History of Radio Itself
In 1838, the first electric telegraph began commercial operation in England. By 1844, commercial service of Samuel Morse’s electric telegraph design went into service between Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland. The Telegraphic Press Association formed in 1848 as telegraph recognized as ideal to transmit news. In 1895, Guglielmo Marconi discovered groundwave radio signals so he is generally considered the “father” of radio. Two Boston Massachusetts 8th graders built a radio set in 1904 capable of covering eight miles. Private radio started, but in 1917, the President ordered private radio stations to shut down or be taken over by the Government. – the order was lifted in 1919. By 1920, equipment improved, transmitting range improved greatly, and station 8ZZ broadcast the Harding – Cox election night returns, – this station became KDKA. The U.S. Department of Commerce formally established a broadcast service in 1922. President Franklin D. Roosevelt launched a series of broadcasts on March 12, 1933 known as the “fireside chats” because FDR was so at home with the microphone.
Broadcast Era Begins
The U.S. Government saw the need for regulation of this new industry and formed the Federal Communications Commission (the F.C.C.) in 1934. By 1939, 1435 radio stations were authorized to broadcast in the U.S. (nearly 15,500 are in operation in 2021) Music becomes the primary product of radio stations in 1955. AM and FM split audience equally in 1979. In 1980, many talk radio station were launched. (WGAW would switch 20 years later.) Radio continues to have the most reach of any medium. See our Radio Facts page.
Initial Construction
1946 was the year which laid the foundation for what is WGAW today. On April 9, 1946 a group of five individuals submitted an application for a standard broadcast station to be operated at at 1230 Khz at 250 watts with a studio location of 39 Pleasant Street, Gardner MA with an unspecified transmitter location. For unknown reasons, a little over a month later on May 23, 1946, this construction permit application was amended to change the frequency to 1490 Khz. This construction permit was granted on August 1, 1946 for WHOB at 1490 with power of 250 watts. Two months later on October 1, 1946, construction permit was modified for approval of the official transmitter location at Green Street, Gardner MA, just 1800 feet north of Henry Heywood Hospital. History of WGAW
Transmitter site and License Grant
In all of its 75 years, amidst all of the ownership changes and programming changes, the station later to be known as WGAW always transmitted from the same Green Street, Gardner MA location. Just before Christmas on December 23, 1946, an application was made to cover the construction permit for the station as modified and authority was sought to determine the operating power by direct measurement of antenna power. What a Christmas present this was to the region for the Christmas of 1946: A powerful means of communicating to the people of the region. The official license from the F.C.C. was issued on February 21, 1947, a few months after the station began operation in 1946.
Change of Frequency to 1340 KHz
In 1951, the first recorded ownership change occurred almost simultaneously with the change of frequency from 1490 Khz to the current 1340 Khz. The application filed January 17, 1951 was a voluntary transfer of control licensee corporation from David M Richman, Rose S. Richman, Owen A Hoban, M. Alan Moore, and Rex Reynolds to W.F. Rust Jr., H.S. Killgore, William J. Barkley, and Ralph Gottlieb. An application dated the next day 1/18/1951 and received by the F.C.C. on January 25, 1951 was an application for a construction permit to change the frequency from 1490 to 1340 and change the main studio location from 39 Pleasant Street, Gardner to Green Street, Gardner MA. W.F. Rust Jr., one of the owners was the engineer who authored the application.
Colonial Hotel and Frequency Change Granted
On May 11, 1953, a modification to the license was granted to operate the transmitter by remote control from 4 Pleasant Street, Gardner, MA. This is actually the address of the building known as the Colonial Hotel. Over 2 years after the application was initially filed, a construction permit was granted to change the frequency from 1490 to 1340. On October 15, 1953, the application was filed to cover the construction permit to change frequency and the license for same was granted on November 23, 1953.
Ownership Changes
After the work undertaken to change the frequency to the current 1340 Khz, on May 5, 1954 a transfer of control occurred from the group led by W.F. Rust Jr. to a new single owner, Emilion R. Robillard. An application was received on December 19, 1956 with an effective date of January 2, 1957 for a voluntary transfer of control from Emilion R. Robillard and William Engel to Television and Radio Broadcasting Corporation..
1958 Studio and Control Point Changes
On June 2, 1958 an application was received for modification of license to change the studio location and remote control point from 4 Pleasant Street, Gardner MA to Green Street, Gardner MA, 1800 feet north of Henry Heywood Hospital. This was granted June 5, 1958. Just over a month later on July 23, 1958 an application was received to modify the license to change the hours of operation from unlimited to Monday through Saturday from 6:30am to 7pm and Sunday 8am to 7pm. However, this modification of hours application was dismissed October 24, 1959 at the request of the applicant, who as it turns out, decided to sell the station.
Ownership change in 1959 lasts 4 decades
Ownership changed again. An application was received September 15, 1959 and granted October 21, 1959 (effective October 29, 1959) for voluntary transfer of control of licensee corporation from Television and Radio Broadcasting Corporation to Chair City Broadcasting Corp.
Increase in power 1960
1960 literally brought a powerful change as a construction permit was granted October 5, 1960 to increase daytime power to 1kw and install a new transmitter. On November 21, 1960, a modification of the construction permit was granted to change to the type of transmitter to Gates BC-1T. On December 14, 1960, an application was received to cover the construction permit relating to the increase in daytime power and installation of a new transmitter. This application was granted on May 24, 1961. It was conditional in that the station had to accept interference from other stations which might also get an increase in power. And on June 2, 1961, license was granted to use old main transmitter as auxiliary daytime and alternate nighttime transmitter. Conditional—accept interference of other class IV stations if power increases to 1000 watts.
1970s and 1980s
On June 1, 1971, the F.C.C. received and filed an application to change the corporate name to WGAW Inc. On June 28, 1971, this application was granted. In the 1970s, F.C.C. records show routine renewal of licenses for main and auxiliary transmitters. Under this licensee, WGAW Inc., the station had one of its longest periods of stability under the same licensee. In the 1980s, F.C.C. records show routine renewal of licenses for main and auxiliary transmitters. Under this licensee, WGAW Inc., the station continued one of its longest periods of stability of ownership
1999 Ownership Change
On November 16, 1999—the assignment of license was finalized from WGAW Inc. to Willow Farm Inc.
2001 Ownership Change
On July 6, 2001 there was a consent to assignment of license from William Farm Inc. to Anastos Media Group.
2003 Ownership Change
On December 2, 2003, an assignment of license was finalized from Anastos Media Group to County Broadcasting Company.’
2012 – Steve Wendell Era of “Live and Local” Begins
On January 1, 2012 County Broadcasting Company LLC sold the station to its present owner, Steven Wendell. The station began a period of utilizing quality talk programming along with a renewed focus on local news, sports, weather, and public service which continues to this day. WGAW operates 24/7.
2020 FM Permit Granted
The first application in 6 decades for a technical upgrade occurs. An application for a construction permit is received June 22, 2020 and granted July 15, 2020 for FM translator W251CQ at 98.1 MHZ with 250 watts effective radiated power. The same programming heard on 1340 AM will now be heard on the FM dial at 98.1 FM.