Physical Address:

WKGC / Gulf Coast State College
5230 West U.S. Highway 98
Panama City, FL 32401

(850) 873-3500

Contact Us

STATION HISTORY

WKGC was the dream of two GCCC students, Charlie Wooten and Ron Johnson. Starting with a 10-watt FM transmitter using parts both begged and borrowed, Wooten and Johnson began WKGC in 1968 with a signal that barely left the campus parking lot. Over the years, the signal grew from its humble 10 watts to a 1,300 watt transmitter (located on the old WJHG tower), and finally to a 100,000 watt signal that reached across 10 counties in Northwest Florida and into Southwest Alabama and Southeast Georgia.

Their dream also spawned a Radio-Television Studies program at GCSC and a building that has housed two radio stations. The presence of a real-world, full-time radio station on campus helped nurture the careers of hundreds of aspiring radio and television broadcasters and journalists. This process was helped immeasurably through the donation of WGNE-AM to GCSC (renamed WKGC-AM 1480) which became an academic laboratory for students with access to local airwaves for the first time.

WKGC has grown over the years to serve as the community’s National Public Radio affiliate in addition to being a working classroom/learning laboratory for students. It provides a diverse lineup of programming including local and international news, jazz, blues, adult album alternative, classical, folk, Broadway and more, as well as being the sole radio station to provide opera to the region. WKGC also fields its own news department and provides in-depth coverage of local issues through daily news to election coverage to its weekly news talk show, “Rapline.”

In March 2009, WKGC began broadcasting from its new 420’ tower located at the College’s North Bay Campus in Southport, FL. The tower holds the new digital transmitters for FM, AM, and new HD broadcasts. HD radio allows for two new channels to expand programming opportunities, such as the 24/7 classical channel on HD2. It is also an integral part of the communications infrastructure for the new GCSC/Bay County Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

WKGC has always been on the cutting edge of new technology:
1. WKGC was the first station in Panama City to own a CD player and use CDs to replace the turntable. (1979)
2. WKGC was the first station in Panama City to be equipped with a satellite dish to receive network programming. (1978)
3. WKGC was the first station in Panama City to go “digital” using the industry standard IBOC HD system. (2009)

Emily Balazs  |  News Director

Emily was born and raised in Flint, Michigan.  She graduated, with honors, from Gulf Coast Community College and Florida State University.  Prior to accepting the News Director position here at WKGC, Emily worked in commercial radio broadcasting as an Assistant Creative Director, DJ and Voice talent for local and national commercials as well as the Public Information Officer for the Bay County Sheriff's Office.   She has received many awards including the Dale Carnegie Highest Achievement Award, several Addy Awards, the FSU Notable 'Nole award and the First Amendment Award for her series on the homeless of Bay County.  When not at the station, Emily enjoys spending time with her husband John and thier 'kids' Rocco and Roman, their adopted Boston Terriers. 

Peter Michael Bardach  |  Volunteer and host of "Showcase of Show Tunes" and "Peter Michael's Place"

Peter Michael Bardach has been an active WKGC volunteer since 1994. He currently produces and/or announces Showcase of Show Tunes, WKGC On Stage, Emerald Coast Studio and Peter Michael's Place.

Prior to his "retirement", Peter Michael spent forty years in professional broadcasting and advertising management. 25 of those years he worked in the New York office of Foote, Cone & Belding, one of the nations top 10 ad agencies. He began in the media department, rising to the position of Senior VP Broadcasting, responsible for the placement of millions of dollars annually in network radio and TV. His first radio job was at WGVA, Geneva, NY in 1950. There, while attending Hobart College, he was a founder of WEOS, one of the first college radio stations. It was then he first learned that radio was a part of his DNA. In 1972, Peter Michael launched WSUS in Franklin, New Jersey, and later added WSUS-TV, a forerunner to News 12 New Jersey.

He moved to Florida in 1986 to purchase and manage WRBA-FM Panama City, initially known as "Bay 96 FM". Peter Michael is founder and trustee of the Sussex-Bay Foundation, a small non-profit trust, which encourages a better understanding of local public policy issues and supports local visual and performing arts groups and activities.

Curtis "C.C." Carter  |  Producer of Specialized Programming and host of "Soul with CC" and "Blues Before Midnight"

A native of Panama City, Curtis Carter, Jr. graduated from Rutherford High School and received an Associate of Arts degree from Gulf Coast State College. "C.C." started working at WKGC in 1974, its first year on the air. In his off hours, C.C. spends his time working with the youth of our community trying to help them build confidence in themselves and advising them to stay in school and stick to their goals. "I try to communicate subtle messages to the kids that will have a positive influence on them," he states. C.C. also enjoys "spinning records" at local school dances and at the Glenwood Recreation Center here in Panama City.

Harley  |  Operations Manager & Host of "The Morning Vibe", "My Generation" & "Funk 180 "

Bio to come...

Davis Lynn  |  Host of "The Retro Lounge"

Bio to come...

Robin McNew  |  Community Calendar/Part-time Announcer

Robin is a native Hoosier but grew up as a Georgia peach. She traveled the world during her service in the United States Navy and served during Operation Desert Storm. Other jobs of note include the distribution of hundreds of thousands of pounds of food to the needy via homeless shelters, food pantries and orphanages as the former Director of the local, non-profit Lighthouse Food Bank and former Publicist at Black Swans Books for Author and Historical Character Interpreter Anne Chancey Dalton.

She is the blushing bride of Bill McNew, a Captain in the Merchant Marines, and the Captain of her heart! Together they are parenting a daughter, Alyssa, and a son, Christian. Completing the chaos are an overly timid dog and two spastic cats. Her number one passion is living a sold out life for God. Other passions include quality time with family, the Bay High School Million Dollar Band (GO TORNADOES!), the Bay Breeze Competitive Winterguard, being an encourager, cooking, and investing in the lives of teens through the Godchasers Youth Ministry at Springfield ‘New Lighted’ Methodist Church.  Robin is currently pursuing her degree in communications at GCSC and has happily worked at WKGC since 1999 as a producer, writer, website contributor and voice.

Chris Thomes  |  Executive Director of Marketing & Communications; WKGC Station Manager

Chris Thomes is a native Floridian and has lived in Panama City since 1996. He graduated from the University of Florida with a BS in Advertising in 1992 and began his career with an in-house ad agency at the headquarters of a Florida-based department store chain. After earning a master’s in Social Science Education in 1996 from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Chris moved to Panama City where he taught social sciences, desktop publishing and newspaper journalism at Rutherford High School. In 2001, he took a position as Associate Director of Campus Communications at FSU Panama City and then moved to Gulf Coast State College in 2005 as Community Relations Coordinator. In 2006, he was promoted to Director of Marketing & Public Relations and currently holds the position of Executive Director of Media & Community Relations. In 2008, he also assumed the position of WKGC General Manager.