VCY America


VCY America, Inc. is a traditional, evangelical, conservative Christian ministry based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The VCY America Radio Network maintains a format of Christian talk and teaching, as well as traditional Christian music through its broadcast outlets.

History

Originally known as "Milwaukee Youth For Christ", and later, "Greater Milwaukee Youth For Christ", it left the national YFC organization in 1973 and became known as the Wisconsin Voice of Christian Youth until 1995, when it changed to its present name. Its flagship stations in Milwaukee, WVCY-FM and WVCY-TV, share a call sign which refers to the ministry's original name.

Radio network

The ministry operates 41 VCY America-owned radio stations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. It also broadcasts over 27 low-power FM translators. VCY America radio also provides programming such as Crosstalk, Worldview Weekend, and Music 'til Dawn to stations throughout the country via satellite. Additionally, VCY has a Christian bookstore in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin which is promoted on air and ships throughout the United States as an additional source of revenue.
VCY has attempted to expand into the San Francisco Bay Area, Las Vegas, and the Coachella Valley through the lease and attempted purchase of a group of three stations in a bankruptcy action: KFRH, KREV and KRCK-FM. In early 2022, the original owner sued successfully to nullify the bankruptcy action against them, and the bankruptcy debtor in possession and trustee was forced to return to the stations to them and nullify the VCY America leases. In October 2023, VCY America participated in a bankruptcy auction for these stations and was the winning bidder for KFRH, KRCK-FM, and two translators in the Palm Springs area for $2,445,952.88. KFRH in North [Las Vegas, Nevada]'s call sign was changed to KVPH and it began airing VCY America's programming on March 18, 2024.
In December 2022 VCY America announced it would purchase WFAS-FM in the New York City area from Cumulus Media, pending final approval from the Federal Communications Commission. Renamed WVBN, the acquisition, completed on February 6, 2023, gave VCY America its first broadcast outlet on the East Coast. VCY America added to its Northeastern expansion in August 2023 with its purchase of WJBR-FM in Wilmington, Delaware, from Beasley Broadcast Group. VCY took control of the station October 6, changing its call sign to WVCW; the move brings its programming into the Philadelphia market.

Programming

VCY America's radio programming includes Christian talk and teaching programming, among them:
VCY America also airs a variety of vocal and instrumental traditional Christian music, as well as children's programming such as Ranger Bill. Notably, the network eschews any programs featuring Contemporary Christian music, and has dropped programming which has switched to it in any form, including as theme music.

Television

The ministry also owns WVCY-TV in Milwaukee, which holds a commercial license but is completely viewer supported. As of January 2018, it is carried under a channel share agreement with commercial station WITI, owned by Fox Television Stations. It vacated its former independent frequency in the FCC's spectrum repack auction, the proceeds of which have been utilized to expand VCY's radio network. WVCY-TV is also carried in the Wausau television market via translator W26EE-D, licensed to Wittenburg.
In 1994, WVCY-TV rejected an offer to be purchased by CBS and become the network's new Milwaukee affiliate, following WITI's defection to Fox as part of the 1994–1996 [United States broadcast television realignment].
In December 2025, VCY TV began airing on 26.9 WZEO-LD in La Crosse, Wisconsin and 34.9 WRJT-LD in Wausau, Wisconsin.

Other efforts

The ministry also operates a summer camp, near Hillsboro, Wisconsin, called, "Trail Ridge Camp" as well as its religious bookstore, with a physical location in Wauwatosa, a suburb of Milwaukee, and its .

Leadership

The ministry is run by a team formerly headed by the late Vic Eliason, a former Youth for Christ worker, ordained Christian minister and a recipient of an honorary doctorate from Bob Jones University, in 2001. Jim Schneider is the current Executive Director.

List of stations

Notes:
Call signFrequency
City of licenseStateERP
Height
List of [North American broadcast station classes|Class]FCC info
K251BX98.1Palm DesertCalifornia158D
K293AO106.5AlamosaColorado250D
K214DE90.7AntonitoColorado10D
W287BY105.3RockfordIllinois135D
W249CX97.7DuluthMinnesota250D
K292FX106.3JoplinMissouri250D
K203EZ88.5AlamogordoNew Mexico10D
K218AK91.5ArtesiaNew Mexico63D
K207CQ89.3GallupNew Mexico100D
K211CW90.1HobbsNew Mexico57D
K250AB97.9RoswellNew Mexico205D
K220CE91.9RuidosoNew Mexico82D
K212EH90.3Silver CityNew Mexico2D
W232CQ94.3CambridgeOhio13D
K206EQ89.1BrookingsSouth Dakota250D
K258AG99.5MitchellSouth Dakota250D
K293BQ106.5Sioux FallsSouth Dakota250D
K278BK103.5WatertownSouth Dakota250D
W286DS105.1AppletonWisconsin120D
W216BL91.1McFarlandWisconsin120D
W211AU90.1MonroeWisconsin13D
W260DL99.9OshkoshWisconsin155D
K208FO89.5Prairie du ChienWisconsin205D
W275CH102.9RiponWisconsin13D
W235AG94.9SheboyganWisconsin18D
W218CC91.5WausauWisconsin85D