WQFX (AM) explained

WQFX
Country:US
Area:Gulfport-Biloxi metropolitan area
Frequency:1130 kHz
Translator:W254DJ (98.7 MHz) Gulfport
Branding:My Power Gospel
Format:Gospel music
Coordinates:30.3892°N -89.1064°W
Power:1,000 watts (daytime only)
Class:D
Facility Id:61306
Callsign Meaning:From former "Foxy 96" name of the formerly co-owned FM
Owner:Walking by Faith Ministries, Inc.
Licensing Authority:FCC

WQFX (1130 AM) is a radio station in Gulfport, Mississippi, United States, broadcasting a gospel music format. It is owned by Walking by Faith Ministries, Inc., and operates from studios in nearby Biloxi and a transmitter in Gulfport. 1130 kHz is a clear-channel frequency shared by three North American stations (CKWX, KWKH, and WBBR), requiring WQFX to operate on a daytime-only basis on the AM band. The station also broadcasts on an FM translator, W254DJ (98.7 FM), which allows it to broadcast around-the-clock, including when the AM facility cannot be active.

Established as a commercial station in 1975, by 1986, it became a simulcast of its sister FM station, WQFX-FM 96.7. In 1992, the simulcast was broken and the station leased—and later bought—by its present owner to broadcast the current gospel format.

History

On May 8, 1974, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) awarded a construction permit to Robert Barber, Jr., George Sliman, and F. M. Smith, doing business as the Gulf Broadcasting Company, for a new 500-watt daytime-only radio station on 1130 kHz at Gulfport. It had been a long wait for the trio to get the permit, having filed their application in 1969 but having to wait through a comparative hearing process to get the frequency. WGUF went on the air May 7, 1975, with a country music format.[1] Two years later, the same group launched WGUF-FM 96.7; Holton Turnbough bought full ownership of both stations in 1979. The country format was jettisoned in 1983 in favor of all-news, utilizing the programming of CNN Radio with local reporters and inserts.[2]

WGUF, Inc., Turnbough's company, filed to sell the AM and FM stations to Joyner Communications in August 1984,[3] but the Joyner transaction fell through, leading to a second and successful sale to Caravelle Broadcast Group of Mississippi that October.[4] Even after the sale, however, Turnbough and Broadcast Music, Inc., a performing rights organization, maintained a legal feud over back royalty payments owed for music played on the WGUF stations. Turnbough had a policy of purposely being behind on royalty payments, telling a Sun Herald reporter, "I always paid my bills late on purpose. I just don't like copyright fees. I don't think they give all the money to the people they're supposed to give it to."[5]

On January 1, 1985, the two stations relaunched with new programming and separate call letters: the FM became WQFX "Foxy 96", an urban contemporary station, while the AM changed to WAIZ "Big WAIZ Country".[6] The country station proved a poor ratings performer in a market with a glut of similar stations and changed to an oldies format at the start of 1986, using the same WQFX call sign as the FM.[7]

Steere Broadcasting of Kalamazoo, Michigan, acquired WQFX-AM-FM for $1.25 million in 1986.[8] The AM then began to simulcast the FM.[9]

After a proposed $47,500 sale of the AM in May 1991 never materialized, Steere tried to sell the WQFX stations to Urban Media Group in December 1991 for $500,000; the sale price consisted solely of promissory notes to Caravelle and Turnbough's estate.[10] However, this sale also did not close. As Steere steered toward bankruptcy, in 1992, Faith Tabernacle of Praise in Biloxi began operating the station as a gospel music outlet, part of a larger mission to start new Black-owned businesses in the area; the station's studios moved from Gulfport to a former church office in Biloxi.[11] The church would not own the station for several more years. In 1993, a bankruptcy trustee sold WQFX-AM-FM to Southern Horizons Broadcasting Corporation;[12] the FM station, which had continued under Steere operation, was described as "in turmoil" by its new owner.[13] Walking by Faith Ministries purchased WQFX, after four years of managing it, for $34,000 in 1996.[14] By 2004, the station featured recorded and live church services from around 50 churches.[15]

Notes and References

  1. News: WGUF(AM). 1977. Broadcasting Yearbook. C-116. 2021-12-24. 2020-09-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20200906172110/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1977/1977-BC-YB.pdf#page=364. live.
  2. News: Broadcaster betting news will be good. September 15, 1983. A12. Dennis. Cauchon. The Sun. Biloxi, Mississippi. Newspapers.com. December 24, 2021.
  3. News: Changing Hands. August 6, 1984. 74. Broadcasting. 2021-12-24. 2021-03-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20210308042419/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1984/BC-1984-08-06.pdf. live.
  4. News: For the Record. October 8, 1984. Broadcasting. 107. 2021-12-24. 2021-11-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20211108151218/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1984/BC-1984-10-08.pdf. live.
  5. News: BMI considers dropping suit. January 3, 1986. C2. Terry R.. Cassreino. Sun Herald. Biloxi, Mississippi. Newspapers.com. December 24, 2021.
  6. News: Two new stations debut on Jan. 1. December 29, 1984. Marquee 2. Vincent. Creel. The Sun. Biloxi, Mississippi. Newspapers.com. December 24, 2021.
  7. News: Radio: A look at some of the changes. April 5, 1986. Marquee 16. Sun Herald. Biloxi, Mississippi. Newspapers.com. December 24, 2021.
  8. News: For the Record. Broadcasting. June 2, 1986. 86. 2021-12-24. 2021-11-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20211108151228/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1986/BC-1986-06-02.pdf. live.
  9. News: Black-oriented WTAM goes country. January 21, 1987. D-2. Vincent. Creel. Sun Herald. Biloxi, Mississippi. Newspapers.com. December 24, 2021.
  10. News: Transactions. Radio & Records. December 20, 1991. 6. 2021-12-24. 2021-10-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20211001110505/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1991/RR-1991-12-20.pdf. live.
  11. News: Message to the Masses. August 15, 1992. B-1. Patrick. Peterson. Sun Herald. Biloxi, Mississippi. Newspapers.com. December 24, 2021. December 24, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211224215135/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/91098330/message-to-the-masses/. live.
  12. News: Transactions. 9. February 19, 1993. Radio & Records. 2021-12-24. 2021-10-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20211001112758/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1993/RR-1993-02-19.pdf. live.
  13. News: Southern Horizons gets final OK to buy WQFX. March 31, 1993. B-8. Mike. Lacy. Sun Herald. Biloxi, Mississippi. Newspapers.com. December 24, 2021. December 24, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211224215116/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/91098568/southern-horizons-gets-final-ok-to-buy/. live.
  14. News: Transactions. March 15, 1996. Radio & Records. 6. 2021-12-24. 2021-10-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20211001121346/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1996/R%26R-1996-03-15.pdf. live.
  15. News: WQFX urban gospel. August 27, 2004. B-6. Kat. Bergeron. Sun Herald. Biloxi, Mississippi. Newspapers.com. December 24, 2021. December 24, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211224215116/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/91099939/wqfx-urban-gospel/. live.