WGUL

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WGUL
Broadcast areaTampa Bay Area
Frequency860 kHz
BrandingAM 860 The ANSWER
Programming
FormatConservative talk radio
AffiliationsSalem Radio Network
Ownership
Owner
WLCC, WTBN, WTWD
History
First air date
1960 (1960)
Former call signs
WAZE (1960–1982)
WAMA (1982–1986)
Call sign meaning
reference to the Gulf of Mexico
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID1177
ClassB
Power5,000 watts day
1,500 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
27°59′55.00″N 82°42′1.00″W / 27.9986111°N 82.7002778°W / 27.9986111; -82.7002778
Translator(s)93.7 W229DJ (Dunedin)
Links
Public license information
Website860wgul.com

WGUL (860 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a conservative talk radio format. Licensed to Dunedin, Florida, United States, it serves the Tampa Bay area.[2] The station is owned by Salem Communications and features only syndicated conservative weekday programming from Salem Radio Network.[3] 860 kHz is a Canadian clear-channel frequency.

History

WGUL previously ran a live, locally based "Music of Your Life" format from 1985 to August 12, 2005. That year, Salem Communications acquired WGUL from its previous owners, WGUL-FM, Inc., in which they changed its format to its current conservative talk format. WGUL-FM, Inc. continues in business today under that name, as owners and operators of stations in Florida's Nature Coast region (including WGHR and WXOF), though Salem currently holds the WGUL call sign and intellectual property.

Programming

The content of WGUL's talk programming is conservative with show hosts such as Phil Grande, Hugh Hewitt and Mike Gallagher. The weekend show line up includes Kim Komando.

The station previously broadcast two shows hosted by Gary Gauthier, It's God's Money and All About Florida Real Estate until Gauthier was arrested in January 2014, for running a Ponzi scheme from 2005 until 2010, which allegedly bilked $6 million of retirement savings from at least 38 elderly people.[4][5]

References

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WGUL". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  3. ^ "WGUL Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  4. ^ Kuruvilla, Carol (January 31, 2014). "Former Christian radio host arrested for $6 million Ponzi scheme". New York Daily News. New York, New York: Mortimer Zuckerman. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  5. ^ Thompson, Stephen (January 30, 2014). "Former Christian radio host arrested for $6 million Ponzi scheme". The Tampa Tribune. Tampa, Florida: Tampa Media Group, Inc./Media General. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2014.