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(New page: right '''WERC''' is an AM radio station licensed to Birmingham. Its daytime and nighttime power are both 5,000 watts. In 1982, it became the first radio statio...)
 
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[[Image:WERC-AM.gif|right]]
'''WERC''' is an AM radio station licensed to [[Birmingham]].  Its daytime and nighttime power are both 5,000 watts.  In 1982, it became the first radio station in Birmingham to convert to a news/talk format. WERC is the home in Birmingham for the syndicated radio shows of Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh.  WERC is owned by Clear Channel.  Other stations in the Birmingham market owned by Clear Channel include [[WMJJ-FM]] (96.5), [[WDXB-FM]] (102.5), [[WQEN-FM]] (103.7), and [[WENN-FM]] (105.5).  
'''WERC-AM''' [[AM 960]] is a Clear Channel-owned news/talk format radion station licensed in [[Birmingham]] and broadcasting at 5,000 watts.


== History ==
The station was a re-launch of the earlier [[WBRC-AM]], founded in the 1920s by physician [[J. C. Bell]]. It was purchased in [[1972]] by [[Mooney Broadcasting]], who changed the format from "middle of the road" popular music to Top 40 under the "'''96-ERC'''" name, and competing directly with market leader [[WSGN-AM]].


The forerunner of WERC was the first radio station in Birmingham, and the second station in Alabama. In May 1925, WBRC signed on, broadcasting with 50 watts power at 1210 AM. Throughout the 1920’s the station increased its broadcast power several times as well as its broadcast frequency.  By 1935, the station was affiliated with the [[NBC]] network.
The change was overseen by program director [[Frank Lewis]]. He brought in new deejays for a "personality radio" format that focused on letting listeners know about the real humans spinning the music by sending them out to make appearances all over town. [[Doug Layton]] and [[Dickie James]] handled morning duties, [[Super Fox]] was the mid-day deejay, and [[Coyote J. Calhoun]] attracted an enormous teen audience for the station, eager to hear themselves on the air during frequent "Boogie Checks". [[Lee Masters]] began his Birmingham radio career at ERC. The station also invested in news gathering, with its ERC helicopter frequently buzzing around the skyline.  


In 1946, WBRC introduced the first FM station in Birmingham.  Due to the lack of FM radios in Birmingham, WBRC-FM was not very successful, and was taken off the air two years later.  In 1949, the owners of WBRC-AM launched the second television station in Birmingham, as [[WBRC]]-TV made its debut on Channel 4.  The local owners of WBRC-AM and TV sold the stations to [[Storer Broadcasting]] in 1953, and four years later, the stations were sold to [[Taft Broadcasting]].
For much of the 1970’s WERC and WSGN were the two most listened-to stations in Birmingham.  The beginning of WERC’s demise as a Top 40 powerhouse came in [[1977]], when its FM sister station was re-launched as Top 40 [[WKXX-FM|WKXX]] ("Kicks 106").


The advent of television in the 1950’s caused network radio programming to decline.  By the early 1960’s, WBRC was one of two “middle of the road” music stations in Birmingham.  It continued in that format until 1972, when Taft Broadcasting sold WBRC-AM and FM to Mooney Broadcasting. Taft retained ownership of the TV station until 1987.  The new owners of the radio stations changed the call letters to WERC-AM and FM.  WERC-AM was christened “96-ERC”, and launched an all-out assault on the market’s leading Top 40 station, WSGN (now [[WAGG]]).  
By [[1980]], WERC-AM modified its format to adult contemporary music and was known as '''News Plus 960'''. "[[Calling All Sports]]", an afternoon drive sports call-in show hosted by future [[University of Alabama]] football announcer [[Eli Gold]] was launched in [[1981]].


For much of the 1970’s WERC and WSGN were two of the most listened-to stations in Birmingham. The beginning of WERC’s demise as a Top 40 powerhouse came in 1977, when its FM sister station at the time WBRC-FM (106.9) was re-launched as Top 40 WKXX-Kicks 106 (now [[WBPT-FM]]).  By 1980, WERC modified its format to adult contemporary music and was known as News Plus 960, WERC.  An afternoon drive sports call-in show hosted by future University of Alabama football announcer [[Eli Gold]] was launched in 1981.  Competing unsuccessfully against WSGN and WAPI-AM as an adult contemporary station, WERC dropped music in 1982 and adopted its present news-talk format, which it continues with today.
Competing unsuccessfully against WSGN and [[WAPI-AM]] in the adult contemporary segment, WERC dropped music altogether in [[1982]] to focus on news, sports and talk. The departure of Gold left [[Paul Finebaum]]'s sports call in show as the station's bell cow, until early [[2007]] when Finebaum signed a contract with [[WJOX-FM]]. From [[2001]] to [[2003]] the station also aired a weekly [[HealthSouth]]-sponsored program co-hosted by [[Richard Scrushy|Richard "Cowboy" Scrushy]] and [[Jason Hervey|Jason "Gator" Hervey]].


On February 26, [[2007]], "The [[Ultimate Sports Show]]", featuring [[Kenny Stabler]] and [[Chris Stewart]] began airing in the 2-to-6 PM timeslot left vacant when [[Paul Finebaum]]'s call-in sports show moved to [[WJOX-FM]].
On [[February 26]], 2007, [[Kenny Stabler]] and [[Chris Stewart]] launched their "[[Ultimate Sports Show]]" on WERC.  The sports slot changed again in February [[2008]] with the hiring of [[Herb Winches]] who - after a short stint with the station - resigned after three months, on [[April 28]], [[2008]].
 
WERC was used to simulcast the modern rock format of [[WQEN-FM]] ([[FM 103.1]]). From [[February 15]] to [[June 14]], [[2011]] WERC's call letters were changed to '''WVVB-AM'''. On [[June 23]] of that year, the station resumed simulcasting [[WERC-FM]]'s news-talk format.
 
{{start box}}
{{succession box |
  before= [[WBRC-AM]] |
  title=[[AM 960]] |
  years=[[1972]]–[[2011]] |
  after=[[WVVB-AM]]
}}
{{succession box |
  before= [[WVVB-AM]]|
  title=[[AM 960]] |
  years=[[2011]]–present |
  after=-
}}
{{end box}}
 
==Schedule==
* 5AM–6AM - [[Good Day Alabama]]
* 6AM–9AM - Birmingham's Morning News with [[Scott Fitzgerald]]
* 9AM–11AM - The Glenn Beck Show (syndicated political talk)
* 11AM–2PM - The Rush Limbaugh Show (syndicated political talk)
* 2PM–5PM - The Schnitt Show (syndicated news/talk)
* 5PM–6PM - 5 O'Clock Rush Hour (syndicated political talk)
* 6PM–9PM - The Michael Savage Show (syndicated news/commentary)
* 9PM–10PM - America Now with Andy Dean (syndicated political talk)
* 10PM–10:30PM - [[Fox 6 News]]
* 10:30PM-12AM - America Now with Andy Dean (syndicated political talk)
* 12AM–4AM - Coast to Coast with George Noory (syndicated news/talk)


==References==
==References==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=WERC&oldid=102341562 WERC]. (2007, January 22). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:01, February 27, 2007  
* Reeves, Garland (March 1976) "[http://www.birminghamrewound.com/features/Radio-2%2803-76%29.jpg WSGN vs. WERC: Rock radio stations battle tooth and nail for No. 1 rank.]" {{BN}} - via [[Birmingham Rewound]]
*[http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2007/02/stabler_takes_over_finebaums_o.html Stabler takes over Finebaum's old slot on WERC], 2/27/07, The [[Birmingham News]].
* "[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=WERC WERC]" (January 22, 2007) Wikipedia - accessed February 27, 2007
*[http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2007/02/stabler_takes_over_finebaums_o.html Stabler takes over Finebaum's old slot on WERC], 2/27/07, ''The Birmingham News''


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.960werc.com Official Website of WERC]
* [http://www.960werc.com Official Website of WERC-AM] website


{{GFDL}}
[[Category:Radio stations]]
[[Category:Radio stations]]
[[Category:1972 establishments]]

Latest revision as of 16:19, 8 March 2016

WERC-AM.gif

WERC-AM AM 960 is a Clear Channel-owned news/talk format radion station licensed in Birmingham and broadcasting at 5,000 watts.

The station was a re-launch of the earlier WBRC-AM, founded in the 1920s by physician J. C. Bell. It was purchased in 1972 by Mooney Broadcasting, who changed the format from "middle of the road" popular music to Top 40 under the "96-ERC" name, and competing directly with market leader WSGN-AM.

The change was overseen by program director Frank Lewis. He brought in new deejays for a "personality radio" format that focused on letting listeners know about the real humans spinning the music by sending them out to make appearances all over town. Doug Layton and Dickie James handled morning duties, Super Fox was the mid-day deejay, and Coyote J. Calhoun attracted an enormous teen audience for the station, eager to hear themselves on the air during frequent "Boogie Checks". Lee Masters began his Birmingham radio career at ERC. The station also invested in news gathering, with its ERC helicopter frequently buzzing around the skyline.

For much of the 1970’s WERC and WSGN were the two most listened-to stations in Birmingham. The beginning of WERC’s demise as a Top 40 powerhouse came in 1977, when its FM sister station was re-launched as Top 40 WKXX ("Kicks 106").

By 1980, WERC-AM modified its format to adult contemporary music and was known as News Plus 960. "Calling All Sports", an afternoon drive sports call-in show hosted by future University of Alabama football announcer Eli Gold was launched in 1981.

Competing unsuccessfully against WSGN and WAPI-AM in the adult contemporary segment, WERC dropped music altogether in 1982 to focus on news, sports and talk. The departure of Gold left Paul Finebaum's sports call in show as the station's bell cow, until early 2007 when Finebaum signed a contract with WJOX-FM. From 2001 to 2003 the station also aired a weekly HealthSouth-sponsored program co-hosted by Richard "Cowboy" Scrushy and Jason "Gator" Hervey.

On February 26, 2007, Kenny Stabler and Chris Stewart launched their "Ultimate Sports Show" on WERC. The sports slot changed again in February 2008 with the hiring of Herb Winches who - after a short stint with the station - resigned after three months, on April 28, 2008.

WERC was used to simulcast the modern rock format of WQEN-FM (FM 103.1). From February 15 to June 14, 2011 WERC's call letters were changed to WVVB-AM. On June 23 of that year, the station resumed simulcasting WERC-FM's news-talk format.

Preceded by:
WBRC-AM 		AM 960
1972–2011 		Succeeded by:
WVVB-AM
Preceded by:
WVVB-AM 		AM 960
2011–present 		Succeeded by:
-

Schedule

  • 5AM–6AM - Good Day Alabama
  • 6AM–9AM - Birmingham's Morning News with Scott Fitzgerald
  • 9AM–11AM - The Glenn Beck Show (syndicated political talk)
  • 11AM–2PM - The Rush Limbaugh Show (syndicated political talk)
  • 2PM–5PM - The Schnitt Show (syndicated news/talk)
  • 5PM–6PM - 5 O'Clock Rush Hour (syndicated political talk)
  • 6PM–9PM - The Michael Savage Show (syndicated news/commentary)
  • 9PM–10PM - America Now with Andy Dean (syndicated political talk)
  • 10PM–10:30PM - Fox 6 News
  • 10:30PM-12AM - America Now with Andy Dean (syndicated political talk)
  • 12AM–4AM - Coast to Coast with George Noory (syndicated news/talk)

References

External links

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