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Description
Here is the history of the station:
In 1922 the Atlanta Constitution founded a radio station in response to its rival newspaper's station, WSB, which was owned by the Atlanta Journal. Clark Howell, newspaper editor and owner of the Constitution, offered the station to Georgia Tech in 1923 as a gift, which President Marion L. Brittain accepted on behalf of the state. The license was allowed to expire in 1924, but in the following year, a new license was granted with the call letters WGST, standing for the Georgia School of Technology. After several legal battles, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia took over operations from 1946 to 1973, when the station was bought by the Meredith Corporation. For the first five years of its operation, the WGST studio was located on the third floor of the Electrical Engineering Building. The Southern Broadcasting Company (SBC) signed a 20-year lease to take control of the operations in 1930 and moved the radio station studio to the Ansley Hotel, but in 1941, the Board of Regents sought to void the contract. They accused SBC of unethical financial transactions. Governor Eugene Talmadge tapped theater owners Arthur Lucas and William K. Jenkins to take over operations of WGST. SBC contested this turn of events to the Federal Communications Commission. Consequently, the State Attorney General became involved in the legal battle over the control of operations of the state-owned radio station. The Board of Regents proposed that Georgia Tech would take over operations of the radio station, but they were contractually obligated to SBC until 1950. The FCC refused to renew the license unless the Board of Regents broke the SBC contract. As a result, the Board of Regents assumed control of operations in 1946. In 1950, WGST became an American Broadcasting Company (ABC) affiliate. By 1973 the Board of Regents declared WGST surplus property and offered it up for sale. It had always been a commercial station with no student input or support, but it could not continue to compete with the other Atlanta radio stations. (Georgia Tech had its own student station, WREK.) At five million dollars, the highest bidder was the Meredith Corporation of Des Moines, Iowa. Much opposition to the sale of the radio station came from the governor, legislators, and alumni, but the Board of Regents approved the sale and in the following year, operations were turned over to the Meredith Corporation.
The station signed on April 7, 1988, as WPBD, programming R&B oldies and soul. The original owner was the Phoenix City Broadcasting company, headed by Michael Hollins, under a Federal Communications Commission program promoting minority ownership. However, after it signed on, Hollins immediately began making arrangements to sell the station. A proposed purchase by Jefferson-Pilot Communications, owners of WQXI and WQXI-FM, fell through. However, in October 1988, it was announced that Jacor Communications, Inc. would buy the station. At this time, Jacor was operating a station on 920 kHz with the call letters WGST (now WGKA). However, WPBD had a better signal than WGST. It operated at 50,000 watts during the daytime and 1,000 watts at night, a substantial increase in daytime power and signal coverage area compared to WGST's 920 kHz facilities. Effective June 30, 1989, WPBD's call sign was changed to WGST. The talk radio programming previously on 920 kHz was transferred to 640 kHz. Among WGST's staff of talk hosts was Neal Boortz. In 1992, Boortz asked WGST management for a raise but he was turned down. Talk radio rival WSB hired Boortz, WGST then hired Sean Hannity to replace Boortz, after a few other hosts were tried out in his time slot. Hannity was brought in from a Huntsville, Alabama, radio station where he previously worked. He stayed at WGST until Roger Ailes offered Hannity a position on the soon-to-debut Fox News Channel in 1996. During his time at WGST, he was given the nickname "Hanni-Pie, The Tin Man" by fellow host Kim Peterson. WGST was also the home for Atlanta Braves baseball broadcasts, from 1992-1994. WGST was the station that carried Sid Bream's winning slide in Game Seven of the 1992 NLCS. In May 1994, the station was outbid for Braves broadcast rights by WSB, which previously had carried the games from 1966 until 1991. WGST was also the home of the Atlanta Hawks basketball team until 1995, after which the Hawks followed the Braves to WSB. WGST carried NASCAR races in 1996 and 1997. It was the home of Atlanta Falcons football in 1998 when the team made its first Super Bowl appearance. From 1993 until 2000, WGST programming was simulcast on WGST-FM (now WBZY). In 1999, Clear Channel Communications bought out Jacor, including WGST. Clear Channel was the forerunner to iHeartMedia, the present-day owner of the station.
This is an ORIGINAL item, NOT A REPRODUCTION item! Postage information is listed at the bottom-$ 4.95 postage is required.
Payment
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Shipping
We will try and combine shipping on multiple purchases wherever possible. Please e-mail us with auction item numbers before sending payment. However, if the items are heavy or require special packing / tracking, the postal rates might not be significantly reduced. We no longer ship overseas first class mail. We will only ship Internationally by Priority Mail, and that starts at $30.00. So please be aware that we NO LONGER SHIP FIRST CLASS MAIL INTERNATIONALLY unless seller agrees to ship by USPS Priority mail at an increased rate. Postage rates are non-negotiable and non-refundable. We pack every item professionally using new packing materials and appropriate mailing supplies. We send all items via US Postal Service.The U.S.Postal service rates change fairly regularly every year and we don't make money on postage like some other ebay sellers. I think you'll find that we're quite fair. Thank-you!
Terms of Sale
I try and place a penny in every photo to help judge the size of the item, obviously it is there for size comparison and is not included with the item. The standard sized Lincoln head penny in the photograph is there for size comparison ONLY and is not included in the package. We're just trying to help you figure out how big the item is. We try and always be as accurate as we can in the item description and will gladly answer any question about item size & description when needed. Please e-mail us with any questions BEFORE the end of sale and BEFORE placing a bid. Postage is determined by the U.S. Postal service and is never refundable. Many of the items are VINTAGE and although they are in very fine condition, they may not function as well as when they were made decades ago. So if you intend on using the old item, please be aware that we are selling it for collector value only. In other words, if you intend on using a 50+ year old letter opener and it breaks, don't get mad at us. It may be hard to believe, but we have received a couple negatives because people broke vintage items while trying to use them.
About Us
Our Mission statement: We try to offer Ebay users unique additions to their collections. We comb the antique stores & malls as well as Antique shows & flea markets from Coast-to-coast in an effort to try and find that special addition to your collection. We travel hundreds of miles and wake up with the sun in search of these items. We truly have a love for our hobby / business. Please be aware of the postage rates BEFORE you bid! We pack professionally and do not try and make money off of postage. We generally charge the same postal rate that the US Post Office charges us. We'll respect you, but please respect us as well. Thanks & happy bidding to you! Good Luck!
Contact Us
Please e-mail us with any questions BEFORE the end of sale and BEFORE placing a bid. Postage is determined by the U.S. Postal service and is never refundable. Please be aware of the postage rates BEFORE you bid! We pack professionally and do not try and make money off of postage.
