WGRA Radio

WGRA is one of the oldest radio stations in Georgia, broadcasting continuously since December 3, 1949. Application for the new broadcast station to serve Southwest Georgia was made to the FCC in early 1949 by Mr. W.C. Woodall, Jr. of Dawson, Georgia. Mr. Woodall was the owner of WDWD in Dawson and would soon open a series of radio stations throughout Georgia. WGRA was licensed to Grady-Mitchell Broadcasting, Inc. in 1949. Mr. Woodall owned 25% of the stock in the newly formed company with the remaining 75% held by the Dawson Cotton Oil Company. WGRA began testing it's new transmitter and facility on December 3, 1949 and received approval from the Federal Communications Commission to assume fully licensed operational status in February 1950. The station began operations as a 1000 watt daytime station at a frequency of 1300 khz and eventually moved to 790 khz. The first General Manager of WGRA Radio was Jim Honey who had built WDWD for Mr. Woodall in the early 1940's. Mr. Honey was the chief engineer of the station during the testing phase and became General Manager when the station assumed full operational status in 1950. Jim eventually moved to Dalton, Georgia where he constructed and operated his own radio station, WRCD-AM for over 30 years. During the next fifty years, WGRA became a vital part of the community in Cairo and Grady County.