Radio WGAD 930

WGAD (930 AM) is a radio station licensed to serve Rainbow City, Alabama, USA. The station is currently owned by Coosa River Communications, Inc., but an application to transfer the broadcast license to Gadsden Broadcasting Company, Inc., was filed with the FCC in October 2010.This station was assigned the WGAD call letters by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on October 4, 2007.Oldies format logoThe call letters WGAD originally were assigned to a station which began operation in 1947, at 1350 on the dial. In fact, WGAD at 1350 was the only station in Gadsden, Alabama, to have never undergone a call letter change until the 2007 swap with WJBY. The original 1350 WGAD signed on in 1947 with 1,000 watts day non-directional, and 1,000 watts at night with a two tower directional signal, towers located west of Gadsden proper in Attalla, Alabama. Not long after the station began operation it was sold to a group of broadcasters consisting of Ed Z. Carrell who also served as General Manager, Lavelle Jackson, and Congressman Albert Rains, who raised the daytime power to 5,000 watts. WGAD was Gadsden's only full time station until 1960. The station was also the first to jump on the pop music bandwagon in the late 1950s when it began broadcasting "Top 40" music with ABC news and special programs.On October 5, 2010, a judgment by consent was reached between plaintiff Gadsden Broadcasting, Inc., and defendants Coosa River Communications, Inc., and its owners in settlement of claims over outstanding debts. The defendants agreed to turn over station property to the plaintiff, cease broadcasting, and file an application to return control of the station's broadcast license to the plaintiffs. On October 10, 2010, WGAD's broadcast signal went dark. In its application for special temporary authority to remain off the air, the station noted that its equipment had been repossessed. On October 20, 2010, an application was filed with the FCC to transfer the license for WGAD from Coosa River Communications to Gadsden Broadcasting Company, Inc. The application notes that this in settlement of a debt of just over $160,000. When the transfer is complete, the call sign WJBY currently on 1350 AM is expected to be swapped for the WGAD call sign.