WNGC
| Company type | Radio station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Headquarters | Athens, Georgia , United States |
Area served | North Georgia, northeast metro Atlanta, parts of Greenville SC and Asheville NC |
| Owner | Cox Media Group |
| Parent | Cox Radio |
WNGC (106.1 FM) is a country music broadcaster serving North Georgia, owned by Cox Media Group and operating under the Cox Radio umbrella. The station holds its license in Arcade, Georgia, with studio facilities located in Athens, Georgia, and its transmission tower positioned in Lula, Georgia.
Station history
Prior to December 1996, the 106.1 FM frequency featured a light rock format branded as Mix 106 before transitioning to country music under the name "South 106". In the spring of 1999, WSTE constructed a new broadcasting tower amid rivalry with WNGC; this preceded their consolidation intended to broaden coverage and compete with Atlanta’s country stations WKHX "Kicks" 101.5 and WYAY (Y106 at 106.7). The studios relocated from Toccoa to Gainesville and subsequently to Athens, although the broadcast signal retained limited reach beyond Gwinnett County toward the Atlanta area.
WNGC’s transmitter located in Lula provides coverage for northeast Georgia and the Athens metropolitan region. The station’s 106.1 FM signal extends into portions of northeast metro Atlanta, as well as areas of Greenville, South Carolina, and Asheville, North Carolina. Plans to relocate the transmitter to Sugar Hill in 2001 were ultimately shelved. In July 2005, WNGC incorporated syndicated morning personality Moby from Kicks 101.5 into its lineup.
In January 2008, Cox Radio expanded its portfolio by acquiring WNGC along with sister stations WGMG, WPUP, WRFC, and WGAU. By March of that year, WNGC aimed to attract former listeners of Eagle 106.7 after WYAY shifted to an oldies format. February 2009 marked WNGC’s affiliation with the Motor Racing Network and Performance Racing Network, introducing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend broadcasts.
On June 29, 2015, WNGC began simulcasting on WTSH-FM, adopting the branding "106.1/107.1 Your Georgia Country". This partnership concluded on September 24, 2018, when WTSH-FM transitioned to a regional Mexican format by simulcasting WLKQ 102.3 FM Buford.
Currently, programming features the morning show Adam & Haley in the Morning, which includes Adam Bomb from Cumulus Top 40 WWWQ (Q100), alongside Pete De Graff hosting during afternoon drive time.
Callsigns for 106.1
- WLET from 1978 to 1985
- WZLI from 1985 to 1992
- WLET again from 1992 until 1997
- WSTE from 1997 through 1999
- WNGC from 1999 to present
Previous frequencies for WNGC
- 95.5 FM (as WGAU-FM between 1962–1968; then WNGC from 1968–1999)
- 102.5 FM (as WGAU-FM during 1957–1962)
- 99.5 FM (as WGAU-FM from 1948–1957)
Former air staff
- Sabrina Gibbons – previously Program Director and On-Air Personality; currently Midday News Anchor at WSB AM750/WSBB-FM Atlanta
- Tim Cicciarelli – former Morning Show Host; now operates a video production business in Athens
- Scott Howard – ex-Sports Director and Morning Show Sidekick; followed Larry Munson as The Voice of the Georgia Bulldogs
- Kevin Steele – former Program Director; presently an Air Personality at WKHX Atlanta
- George Mason Dixon – past Afternoon Show Host; retired from WDUN in 2011
- Mike Wooten – once News Director; transitioned into spokesman role for Clarke County School District and currently Operations Manager at WRGC Radio at Georgia College and State University
- Paul Rea – previous host of The Paul Rea Midday; now News Director for several stations within Oconee River Broadcasting Group
- Deborah Reece – former On-Air Announcer; now hosts Afternoon Show on Kiss 104.1 FM Atlanta
- Jeff Batten – ex-On-Air Announcer; presently owner of North Georgia stations WJBB 107.1, WCHM 96.7, WJUL 97.7, and WJRB 95.1
The Georgia Bulldogs
Since 1991, WNGC-FM, in partnership with its affiliate WRFC, has served as the broadcaster for University of Georgia football contests. Up until 2005, WNGC-FM also covered UGA men's basketball games; currently, these are broadcast on WRFC and Chuck FM (103.7).
Previous logo
(Emblem used during former simulcast arrangement with WTSH)