WBHN
 | |
| City of license | Bryson City, North Carolina |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Great Smokey Mountains |
| Slogan | "Tom Harris Memorial Station" |
| Frequency | 1590 kHz |
| Format | Christian/Southern Gospel |
| Power |
500 watts day 37 watts night |
| Class | D |
| Facility ID | 62338 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 35°25′41″N 83°26′18″W / 35.42806°N 83.43833°W |
| Callsign meaning | "We Broadcast His Name!" |
| Affiliations | North Carolina News Network |
| Owner | Lighthouse Broadcasting |
WBHN (1590 AM) is a radio station broadcasting live on a Southern Gospel/ Christian Format. Licensed to Bryson City, North Carolina, USA, the station is currently owned by Lighthouse Broadcasting. The station first signed on in October 1967 as "The Voice of the Great Smokeys." For most of the time, it stayed on a Country Format. In the 1990s, it took on the slogan "The Mighty 90.. 1590!" In the late 1990s, it was changed to a classic rock format with the hits from the 1980s and 1990s. Later, it changed to a Golden Hits station with songs from the 1950s and 1960s, before going to a pure 1960s format. Finally, it changed to "Swain County's Classic Hits Station" with hits from the '60s, '70s, and '80s. Eventually, after continual financial loss, Starcast South was forced to let the station go dark after several acquisition attempts failed.
More failed acquisitions followed. Finally, a group of concerned citizens stepped in to form the Lighthouse Broadcasting Corporation, that launched a "Save Our Station" campaign. The money was raised and the station signed on again in 2010, eighteen hours prior to the station's license's expiration. No person worked harder in the restoration of the Community Station than the late "Brother Tom" Harris, who died in the midst of the restoration efforts. The "pastor of Swain County" was a well recognized voice, not only at WBHN, but other stations around the area with every Saturday and Sunday morning airing of "Inspirational Gospel Time" with Brother Tom Harris. That is why the executive board at the Lighthouse Broadcasting Corporation felt that it was only fitting to name it "Tom Harris Memorial Station." A picture of "Preacher Tom" and his wife hangs in the lobby of WBHN.
External links
- Query the FCC's AM station database for WBHN
- Radio-Locator Information on WBHN
- Query Nielsen Audio's AM station database for WBHN