WCTC


WCTC is an American radio station broadcasting a syndicated and live talk radio format. Licensed to New Brunswick, New Jersey, the station serves the Middlesex, Somerset and Union County areas. The station is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group.
The station broadcasts in C-QUAM AM stereo. It is the chief radio broadcaster for Rutgers University athletic events and Somerset Patriots independent league baseball games. WCTC is also the primary source for winter school closing announcements. WCTC's former Talk format continues with the weekday morning show featuring New Jersey radio veteran Bert Baron, entitled "Jersey Central." The weekday lineup includes Laura Ingraham, Rich Eisen, and Tommy G. WCTC also airs special interest shows on the weekends.
WCTC derives its call sign from the Chanticleer, a flamboyant fighting rooster from the medieval fable Reynard the Fox. It is also used by Geoffrey Chaucer in the Canterbury Tales which was the Rutgers mascot from 1925 to 1955. Its sister station is WMGQ/98.3.

History

WCTC is considered New Jersey's first radio station built during the postwar broadcast boom. When it opened in 1946, it broadcast in an unknown format. From the 1960s through the 1980s, it adopted a full service format featuring local news, talk, sports, and MOR adult pop music. In 1992, WCTC changed its format to a full-time News/Talk station, featuring programming from ABC Radio and Premiere Radio Networks. As of July 2, 2008, WCTC went back to its roots by reverting to an oldies music format.
On February 28, 2011, WCTC changed their format to talk, launching the local midday show New Jersey TODAY from one to three in the afternoon hosted by Bert Baron.
On July 19, 2016, Beasley Media Group announced it would acquire Greater Media and its 21 stations for $240 million. The FCC approved the sale on October 6, and the sale closed on November 1.

Former on-air staff