VOCM (AM)

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VOCM

Broadcast area	St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Branding	590 VOCM
Slogan	Depend On It
First air date	October 19, 1936
Frequency	590 kHz (AM)
Format	News/Talk/Country music
Callsign meaning	Voice of the Common Man
Owner	Newcap Broadcasting
Website	http://www.vocm.com/

VOCM (Voice of the Common Man) is an AM radio station in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, broadcasting at 590 kHz. Owned by Newcap Broadcasting, VOCM first went on the air in 1936.

Originally VOCM was started by Walter Williams and his father in the family home at #80 Circular Road in St. John's Newfoundland. Mr. Williams was very interested in radio, and attended training at the Radio Corporation of America and the Radio Training Schools in the USA. When he returned home, he was issued a license on December 22,1933 by the Newfoundland Post and Telegraph Department in the name of Atlantic Broadcasting Co. so he could operate a station from the second floor of his father's home at 80 Circular Road in St. John's. With the transmitter and other equipment built by Walter, VOCM began operations as an experimental father-son station operating only a few hours a day. The station's antenna was built in the backyard and the technical equipment was placed in a backroom on the main floor. VOCM for some time had truly been a family affair, with Walter's son, Walter Jr. later to join him in working long hours at the radio station for many years.

Later in 1937, Joesph Butler joined Walter B. Williams as a partner in VOCM radio and the Colonial Broadcasting System was formed as a limited liability company.

In 1954 Joesph Butler died in a plane accident, and in 1958 son, Joesph Jr. acquires control of Colonial Broadcasting System Ltd.

On September 28, 1974, founder, Walter Banks Williams (age 62) died. He had continued to serve VOCM until 2 years prior to his death.

1982, Colonial Broadcasting System Ltd. became Radio Newfoundland.

In May 2000, VOCM AM and VOCM FM and their repeaters in Clarenville, Grand Falls, Baie Verte, Carbonear, Marystown and Gander owned by VOCM Radio were sold to Newcap Broadcasting Ltd.

In addition to hourly news reports and quickie features (such as Would You Believe? and Dick Smyth Commentating), VOCM airs shows like Open Line, Backtalk, and Night Line (live phone-in shows), the Saturday Night Cabin Party, which is devoted to classic country music from the 1950s to the 1980s, and the Irish Newfoundland Show, playing Newfoundland music. The station's regular music format is primarily country music.

VOCM and its sister station VOCM-FM are among just four radio stations in Canada whose call letters do not begin with "C". The other two, VOAR and VOWR, also broadcast in St. John's. The three AM stations first aired before Newfoundland joined Canadian Confederation in 1949; VOCM-FM adopted the callsign in 1982 because of its corporate association with VOCM. The ITU prefix VO was originally assigned to Newfoundland and remains in use by radio amateurs.

Newcap also owns a number of other AM stations in Newfoundland and Labrador that use VOCM as their main or secondary brand. These stations all have "C" callsigns.

[edit] Shows & Hosts

Morning Show: Paul Raynes, Claudette Barnes, Vince Gallant and Gerry Phelan.
Open Line: Randy Simms, Producer: Randy Roberts
Mid-Day: Pat Murphy
1:00 major news: Vince Gallant and Gerry Phalen
Newfoundland and Labrador Today: Produced by Carla Foote.
Back Talk: Bill Rowe, Producer: Pat Murphy
Afternoons: Tony Angelo
Evenings: Cheryl Gullage
Night Line: Linda Swain, Producer: Cheryl Gullage
The All Newfoundland & Labrador Night Show: Cheryl Gullage
Talkshow Fill In: Dennis Mulloy