 | |
| Type | Radio network |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Headquarters | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Branding | VCY America |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | VCY America, Inc. |
| History | |
| Founded | 1954 as Milwaukee Youth for Christ by Vic Eliason |
| Launch date | 1954 |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | https://www.vcy.org/ |
VCY America, Inc. is a traditional, evangelical, conservative Christian ministry based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The VCY America Radio Network maintains a format of Christian talk and teaching, as well as traditional Christian music through its broadcast outlets.
History
Originally known as "Milwaukee Youth For Christ", and later, "Greater Milwaukee Youth For Christ", it left the national YFC organization in 1973 and became known as the Wisconsin Voice of Christian Youth (WVCY) until 1995, when it changed to its present name. Its flagship stations in Milwaukee, WVCY-FM and WVCY-TV, share a call sign which refers to the ministry's original name.
Radio network
The ministry operates 37 VCY America-owned radio stations in Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. It also broadcasts over 25 low-power FM translators.[1] VCY America radio also provides programming such as Crosstalk, Worldview Weekend, and Music 'til Dawn to stations throughout the country via satellite. Additionally, VCY has a Christian bookstore in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin which is promoted on air and ships throughout the United States as an additional source of revenue.
VCY has attempted to expand into the San Francisco Bay Area, Las Vegas, and the Coachella Valley through the lease and attempted purchase of a group of three stations in a bankruptcy action: KFRH, KREV and KRCK-FM. In early 2022, the original owner sued successfully to nullify the bankruptcy action against them, and the bankruptcy debtor in possession and trustee was forced to return to the stations to them and nullify the VCY America leases. As of March 2023, the stations are back in trustee control, with the possibility of a sale to VCY America still being considered.[2]
In December 2022 VCY America announced it would purchase WFAS-FM in the New York City area from Cumulus Media, pending final approval from the Federal Communications Commission.[3][4] Renamed WVBN, the acquisition, completed on February 6, 2023, gave VCY America its first broadcast outlet on the East Coast.[5] VCY America added to its Northeastern expansion in August 2023 with its purchase of WJBR-FM in Wilmington, Delaware, from Beasley Broadcast Group.[6] VCY took control of the station October 6, changing its call sign to WVCW; the move brings its programming into the Philadelphia market.
Programming
VCY America's radio programming includes Christian talk and teaching programming, among them:
- Crosstalk, hosted by Jim Schneider, with past Vic Eliason-hosted episodes also aired
- Worldview Weekend with Brannon Howse
- Grace to You with John MacArthur
- In Touch with Charles Stanley
- Love Worth Finding with Adrian Rogers
- Revive Our Hearts with Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth
- The Alternative with Tony Evans
- Liberty Counsel's Faith and Freedom Report
- Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee
- Joni and Friends with Joni Eareckson Tada
- Unshackled!
- Moody Radio's Stories of Great Christians[7]
VCY America also airs a variety of vocal and instrumental traditional Christian music, as well as children's programming such as Ranger Bill.[7] Notably, the network (including WVCY-TV) eschews any programs featuring Contemporary Christian music, and has dropped programming which has switched to it in any form, including as theme music.
Television
The ministry also owns WVCY-TV (Channel 30) in Milwaukee, which holds a commercial license but is completely viewer supported. As of January 2018, it is carried under a channel share agreement with commercial station WITI, owned by Fox Television Stations. It vacated its former independent frequency in the FCC's spectrum repack auction, the proceeds of which ($76.3 million,[8] plus donations and bookstore purchases since) have been utilized to expand VCY's radio network. WVCY-TV is also carried in the Wausau television market via translator W26EE-D, licensed to Wittenburg.
In 1994, WVCY-TV rejected an offer to be purchased by CBS and become the network's new Milwaukee affiliate, following WITI's defection to Fox as part of the 1994–1996 United States broadcast television realignment.
Other efforts
The ministry also operates a summer camp, near Hillsboro, Wisconsin, called, "Trail Ridge Camp"[9] as well as its religious bookstore, with a physical location in Wauwatosa, a suburb of Milwaukee, and its online presence.
Leadership
The ministry is run by a team formerly headed by the late Vic Eliason, a former Youth for Christ worker, ordained Christian minister and a recipient of an honorary doctorate from Bob Jones University, in 2001.[10] Jim Schneider is the current Executive Director.[11]
List of stations
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | State | Class | Power (W) |
ERP (W) |
Height (m (ft)) |
FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KVCP | 88.3 FM | Phoenix | Arizona | C1 | — | 22,500 | 304 m (997 ft) | FCC |
| KVCC | 88.5 FM | Tucson | Arizona | A | — | 1,500 | 115 m (377 ft) | FCC |
| WVCW | 99.5 FM | Wilmington | Delaware | B | — | 50,000 | 152 m (499 ft) | FCC |
| WLUV | 1590 AM | Loves Park | Illinois | D | 500 (day) 13 (night) | — | — | FCC |
| WPTH | 88.1 FM | Olney | Illinois | A | — | 2,900 | 61 m (200 ft) | FCC |
| WVSB | 106.3 FM | Indiana | Indiana | A | — | 1,400 | 134.8 m (442 ft) | FCC |
| KVDI | 99.3 FM | Huxley | Iowa | A | — | 5,300 | 95 m (312 ft) | FCC |
| KVCI | 89.7 FM | Montezuma | Iowa | C1 | — | 100,000 | 151 m (495 ft) | FCC |
| KVCY | 104.7 FM | Fort Scott | Kansas | C3 | — | 16,000 | 125 m (410 ft) | FCC |
| KCVS | 91.7 FM | Salina | Kansas | C2 | — | 11,500 | 228 m (748 ft) | FCC |
| WVCN | 104.3 FM | Baraga | Michigan | C1 | — | 100,000 | 262 m (860 ft) | FCC |
| WVCM | 91.5 FM | Iron Mountain | Michigan | A | — | 500 | 183 m (600 ft) | FCC |
| WQRN | 88.9 FM | Cook | Minnesota | C3 | — | 16,000 | 70 m (230 ft) | FCC |
| WQRM | 850 AM | Duluth | Minnesota | B | 50,000 (day) 14,000 (c.h.) | — | — | FCC |
| KVCS | 89.1 FM | Spring Valley | Minnesota | C3 | — | 12,000 | 138 m (453 ft) | FCC |
| WRVX | 91.7 FM | Cameron | Missouri | C2 | — | 27,500 | 116 m (381 ft) | FCC |
| KIRS | 107.7 FM | Stockton | Missouri | C3 | — | 11,700 | 146 m (479 ft) | FCC |
| KVCN | 106.7 FM | Los Alamos | New Mexico | C0 | — | 44,000 | 592 m (1,942 ft) | FCC |
| WVBN | 103.9 FM | Bronxville | New York | A | — | 980 | 162.1 m (532 ft) | FCC |
| WJIC | 91.7 FM | Zanesville | Ohio | A | — | 6,000 | 97 m (318 ft) | FCC |
| KVCF | 90.5 FM | Freeman | South Dakota | C2 | — | 9,000 | 246 m (807 ft) | FCC |
| KVCX | 101.5 FM | Gregory | South Dakota | C1 | — | 100,000 | 195 m (640 ft) | FCC |
| KVCH | 88.7 FM | Huron | South Dakota | C1 | — | 60,000 | 161 m (528 ft) | FCC |
| KVFL | 89.1 FM | Pierre | South Dakota | A | — | 400 | 113 m (371 ft) | FCC |
| KVPC | 97.7 FM | Rapid City | South Dakota | C | — | 100,000 | 579 m (1,900 ft) | FCC |
| KVDT | 103.3 FM | Allen | Texas | C | — | 98,000 | 606 m (1,988 ft) | FCC |
| KVLM | 104.7 FM | Tarzan | Texas | C1 | — | 100,000 | 224 m (735 ft) | FCC |
| KVCE | 92.7 FM | Slaton | Texas | C1 | — | 51,000 | 182 m (597 ft) | FCC |
| WVIW | 104.1 FM | Bridgeport | West Virginia | A | — | 2,450 | 158 m (518 ft) | FCC |
| WVCF | 90.5 FM | Eau Claire | Wisconsin | A | — | 1,600 | 112 m (367 ft) | FCC |
| WVFL | 89.9 FM | Fond du Lac | Wisconsin | A | — | 1,000 | 117 m (384 ft) | FCC |
| WVCY-FM[lower-alpha 1] | 107.7 FM | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | B | — | 43,000 | 161 m (528 ft) | FCC |
| WVCY | 690 AM | Oshkosh | Wisconsin | B | 250 (day) 77 (night) | — | — | FCC |
| WVCS | 90.1 FM | Owen | Wisconsin | C3 | — | 1,900 | 153 m (502 ft) | FCC |
| WVCX | 98.9 FM | Tomah | Wisconsin | C0 | — | 100,000 | 300 m (980 ft) | FCC |
| WEGZ | 105.9 FM | Washburn | Wisconsin | C1 | — | 100,000 | 226 m (741 ft) | FCC |
| WVRN | 88.9 FM | Wittenberg | Wisconsin | C2 | — | 25,000 | 147 m (482 ft) | FCC |
Notes:
| Call sign | Frequency (MHz) |
City of license | State | ERP (W) |
Height (m (ft)) |
Class | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K293AO | 106.5 | Alamosa | Colorado | 250 | 34.8 m (114 ft) | D | FCC |
| K214DE | 90.7 | Antonito | Colorado | 10 | 731 m (2,398 ft) | D | FCC |
| W213AW | 90.5 | Charleston | Illinois | 55 | 46 m (151 ft) | D | FCC |
| W287BY | 105.3 | Rockford | Illinois | 135 | 90 m (300 ft) | D | FCC |
| W249CX | 97.7 | Duluth | Minnesota | 250 | 164 m (538 ft) | D | FCC |
| K292FX | 106.3 | Joplin | Missouri | 250 | 60.7 m (199 ft) | D | FCC |
| K203EZ | 88.5 | Alamogordo | New Mexico | 10 | 509.1 m (1,670 ft) | D | FCC |
| K218AK | 91.5 | Artesia | New Mexico | 63 | 18 m (59 ft) | D | FCC |
| K207CQ | 89.3 | Gallup | New Mexico | 100 | 12 m (39 ft) | D | FCC |
| K211CW | 90.1 | Hobbs | New Mexico | 57 | 99 m (325 ft) | D | FCC |
| K250AB | 97.9 | Roswell | New Mexico | 205 | 42.5 m (139 ft) | D | FCC |
| K220CE | 91.9 | Ruidoso | New Mexico | 82 | 918 m (3,012 ft) | D | FCC |
| K212EH | 90.3 | Silver City | New Mexico | 2 | 461 m (1,512 ft) | D | FCC |
| W232CQ | 94.3 | Cambridge | Ohio | 13 | 108 m (354 ft) | D | FCC |
| K206EQ | 89.1 | Brookings | South Dakota | 250 | 41 m (135 ft) | D | FCC |
| K258AG | 99.5 | Mitchell | South Dakota | 250 | 86 m (282 ft) | D | FCC |
| K293BQ | 106.5 | Sioux Falls | South Dakota | 250 | 22.8 m (75 ft) | D | FCC |
| K278BK | 103.5 | Watertown | South Dakota | 250 | 78.2 m (257 ft) | D | FCC |
| W286DS | 105.1 | Appleton | Wisconsin | 120 | 68 m (223 ft) | D | FCC |
| W216BL | 91.1 | McFarland | Wisconsin | 120 | 30 m (98 ft) | D | FCC |
| W211AU | 90.1 | Monroe | Wisconsin | 13 | 105 m (344 ft) | D | FCC |
| W260DL | 99.9 | Oshkosh | Wisconsin | 155 | 83 m (272 ft) | D | FCC |
| K208FO | 89.5 | Prairie du Chien | Wisconsin | 205 | 19.6 m (64 ft) | D | FCC |
| W275CH | 102.9 | Ripon | Wisconsin | 13 | 96 m (315 ft) | D | FCC |
| W235AG | 94.9 | Sheboygan | Wisconsin | 18 | 95 m (312 ft) | D | FCC |
References
- ↑ Radio, VCY America. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
- ↑ Jacobson, Adam (20 February 2023). "Has The Final Bell Tolled For Ed Stolz?". Inside Radio. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ↑ InsideRadio.com "Cumulus Media to Exit from New York Market with Sale to VCY America" Dec. 8, 2022
- ↑ RadioInsight.com "VCY America Enters New York City with WFAS-FM Purchase Dec. 8, 2022
- ↑ Venta, Lance (February 6, 2023). "VCY America Debuts In New York - RadioInsight". RadioInsight. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
- ↑ Venta, Lance (August 15, 2023). "VCY America Acquires WJBR". RadioInsight. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
- 1 2 "VCY America Central Time Schedule" VCY America. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
- ↑ "FCC Broadcast Television Spectrum Incentive Auction Auction 1001 Winning Bids" (PDF). April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
- ↑ "Trail Ridge Camp" Trail Ridge Camp. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; May 22, 2001
- ↑ "Jim Schneider, Executive Director", VCY America. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
