BELMONT, N.C., March 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Belmont Abbey College has hit the radio waves with its own Low Power FM radio station, 101.5 WBAC-LP. Courtesy of a gracious donor, the college has restarted its place in local radio after a nearly 20-year hiatus. The new station will initially broadcast the EWTN Radio Network with an intermingling of college-produced programming. As a low power FM, the new station reaches all of Belmont, Mount Holly and parts of eastern Gastonia and western Charlotte.
The college had a station from the 70s until the early 2000s under the call letters WABY. "Bringing back the radio station to the Abbey affords us so many new opportunities for our students and for the college to support the Church's New Evangelization. We're excited to be back on the air. And we're excited to bring Catholic Radio and great programming from EWTN to one of the fastest growing Catholic markets in the country," said Dr. Bill Thierfelder president of Belmont Abbey College.
The new station will support academic endeavors under the guidance of Dr. Trey Cunningham who leads the college's new Sport Broadcasting Enrichment program, by giving students real-world experience. A new student radio club and the student-run newspaper, The Crusader, will also contribute to programming. In addition, the college plans to broadcast college athletic events, arts events, and theatre. The college will announce new programming through social media and its website.
The new station represents the first Catholic Radio station in the Charlotte area. The station will also available be online via the college's website, allowing even greater support of the Charlotte Diocese, its parishes and giving the station a national reach.
The college is seeking underwriters to help support the new station. For more information and to lend support contact Rolando Rivas, Director of Marketing & Communications and acting Station Manager at rolandorivas@bac.edu.
Belmont Abbey College is a private, Catholic, liberal arts institution founded by Benedictine monks in 1876. Our mission is to educate students in the liberal arts and sciences so that in all things God may be glorified. Guided by the Catholic intellectual tradition and the Benedictine spirit of prayer and learning, we welcome a diverse body of students and provide them with an education that will enable them to lead lives of integrity, to succeed professionally, to become responsible citizens, and to be a blessing to themselves and to others. Our beautiful and historic campus is conveniently located just 10 miles west of Charlotte, N.C., and is currently home to more than 1500 students. For more information, visit www.belmontabbeycollege.edu or www.abbeyathletics.com.
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