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VCY America
VCY America.jpg
Type Radio network
Country
United States
Headquarters Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Ownership
Owner VCY America, Inc.
History
Founded 1954
by Vic Eliason
Launch date 1954; 70 years ago (1954)
Former names
Milwaukee Youth for Christ
Links
Webcast Listen Live
Website https://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 Studios
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 1998 upon its facade.

The ministry operates 39 VCY America-owned radio stations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. It also broadcasts over 25 low-power FM translators. 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. In October 2023, VCY America participated in a bankruptcy auction for these stations and was the winning bidder for KFRH, KRCK-FM, and two translators in the Palm Springs area for $2,445,952.88. KFRH in North Las Vegas, Nevada's call sign was changed to KVPH and it began airing VCY America's programming on March 18, 2024.

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. Renamed WVBN, the acquisition, completed on February 6, 2023, gave VCY America its first broadcast outlet on the East Coast. VCY America added to its Northeastern expansion in August 2023 with its purchase of WJBR-FM in Wilmington, Delaware, from Beasley Broadcast Group. 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:

  • Crosstalk, hosted by Jim Schneider, with past Vic Eliason-hosted episodes also aired
  • Worldview Weekend with Brannon Howse
  • Grace to You with John MacArthur
  • In Touch with Charles Stanley
  • Love Worth Finding with Adrian Rogers
  • Revive Our Hearts with Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth
  • The Alternative with Tony Evans
  • Liberty Counsel's Faith and Freedom Report
  • Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee
  • Joni and Friends with Joni Eareckson Tada
  • Unshackled!
  • Moody Radio's Stories of Great Christians
  • Lamplighter Theatre
  • Brinkman Adventures

VCY America also airs a variety of vocal and instrumental traditional Christian music, as well as children's programming such as Ranger Bill. 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, 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" 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. Jim Schneider is the current Executive Director.

List of stations

Call sign Frequency City of license State Class Power
(W)
ERP
(W)
Height
(m (ft))
FCC info
KVCP 88.3 FM Phoenix Arizona C1 22,500 304 m (997 ft) FCC (KVCP)
KVCC 88.5 FM Tucson Arizona A 1,500 115 m (377 ft) FCC (KVCC)
KVPW 97.7 FM Mecca California A 1,600 197 m (646 ft) FCC (KVPW)
WVCW 99.5 FM Wilmington Delaware B 50,000 152 m (499 ft) FCC (WVCW)
WLUV 1520 AM Loves Park Illinois D 500 (day)
13 (night)
FCC (WLUV)
WPTH 88.1 FM Olney Illinois A 2,900 61 m (200 ft) FCC (WPTH)
WVSB 106.3 FM South Bend Indiana A 1,400 134.8 m (442 ft) FCC (WVSB)
KVDI 99.3 FM Huxley Iowa A 5,300 95 m (312 ft)
KVCI 89.7 FM Montezuma Iowa C1 100,000 151 m (495 ft) FCC (KVCI)
KVCY 104.7 FM Fort Scott Kansas C3 16,000 125 m (410 ft) FCC (KVCY)
KCVS 91.7 FM Salina Kansas C2 11,500 228 m (748 ft) FCC (KCVS)
WVCN 104.3 FM Baraga Michigan C1 100,000 262 m (860 ft) FCC (WVCN)
WVCM 91.5 FM Iron Mountain Michigan A 500 183 m (600 ft) FCC (WVCM)
WQRN 88.9 FM Cook Minnesota C3 16,000 70 m (230 ft) FCC (WQRN)
WQRM 850 AM Duluth Minnesota B 50,000 (day)
14,000 (c.h.)
FCC (WQRM)
KVCS 89.1 FM Spring Valley Minnesota C3 12,000 138 m (453 ft) FCC (KVCS)
WRVX 91.7 FM Cameron Missouri C2 27,500 116 m (381 ft) FCC (WRVX)
KIRS 107.7 FM Stockton Missouri C3 11,700 146 m (479 ft) FCC (KIRS)
KVPH 104.3 FM North Las Vegas Nevada C 24,500 1,128 m (3,701 ft) FCC (KVPH)
KVCN 106.7 FM Los Alamos New Mexico C0 44,000 592 m (1,942 ft) FCC (KVCN)
WVBN 103.9 FM Bronxville New York A 980 162.1 m (532 ft) FCC (WVBN)
WJIC 91.7 FM Zanesville Ohio A 6,000 97 m (318 ft) FCC (WJIC)
KVCF 90.5 FM Freeman South Dakota C2 9,000 246 m (807 ft) FCC (KVCF)
KVCX 101.5 FM Gregory South Dakota C1 100,000 195 m (640 ft) FCC (KVCX)
KVCH 88.7 FM Huron South Dakota C1 60,000 161 m (528 ft) FCC (KVCH)
KVFL 89.1 FM Pierre South Dakota A 400 113 m (371 ft) FCC (KVFL)
KVPC 97.7 FM Rapid City South Dakota C 100,000 579 m (1,900 ft) FCC (KVPC)
KVDT 103.3 FM Allen Texas C 98,000 606 m (1,988 ft) FCC (KVCE)
KVLM 104.7 FM Tarzan Texas C1 100,000 224 m (735 ft) FCC (KVLM)
KVCE 92.7 FM Slaton Texas C1 100,000 182 m (597 ft) FCC (KVCE)
WVIW 104.1 FM Bridgeport West Virginia A 2,450 158 m (518 ft) FCC (WVIW)
WVCF 90.5 FM Eau Claire Wisconsin A 1,600 112 m (367 ft) FCC (WVCF)
WVFL 89.9 FM Fond du Lac Wisconsin A 1,000 117 m (384 ft) FCC (WVFL)
WVCY-FM 107.7 FM Milwaukee Wisconsin B 43,000 161 m (528 ft) FCC (WVCY-FM)
WVCY 690 AM Oshkosh Wisconsin B 250 (day)
77 (night)
FCC (WVCY)
WVCS 90.1 FM Owen Wisconsin C3 1,900 153 m (502 ft) FCC (WVCS)
WVCX 98.9 FM Tomah Wisconsin C0 100,000 300 m (980 ft) FCC (WVCX)
WEGZ 105.9 FM Washburn Wisconsin C1 100,000 226 m (741 ft) FCC (WEGZ)
WVRN 88.9 FM Wittenberg Wisconsin C2 25,000 147 m (482 ft) FCC (WVRN)

Notes:

Broadcast translators of VCY America
Call sign Frequency
(MHz)
City of license State ERP
(W)
Height
(m (ft))
Class FCC info
K251BX 98.1 Palm Desert California 158 193 m (633 ft) D FCC
K293AO 106.5 Alamosa Colorado 250 34.8 m (114 ft) D FCC
K214DE 90.7 Antonito Colorado 10 731 m (2,398 ft) D FCC
W213AW 90.5 Charleston Illinois 55 46 m (151 ft) D FCC
W287BY 105.3 Rockford Illinois 135 90 m (300 ft) D FCC
W249CX 97.7 Duluth Minnesota 250 164 m (538 ft) D FCC
K292FX 106.3 Joplin Missouri 250 60.7 m (199 ft) D FCC
K203EZ 88.5 Alamogordo New Mexico 10 509.1 m (1,670 ft) D FCC
K218AK 91.5 Artesia New Mexico 63 18 m (59 ft) D FCC
K207CQ 89.3 Gallup New Mexico 100 12 m (39 ft) D FCC
K211CW 90.1 Hobbs New Mexico 57 99 m (325 ft) D FCC
K250AB 97.9 Roswell New Mexico 205 42.5 m (139 ft) D FCC
K220CE 91.9 Ruidoso New Mexico 82 918 m (3,012 ft) D FCC
K212EH 90.3 Silver City New Mexico 2 461 m (1,512 ft) D FCC
W232CQ 94.3 Cambridge Ohio 13 108 m (354 ft) D FCC
K206EQ 89.1 Brookings South Dakota 250 41 m (135 ft) D FCC
K258AG 99.5 Mitchell South Dakota 250 86 m (282 ft) D FCC
K293BQ 106.5 Sioux Falls South Dakota 250 22.8 m (75 ft) D FCC
K278BK 103.5 Watertown South Dakota 250 78.2 m (257 ft) D FCC
W286DS 105.1 Appleton Wisconsin 120 68 m (223 ft) D FCC
W216BL 91.1 McFarland Wisconsin 120 30 m (98 ft) D FCC
W211AU 90.1 Monroe Wisconsin 13 105 m (344 ft) D FCC
W260DL 99.9 Oshkosh Wisconsin 155 83 m (272 ft) D FCC
K208FO 89.5 Prairie du Chien Wisconsin 205 19.6 m (64 ft) D FCC
W275CH 102.9 Ripon Wisconsin 13 96 m (315 ft) D FCC
W235AG 94.9 Sheboygan Wisconsin 18 95 m (312 ft) D FCC
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