FIRE TOTALS SG RADIO STATION & WHISNANTS OFFICE
Morganton, NC radio station WCIS was destroyed by fire overnight. Emergency dispatchers told news media that they received calls reporting flames at the station around 2:30am. The broadcast facility, owned and operated by Southern Gospel group, The Whisnants,.. is on the air only during daytime hours, so there were no staff members in the building at the time of the blaze. The cause of the fire was determined as arson. Someone broke into the station, ransacked the facility, and set it on fire.
Several broadcasters have been reaching out to help the station. John Wishon, of WWWC (Wilkesboro, NC) says he talked with Susan Whisnant this morning. She reports that they lost their studios and transmitter,.. but the tower is OK. Wishon adds: "Their frequency is 760 AM. If any stations has an old, working transmitter that is tuned to 760 or could be tuned quickly, please email me john@12403wc.com ASAP. I have a control board I am letting them have. As you know, they need to be back on the air ASAP because every day is lost revenue." Carl Ford at WRNA/WCKB (Kannapolis, NC) is already working with his engineer to help WCIS get back on the air, but says it will probably be a month or more.
Paul Heil sent an email to Gospel Greats affiliates asking them to make this situation a matter of prayer. Heil says: "Pray for the Whisnant family that their faith will remain strong. Pray that God will grant them wisdom in how to rebuild. And pray that in this, as in everything, God will take what seems so bad and turn it into something good for His glory and honor. (Romans 8:28.)"
Shortly after the fire was contained.. WCIS DJ and manager John Whisnant told a TV news reporter: "The Lord will make a way for WCIS to be broadcasting again.. and I don't believe it will be long."
Those needing to contact the Whisnants may use an alternate telephone number at this time. The entire office of the Whisnants was destroyed including their phone lines. The number is (828) 584-1502.