TN Radio: WGNS Continues As 'The Good Neighbor Station'

Newsradio WGNS 1450 AM /100.5 T-FM / 101.9 T-FM  in Murfreesboro, TN has announced it is officially re-affiliating with CBS Radio News, ending a longtime association with ABC Network, accoridng to The Mufreesboro Post.

"When we looked at our options, it was the obvious right decision," confirmed WGNS Radio Station owner/president Bart Walker. "WGNS will continue its tradition of strong local news programming, such as the popular Truman Jones morning show, and CBS will ensure our listeners with staying current on national and world news too. We had been with CBS Radio News until the 1980s."

"CBS Radio News is a larger network than ABC," added WGNS Vice President/broadcasting newsman Scott Walker, son of owners Bart and Lee Ann Walker. "That benefits our talk radio listeners with more information.

"News reporting is what I love best about live radio," Scott added. "We prefer positive news, when possible, but sometimes we have to deal with tragedies too."

WGNS 100.5 T-FM (250 watts) 60dBu Coverage

WGNS 101-9 T-FM (55 watts) 60dBu Coverage

In addition to affiliating with CBS, the station also broadened its regional news coverage this week by announcing cooperative news-sharing agreements with Murfreesboro's Post newspaper.

"With these new affiliations, WGNS listeners can be assured of knowing what's going on in our home county, the region, state, nation and world," Barrett added. "This makes us a more complete information station, whether it's prep, college and professional sports coverage, to local government and important social events, such as informing the community that the family of a 5-year-old leukemia victim needs help with medical costs."

The Post President and Publisher Ron Fryar added: "It is really exciting to be able to be included in this new partnership. To bring a truly independent and local voice with local news coverage from an independently owned local newspaper as well as an independently owned local radio station, in addition to the broadcast power of CBS and Channel 5, bodes well for the area we serve."

Bart Walker

WGNS (1Kw AM) has a track record of supporting community causes such as the Tennessee Fisher House, Read to Succeed, United Way of Rutherford and Cannon County, Special Kids and Smyrna Lions Bean Dinner.

"The call letters WGNS stand for the "Good Neighbor Station ... a tradition that goes back to when the station signed on the air for the first time," added Bart Walker in explaining the origin of the WGNS call letters. "Station founder Cecil Elrod purposefully asked the FCC for the WGNS, establishing the 'Good Neighbor Station' tradition that we carry on today."

Making the move back to CBS Radio News this December is no accident, for it was officially Dec. 31, 1946, late at night, that the "Good Neighbor Station" signed on the air for the first time.

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