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.
 | |
| Type | Radio network |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Headquarters | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | VCY America, Inc. |
| History | |
| Founded | 1954 by Vic Eliason |
| Launch date | 1954 |
Former names | Milwaukee Youth for Christ |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | https://www.vcy.org/ |
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
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.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3]
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.[4][5] Renamed WVBN, the acquisition, completed on February 6, 2023, gave VCY America its first broadcast outlet on the East Coast.[6] VCY America added to its Northeastern expansion in August 2023 with its purchase of WJBR-FM in Wilmington, Delaware, from Beasley Broadcast Group.[7] 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[8]
- 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.[8] 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,[9] 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"[10] 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.[11] Jim Schneider is the current Executive Director.[12]
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[a] | 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: