WSEG (1400 AM, "ESPN Radio FM 104.3") is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. Licensed to Savannah, Georgia, United States, the station serves the Savannah area. The station is currently owned by William Dorminy, through licensee Southern Media Interactive LLC, and features programming from ESPN Radio.[4] In April 2011, WSEG started simulcasting on FM frequency 104.3 MHz in Savannah (translator W282AR licensed to Savannah).

WSEG
Broadcast areaSavannah area
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Frequency1400 kHz
BrandingESPN Radio FM 104.3
Programming
FormatSports
AffiliationsESPN Radio, Jacksonville Jaguars
Ownership
Owner
  • William J. Dorminy
  • (Southern Media Interactive LLC)
History
First air date
1946 (as WDAR)
Former call signs
WDAR (1946–1956)[1]
WSGA (1956[1]-1999)[2]
WHGM (1999–2007)[2]
Technical information[3]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID25548
ClassC
Power650 watts
Transmitter coordinates
32°4′29.00″N 81°4′17.00″W / 32.0747222°N 81.0713889°W / 32.0747222; -81.0713889
Translator(s)104.3 W282AR (Savannah)
92.7 W224DH (Hilton Head Island, South Carolina)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websiteespncoastal.com

History

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WDAR

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The A.C. Neff Company made an application to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to build a new station in Savannah, in the waning days of World War II.[1] Neff was granted a construction permit for a station to operate at 1400 on the AM dial, with 250 watts full-time.[1] The station, assigned the call letters WDAR, took to the air in 1946, and was an ABC affiliate.[1][5][6][7] Their studios were located at 34 E. Bryan Street, a second floor suite of offices, located over the Georgia State Bank building.[1]

By 1948, Neff had built WDAR-FM, at 96.5 MHz with 12,000 watts ERP.[8] The ABC affiliation would later move to AM 1230 WFRP.[9]

WSGA

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In 1956, the station was sold to Coastal Broadcasting for $55,000, and its call sign was changed to WSGA (Savannah, GA).[10][1] The station's studios were moved to Liberty Street.[1] In 1962, the station's daytime power was increased to 1,000 watts.[1]

Prior to 1967, WSGA aired block programming, with Don McNeill's Breakfast Club mornings, Paul Harvey middays, and top 40 between 3 & 6 p.m. and after 8 at night.[11] From 6 'till 8 was alternately "dinner music", or the live call-in show "Talk Back".[11] It signed off each night at midnight.[11] The station was branded "The Goodtimer".[12][11]

In October 1967, the station adopted a full-time contemporary hits format.[13] The station began 24 hour a day operations on January 1, 1968.[14] Jerry Rogers was the station's program director and afternoon personality.[11][15][16][17] Other DJs included Danny Kramer, Jim Lloyd, Donny Brook, Fred Holland, Bob Roberts, Chris O'Brien, Mike Allen, Jim Lewis, Chuck Cannon, Denis Reid, and Tim McMillian.[18][16][15]

In the early 1980s, WSGA was facing increased competition from FM top-40 stations. In September 1982, the station adopted an adult standards format, as an affiliate of the syndicated Music of Your Life network.[19] In 1988, WSGA was sold to Gulf Atlantic Group, along with 102.1 WZAT, for $4.2 million.[20][21]

In 1992, the station switched to an all-news format, as an affiliate of CNN Headline News.[22][23] By January 1996, the station had been taken off the air, due to flood damage.[24] WSGA returned to the air, with its power reduced to 650 watts, simulcasting the modern rock programming of 102.1 WZAT.[25][26][27]

In 1998, the station was sold to Sarter Enterprises for $200,000.[28] The station was taken silent as the purchase was being finalized.[29] The station returned to the air in the summer of 1998, and after stunting for about a month, adopted a Christian talk format, simulcasting WNIV.[30][31]

WHGM

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In 1999, the station was sold to Gilliam Communications for $500,000, and its call sign was changed to WHGM.[32][2] The station ended its simulcast with WNIV and adopted an urban contemporary gospel format.[33][34]

WSEG

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WSEG's logo as "Star 1400"

In 2007, Gilliam Communications Inc. sold WHGM to MarMac Communications for $300,000.[35][36] The station's call sign was changed to WSEG and it adopted an adult standards format.[2][37] The station was branded "Star 1400" and was an affiliate of America's Best Music.[37][38] In 2011, the station began to be simulcast on a translator at 104.3 MHz.[39]

In January 2013, WSEG switched to an all-sports format, featuring programming from ESPN Radio, and a local show afternoons.[40] Effective March 19, 2013, MarMac sold WSEG and sister stations WFNS and WSFN to Southern Media Interactive LLC, at a purchase price of $1.3 million.[41][42]

On September 4, 2022, it was announced that Shanks Broadcasting will acquire WSEG and will begin carrying the company's "Sports Superstations" network.[43]

Translators

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WSEG is simulcast on a translator at 104.3 in Savannah, Georgia, and a translator at 92.7 MHz in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) HAAT Class FCC info
W224DH 92.7 FM Hilton Head Island, South Carolina 140895 120 78 m (256 ft) D LMS
W282AR 104.3 FM Savannah, Georgia 151474 180 142 m (466 ft) D LMS

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i History Cards for WSEG, fcc.gov. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  3. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WSEG". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  4. ^ "WSEG Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  5. ^ "WDAR to ABC", Broadcasting — Telecasting. July 29, 1946. p. 104. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  6. ^ Broadcasting — Telecasting Yearbook Number 1948. Broadcasting — Telecasting. 1948. p. 114. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  7. ^ 1952 Broadcasting Yearbook. Broadcasting — Telecasting. 1952. p. 120. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  8. ^ "FM Stations", Broadcasting — Telecasting. October 11, 1948. Part II. p. 66. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  9. ^ 1953 Broadcasting Yearbook. Broadcasting — Telecasting. 1953. p. 122. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  10. ^ "Ownership Changes", Broadcasting — Telecasting. May 14, 1956. p. 115. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  11. ^ a b c d e Larson, Scott. "Savannah loses a radio legend", Savannah Morning News. April 4, 2007. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  12. ^ Sound of the City Survey. WSGA The Goodtimer. January 26, 1967. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  13. ^ "WSGA Into 'Mini'-Spin", Billboard. October 28, 1967. p. 42. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  14. ^ "WSGA Rocks Around Clock", Billboard. January 13, 1968. p. 28. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  15. ^ a b Fred Directory of Radio. 1980. p. 140. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  16. ^ a b "WSGA 140 Top 40". WSGA. April 3–9, 1970. Archived from the original on April 20, 2014. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  17. ^ "Format Opinions Differ", Billboard. June 24, 1972. p. 26. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  18. ^ Hall, Claude. "Vox Jox", Billboard. July 10, 1971. p. 21. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  19. ^ "Format Turntable", Billboard. September 18, 1982. p. 18. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  20. ^ "Newsline...", Billboard. March 12, 1988. p. 10. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  21. ^ "Transactions", Radio & Records. February 26, 1988. p. 8. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  22. ^ "Vox Jox", Billboard. February 15, 1992. p. 79. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  23. ^ "Format Changes", The M Street Journal. Vol. 9, No. 5. February 3, 1992. p. 1. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  24. ^ "Format Changes", The M Street Journal. Vol. 13, No. 3. January 17, 1996. p. 1. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  25. ^ "Facilities/Parameters: Grants", The M Street Journal. Vol. 13, No. 41. October 9, 1996. p. 5. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  26. ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1997. Broadcasting & Cable. 1997. p. B-118. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  27. ^ "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 14, No. 41. October 15, 1997. p. 1. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  28. ^ "Changing Hands", Broadcasting & Cable. June 29, 1998. p. 80. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  29. ^ "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 15, No. 18. May 6, 1998. p. 1. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  30. ^ "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 15, No. 27. July 8, 1998. p. 1. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  31. ^ "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 15, No. 31. August 5, 1998. p. 1. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  32. ^ "Changing Hands", Broadcasting & Cable. July 5, 1999. p. 40. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  33. ^ "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 16, No. 30. July 28, 1999. p. 1. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  34. ^ "AM 1400 WHGM Hit Gospel Music". WHGM. Archived from the original on July 26, 2002. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  35. ^ "Deals", Broadcasting & Cable. May 7, 2007. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  36. ^ Public Notice Comment – BAL-20070416ABI, fcc.gov. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  37. ^ a b "WHGM-A Becomes WSEG-A 'Star 1400'", All Access Music Group. August 9, 2007. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  38. ^ "Star 1400". WSEG. Archived from the original on August 14, 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  39. ^ "Star 1400 & FM 104.3". WSEG. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  40. ^ "WSEG/Savannah Goes Sports", All Access Music Group. January 3, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  41. ^ "Georgia AM trio sold", Radio + Television Business Report. November 7, 2012. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  42. ^ Application Search Details – BAL-20121106AAK, fcc.gov. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  43. ^ "Macon's Sports Superstations To Expand To Savannah & Coastal Georgia". RadioInsight. Retrieved 2022-09-05.
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