VCY America
TypeRadio network
Country
United States
HeadquartersMilwaukee, Wisconsin
BrandingVCY America
Ownership
OwnerVCY America, Inc.
History
Founded1954 as Milwaukee Youth for Christ
by Vic Eliason
Launch date1954 (1954)
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitehttps://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

VCY America's operation center, studios and headquarters in the Miller Valley neighborhood of Milwaukee, which contains the call signs for the stations managed out of the facility purchased before 2017 upon its facade.

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:

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
KVCP88.3 FMPhoenixArizonaC122,500304 m (997 ft)FCC
KVCC88.5 FMTucsonArizonaA1,500115 m (377 ft)FCC
WVCW99.5 FMWilmingtonDelawareB50,000152 m (499 ft)FCC
WLUV1590 AMLoves ParkIllinoisD500 (day)
13 (night)
FCC
WPTH88.1 FMOlneyIllinoisA2,90061 m (200 ft)FCC
WVSB106.3 FMIndianaIndianaA1,400134.8 m (442 ft)FCC
KVDI99.3 FMHuxleyIowaA5,30095 m (312 ft)FCC
KVCI89.7 FMMontezumaIowaC1100,000151 m (495 ft)FCC
KVCY104.7 FMFort ScottKansasC316,000125 m (410 ft)FCC
KCVS91.7 FMSalinaKansasC211,500228 m (748 ft)FCC
WVCN104.3 FMBaragaMichiganC1100,000262 m (860 ft)FCC
WVCM91.5 FMIron MountainMichiganA500183 m (600 ft)FCC
WQRN88.9 FMCookMinnesotaC316,00070 m (230 ft)FCC
WQRM850 AMDuluthMinnesotaB50,000 (day)
14,000 (c.h.)
FCC
KVCS89.1 FMSpring ValleyMinnesotaC312,000138 m (453 ft)FCC
WRVX91.7 FMCameronMissouriC227,500116 m (381 ft)FCC
KIRS107.7 FMStocktonMissouriC311,700146 m (479 ft)FCC
KVCN106.7 FMLos AlamosNew MexicoC044,000592 m (1,942 ft)FCC
WVBN103.9 FMBronxvilleNew YorkA980162.1 m (532 ft)FCC
WJIC91.7 FMZanesvilleOhioA6,00097 m (318 ft)FCC
KVCF90.5 FMFreemanSouth DakotaC29,000246 m (807 ft)FCC
KVCX101.5 FMGregorySouth DakotaC1100,000195 m (640 ft)FCC
KVCH88.7 FMHuronSouth DakotaC160,000161 m (528 ft)FCC
KVFL89.1 FMPierreSouth DakotaA400113 m (371 ft)FCC
KVPC97.7 FMRapid CitySouth DakotaC100,000579 m (1,900 ft)FCC
KVDT103.3 FMAllenTexasC98,000606 m (1,988 ft)FCC
KVLM104.7 FMTarzanTexasC1100,000224 m (735 ft)FCC
KVCE92.7 FMSlatonTexasC151,000182 m (597 ft)FCC
WVIW104.1 FMBridgeportWest VirginiaA2,450158 m (518 ft)FCC
WVCF90.5 FMEau ClaireWisconsinA1,600112 m (367 ft)FCC
WVFL89.9 FMFond du LacWisconsinA1,000117 m (384 ft)FCC
WVCY-FM[lower-alpha 1]107.7 FMMilwaukeeWisconsinB43,000161 m (528 ft)FCC
WVCY690 AMOshkoshWisconsinB250 (day)
77 (night)
FCC
WVCS90.1 FMOwenWisconsinC31,900153 m (502 ft)FCC
WVCX98.9 FMTomahWisconsinC0100,000300 m (980 ft)FCC
WEGZ105.9 FMWashburnWisconsinC1100,000226 m (741 ft)FCC
WVRN88.9 FMWittenbergWisconsinC225,000147 m (482 ft)FCC

Notes:

Broadcast translators of VCY America
Call sign Frequency
(MHz)
City of license State ERP
(W)
Height
(m (ft))
Class FCC info
K293AO106.5AlamosaColorado25034.8 m (114 ft)DFCC
K214DE90.7AntonitoColorado10731 m (2,398 ft)DFCC
W213AW90.5CharlestonIllinois5546 m (151 ft)DFCC
W287BY105.3RockfordIllinois13590 m (300 ft)DFCC
W249CX97.7DuluthMinnesota250164 m (538 ft)DFCC
K292FX106.3JoplinMissouri25060.7 m (199 ft)DFCC
K203EZ88.5AlamogordoNew Mexico10509.1 m (1,670 ft)DFCC
K218AK91.5ArtesiaNew Mexico6318 m (59 ft)DFCC
K207CQ89.3GallupNew Mexico10012 m (39 ft)DFCC
K211CW90.1HobbsNew Mexico5799 m (325 ft)DFCC
K250AB97.9RoswellNew Mexico20542.5 m (139 ft)DFCC
K220CE91.9RuidosoNew Mexico82918 m (3,012 ft)DFCC
K212EH90.3Silver CityNew Mexico2461 m (1,512 ft)DFCC
W232CQ94.3CambridgeOhio13108 m (354 ft)DFCC
K206EQ89.1BrookingsSouth Dakota25041 m (135 ft)DFCC
K258AG99.5MitchellSouth Dakota25086 m (282 ft)DFCC
K293BQ106.5Sioux FallsSouth Dakota25022.8 m (75 ft)DFCC
K278BK103.5WatertownSouth Dakota25078.2 m (257 ft)DFCC
W286DS105.1AppletonWisconsin12068 m (223 ft)DFCC
W216BL91.1McFarlandWisconsin12030 m (98 ft)DFCC
W211AU90.1MonroeWisconsin13105 m (344 ft)DFCC
W260DL99.9OshkoshWisconsin15583 m (272 ft)DFCC
K208FO89.5Prairie du ChienWisconsin20519.6 m (64 ft)DFCC
W275CH102.9RiponWisconsin1396 m (315 ft)DFCC
W235AG94.9SheboyganWisconsin1895 m (312 ft)DFCC

References

  1. Radio, VCY America. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
  2. Jacobson, Adam (20 February 2023). "Has The Final Bell Tolled For Ed Stolz?". Inside Radio. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  3. InsideRadio.com "Cumulus Media to Exit from New York Market with Sale to VCY America" Dec. 8, 2022
  4. RadioInsight.com "VCY America Enters New York City with WFAS-FM Purchase Dec. 8, 2022
  5. Venta, Lance (February 6, 2023). "VCY America Debuts In New York - RadioInsight". RadioInsight. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  6. Venta, Lance (August 15, 2023). "VCY America Acquires WJBR". RadioInsight. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  7. 1 2 "VCY America Central Time Schedule" VCY America. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
  8. "FCC Broadcast Television Spectrum Incentive Auction Auction 1001 Winning Bids" (PDF). April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  9. "Trail Ridge Camp" Trail Ridge Camp. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
  10. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; May 22, 2001
  11. "Jim Schneider, Executive Director", VCY America. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
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