About WCKB

         President: Charles L. Fowler        

General Manager: Ron Tart

   Primary Format: Southern Gospel      
Frequency: 780 kHz AM
                                            Power: 7,000 Watts                                            

News: North Carolina News Network at :55 after each hour; local reports as needed.

Weather: North Carolina News Network Weather Center...local forecasts with regional outlook from AMS meteorologists.

Sports Programming:
North Carolina News Network...Monday-Saturday, 7:25am  

Sports Extra...Saturday 11:00-11:05 am

Special Programming:

“Good Morning, Charlie”…
Monday-Saturday 8:00-9:30am; hosted by Charlie Fowler; listener call-in program

“Southern Gospel Concert Update”  
 Monday-Friday 12:30-12:35pm

“Carolina Gospel Showcase”…
 Saturday, 10:35-11:00am; hosted by Lottie Squires; features local gospel artists

“Gospel Greats” …  
 Saturday, 12:00n – 2:00pm; nationally syndicated program, hosted by Paul Heil.; features current hits and special interviews with Southern Gospel artists.

 

Community Involvement:  
WCKB works closely with the Dunn Area Chamber of Commerce; the station also maintains membership in several area Chambers of Commerce.

WCKB is involved in area events, such as the Dunn Cotton Festival, Relay for Life, RSVP Seniors Fair and the Annual State Singing Convention in Benson.

WCKB carries weekly public affairs programming from sources such as the local Health Department and Extension Service; the local and state Employment Security Commission, the regional Social Security Administration office and the US Department of Agriculture.

As a public service, WCKB promotes activities of local churches and civic organizations, as well as other special events.

 

On-Air Staff:  
 Charlie Fowler, Ron Tart, Margie Hughes, Lottie Squires, Graden Blackman, Sheree Parker, Roger Layaou, Al Myatt, Neal Wood.

Engineer: William “Bill” Lambert

 

History:

On March 11, 1946, three prominent Dunn businessmen, Lofton A. Tart, Sr., Earl McDonald Westbrook, and Thomas R. Hood, seeing the need for local radio coverage, associated themselves into a corporation under the name of North Carolina Central Broadcasters, Inc.

The first meeting of the Board of Directors was held at 3:00 PM March 15, 1946. At this meeting a set of bylaws was adopted and officers of the corporation were elected as follows: Earl M. Westbrook, President; Leslie H. Campbell, Vice President; and A. Hartwell Campbell, Secretary/Treasurer.

At 11:15 am, December 6th, WCKB began broadcasting on a frequency of 780 kHz and a power of 1,000 watts. The first song played on WCKB was the National Anthem, followed by the song, “Tiger Rag.”

In a meeting of the Board of Directors held February 20, 1958, A. Lincoln Faulk, General Manager, announced that WCKB won the Freedom Foundation Award for the best program, “Editorial Opinion” by John G. Thomas, News Director and commentator of WCKB. “Editorial Opinion” by John G. Thomas became so popular and so widely accepted that over the years it won a total of eleven Freedom Foundation Awards for WCKB.

During the first twenty-five years of operation, WCKB featured a variety of formats which included big band, easy listening, pop, and rock n’ roll. Special emphasis was always placed on news, especially local news and weather, as well as talk programs.

During the 1980’s, WCKB moved to a Gospel Music format which continues today and features today’s hit Southern Gospel music.

In 1989, Charles L. Fowler purchased WCKB from Mrs. Alice T. Baggett and her son, Robie Butler. Since then, General Manager, Ronald C. Tart has become part owner of the company.

 

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