ call letters were randomly assigned from a sequential roster of available call signs. In December 1922 the station became jointly owned by Compton and Carthage College, and was moved to the college's campus in Carthage, Illinois.[4] In 1923 the station moved to 1220 kHz, and the college assumed sole ownership in September. WCAZ was deleted on September 8, 1924,[5] relicensed on November 8, 1924,[6] deleted again on November 2, 1925,[7] and relicensed on September 11, 1926.[8]

Following the establishment of the Federal Radio Commission (FRC), stations were initially issued a series of temporary authorizations starting on May 3, 1927.[9] WCAZ was reassigned to 880 kHz on June 15, 1927,[10] and to 1200 kHz later that year.[11] Stations were also notified that if they wanted to continue operating, they needed to file a formal license application by January 15, 1928, as the first step in determining whether they met the new "public interest, convenience, or necessity" standard.[12] On May 25, 1928, the FRC issued General Order 32, which notified 164 stations, including WCAZ, that "From an examination of your application for future license it does not find that public interest, convenience, or necessity would be served by granting it."[13] However, the station successfully convinced the commission that it should remain licensed.

On November 11, 1928, under the provisions of the FRC's General Order 40, the station was assigned to 1070 kHz, with daylight only operation.[14] Carthage College continued to operate WCAZ until February 21, 1930, when the station was sold back to Robert Compton and his associates, doing business as the Superior Broadcasting Company.[15][16]

With the implementation of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement, on March 29, 1941, most of the stations on 1070 kHz moved to 1100 kHz. However, due to interference concerns, WCAZ was shifted to 1080 kHz.[17] In 1947, WCAZ was authorized to move to its final assignment, 990 kHz.

Robert Compton died at the age of 54 in June 1950,[18] and station ownership was then transferred to Zola N. Compton.

Station deletion

On January 31, 2007, the FCC assessed WCAZ a fine of $3,500, for failing to file a timely license renewal application.[19] However, the station failed to pay, and on April 21, 2017, the Ralla Broadcasting Company's Robin R. Dunham was sent a certified letter by the FCC, informing him that because WCAZ had not made any arrangements to pay the fine, "all authority to operate station WCAZ(AM), Carthage, Illinois, IS TERMINATED" and the station's license and call letters had been cancelled and deleted.[20]

Contrary to the FCC order, the station continued to make regular broadcasts as "WCAZ", thus technically becoming an unlicensed pirate radio station. On June 28, 2017, in response to a complaint that the station had failed to end operations, an agent from the FCC's Chicago Enforcement Bureau determined that Dunham was continuing to operate a 975-watt transmitter on 990 kHz, and informed the FCC that he had "refused to cease operating the AM station". On December 8, the FCC sent a follow-up letter to Dunham ordering that the "unlicensed operation of this radio station must be discontinued immediately", and warning him of potential legal consequences if he did not comply. A local TV station report on the situation quoted Dunham as claiming he had contacted the FCC and was operating legally, although he planned to cease operations at 5 p.m. on December 31, 2017.[21] The station actually ended programming shortly after noon CST on December 31, 2017. Following the broadcast of a local church service and a series of community messages, the station went silent without fanfare, closing with the simple statement "From all of us to all of you, thank you."[2]

In response to the loss of Carthage's only local radio station, a group effort was formed to reestablish a station. Effective September 24, 2018, WYEC (AM 1510) in nearby Macomb, Illinois was purchased by Hancock County Broadcasting, LLC, which changed WYEC's call sign to WCAZ, and relocated the station to Carthage.

References
  1. "WCAZ FCC history cards" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  2. "WCAZ Live Stream", December 31, 2017 (www.wcazam990.com/wcaz-live-stream/)
  3. "New Stations: Commercial Land Stations", Radio Service Bulletin, June 1, 1922, page 4. Limited Commercial license, serial #393, issued May 15, 1922 to R. E. Compton and the Quincy Whig-General, for a 3 month period for operation on 360 meters.
  4. "Alterations and corrections", Radio Service Bulletin, January 2, 1923, page 6.
  5. "Strike out all particulars", Radio Service Bulletin, October 1, 1924, page 6.
  6. "New Stations", Radio Service Bulletin, December 1, 1924, page 2.
  7. "Strike out all particulars", Radio Service Bulletin, December 1, 1925, page 7.
  8. "New Stations", Radio Service Bulletin, September 30, 1926, page 3.
  9. "List of broadcasting stations issued temporary permits", Radio Service Bulletin, April 30, 1927, pages 6-14.
  10. "Broadcasting Stations Alphabetically by States and Cities" (effective June 15, 1927), Radio Service Bulletin, May 31, 1927, page 5.
  11. "Alterations and corrections", Radio Service Bulletin, November 30, 1927, page 8.
  12. "Extension of Broadcasting Station Licenses", Radio Service Bulletin, December 31, 1927, page 7.
  13. "Appendix F (2): Letter to and list of stations included in General Order No. 32, issued May 25, 1928", Second Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission for the Year Ended June 30, 1928, Together With Supplemental Report for the Period From July 1, 1928 to September 30, 1928, pages 146-149.
  14. "Revised list of broadcasting stations, by frequencies, effective 3 a. m., November 11, 1928, eastern standard time", Second Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission for the Year Ended June 30, 1928, Together With Supplemental Report for the Period From July 1, 1928 to September 30, 1928, page 205.
  15. "Carthage College" section, Education's Own Stations by S. E. Frost, Jr., 1937, pages 51-52.
  16. "Alterations and corrections", Radio Service Bulletin, February 28, 1930, page 23.
  17. "Changes Unspecified in Treaty: Local Stations Shifted", Broadcasting, September 15, 1940, page 78.
  18. "Radio Man Dies", Rock Island Argus, June 3, 1950, page 8.
  19. "FCC Says Carthage Radio Station Operating Without License", Herald-Whig, December 23, 2017 (whig.com).
  20. Re: WCAZ(AM), Carthage, IL", Official FCC correspondence: Certified letter, dated April 21, 2017, sent to Robin R. Dunham by James D. Bradshaw, Deputy Chief, Audio Division, Media Bureau.
  21. "Carthage Radio Station Ordered to Stop Operations" (wgem.com)
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