WJOS (AM)


WJOS was a radio station broadcasting a Southern gospel format, licensed to Elkin, North Carolina.

History

Al Hinshaw signed on WIFM-FM in Elkin in 1949, and added an AM station several years later. Both stations had difficulties but they survived. James Childress bought the stations in 1954. WIFM-AM was a daytime-only station, but the FM station aired programming at night.
The AM and FM stations aired the same programming until FCC rules prohibited this more than a few hours a day. By this time, enough people had FM radios that separate programming became possible.
In the mid-70s, Leon Reece's "Good Morning Show" and "Open Mike" aired on both stations. The AM aired pop/rock music.
In the early 80s the FM studio moved and the AM station took over the former FM studio.
WIFM-AM later became WJOS and its format was Southern gospel from the late 80s until 1995. John Wishon was station manager and morning host most of those years.