WCBC (AM)

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WCBC
Image:Station wcbcam.JPG
City of license Cumberland, Maryland
Broadcast area Cumberland, Maryland
Frostburg, Maryland
Keyser, West Virginia
Branding "1270 WCBC"
Slogan "The Station You Can Count On"
Frequency 1270 kHz
First air date 1953
Format Full Service
Power 5,000 Watts daytime
1,000 Watts nighttime
Class B
Callsign meaning W Cumberland Broadcasting Corporation
Affiliations ABC Radio News
Paul Harvey
Owner Cumberland Broadcasting Corporation
Sister stations WCBC-FM
Webcast WCBC Webstream
Website WCBC Online

WCBC is an AM radio station that serves the greater area of Cumberland, Maryland. Founded in April, 1976, WCBC provides complete news coverage: locally, regionally, and nationally; complete weather forecasts; participation in major community events to promote the area and it’s many organizations by way of remote broadcasts and community service announcements; complete information regarding school and senior center lunch menus, closings and special events.

WCBC’s programming includes network affiliations with ABC Radio Network (Network news, Sean Hannity and Paul Harvey), the Westwood One Radio Network (Jim Bohannon and Bill O'Reilly), Premiere Radio Network (Coast to Coast with George Noory and Art Bell), Talk Radio Network (Laura Ingraham and Michael Savage), ESPN Sports Network, and the Focus on the Family Radio Network.

The station’s sports programming includes coverage of local high school football and basketball, Allegany College of Maryland basketball, and West Virginia University football and basketball, Washington Redskins football, and area little league baseball.

WCBC also has an FM sister station, WCBC-FM at 107.1 in Keyser, West Virginia, repeated via translator in Cumberland on 99.5, playing an oldies format.

[edit] Lawsuit against Allegany County Schools

On August 28th, 2007, Cumberland Broadcasting Corporation, the owners and operators of WCBC-AM/FM, and "the Maryland Delaware DC Broadcasters Association filed a law suit in the United States District Court in Baltimore against each member of the Allegany County Board of Education, and the Superintendent of Allegany County Schools, Bill AuMiller", according to the WCBC-AM website.

The reason for the lawsuit is "that the Board of Education has acted to deny WCBC its First Amendment rights", again quoting the WCBC website.

"Following criticism of the Board’s actions, WCBC was denied access to information provided to other media, denied access to press boxes at county schools, and denied information that would enable it to participate in a Board endorsed scholarship program." [1] [2]

On August 31st, 2007, the Allegany County Board of Education offered an olive branch [3] to WCBC and would again allow WCBC access to information, press boxes, etc. as it was prior to August 17th, 2007 letter from the BOE which took those services away. [4]

According to a September 15th, 2007, AP/WJZ-TV report [5]:

A Cumberland radio station will be able to broadcast high school football games while it fights a decision by the Allegany County school board denying access to the games.

A federal judge in Baltimore granted the temporary injunction requested by WCBC-AM.

The judge ruled the station's constitutional rights were violated by the ban, and the public would be served by an injunction.

The station claims the board's ban on access to a stadium press box was a result of unflattering news stories about the county schools.

In one story, a reporter was able to walk into five county schools without being questioned.

Allegany High School Attorneys says an agreement last week by the parties to seek mediation fell apart.

So, despite the previous "WCBC/BOE Agreement" signed on August 31st, 2007, WCBC's lawsuit against the Allegany County (of Maryland) Board of Education remains in the courts.

[edit] References

  1. ^ WCBC. WCBC files lawsuit against school board (English). WCBC. Retrieved on 2007-08-30.
  2. ^ WCBC. WCBC vs. The Board of Education (English). WCBC. Retrieved on 2007-08-30.
  3. ^ WCBC. School Board, WCBC Resolve Differences (English). WCBC. Retrieved on 2007-09-06.
  4. ^ WCBC. WCBC / BOE Agreement - Signed August 31, 2007 (English). WCBC. Retrieved on 2007-09-06.
  5. ^ AP/WJZ. Station Will Broadcast Games While Fighting Ban (English). AP/WJZ. Retrieved on 2007-09-15.

[edit] External links