History of "90.7"
In 1970, the federal government,
through the Urban-Rural School Development program, funded a study and program designed to
combat community apathy. The study found that many residents were indeed apathetic
to the goings-on in their communities and schools.
The E-P-D-A grant money created the
Fort Gay-Thompson School Community Council. Council funds were used on a
number of projects to combat apathy and bring the schools and community closer together.
These projects included:
- Fort Gay Adult Learning Center
- There was improved training for area teachers. Many
received advanced degrees through the project.
In 1971, H. Keith Spears, a Fort
Gay native, returned to Fort Gay High School to teach Biology. Spears had also been
involved in broadcasting and was working Saturday mornings at a Louisa, Kentucky AM radio
station when he developed a plan to fight apathy by linking school and home with a local,
student operated radio station. He approached West Virginia Public Radio in
Charleston, as well as other groups, and was told his project was impossible to
build. Two years later -- Noon, June 4, 1973 -- with the help of
then-Congressman Ken Heckler, Spears broke through the federal red-tape and signed WFGH on
the air. Ten watts at 89.9 megacycles. We could be heard 10 miles up and down
the Big Sandy River, 5 miles into the rugged terrain of the Wayne County, West
Virginia foothills.
Fort Gay Students began being heard
reading Fort Gay news, producing Fort Gay public service announcements, and announcing
play-by-play at Fort Gay sporting events. A small community of 800 residents had
their own information outlet.
Shortly thereafter, Spears noted that
the entire county could benefit from the exposure of such a radio station.
Additional grant monies were procured to allow a tower to be built on a hilltop
overlooking the community, and a 3,000 watt transmitter to be installed. Like most
activities of the young station, the community became involved in everything from
unloading the transmitter from the shipping truck, to donating food for the construction
crews. Students at Fort Gay High School were also involved. The Welding Class
Constructed the main door, and the Building Construction Class dug the footers and laid
the block for the transmitter building.
Finally, special permission was
obtained from the FCC to sign on noon October 17, 1975 -- about two weeks earlier than
scheduled -- so we could broadcast a homecoming football game. That game was
the first of many broadcast by WFGH, and in the years since, it has become a countywide
service.