WGBR went on the air in August 14, 1939 as a 250-watt
AM radio station in
Goldsboro, North Carolina, broadcasting on 1370
AM, one of a few radio stations in eastern
North Carolina. The frequency changed to 1400
AM in 1941 and to its current frequency of 1150
AM in the 1950s. Its last move increased the power to 5,000 watts daytime.
Johnny Grant began his career at WGBR when it signed on.
Carl Kassell worked as a DJ there on two separate stints in the 1950s, before eventually moving to
Washington, DC to focus on news reporting and a lengthy career with
NPR. Johnny Hood and Frank Taylor were DJs at WGBR before becoming DJs at North Carolina's 50,000-watt flagship station, WPTF in Raleigh. Vassie Balkcum, a voice associated many years with WGBR, was inducted into the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters in 2004.
Curtis Media Group purchased WGBR in 1989 alongside sister station
WEQR-FM. Prior to 2015, WGBR operated a translator at 98.3 FM that simulcast the news-talk format before switching to the
Jack FM format on
WSSG. 98.3 went back to WGBR when WSSG operated its on translator on 92.7 a year later. On June 12, 2017 WGBR changed their format from news/talk to classic hits, closely resembling sister station
WELS-FM in Kinston. ==References==