History
WIVV Days
The Rock Radio Network began as the missionary radio station WIVV (AM-1370). In 1952, the missionary couple Don and Ruth Luttrell moved to Vieques, Puerto Rico. Don Luttrell was a pioneer missionary pilot and evangelist. When they arrived, their main purpose was to evangelize by means of rallies and Bible study courses. As time passed, the Luttrells felt the need for a more effective tool that could reach the Caribbean more quickly. In 1956, they started what became the first fulltime Christian radio station in the Caribbean. It was named WIVV, or "West Indies Voice of Victory," because its intended coverage area included the West Indies and Lesser Antilles. WIVV broadcast a mixture of prerecorded Bible teaching from the USA and local sources, along with music, news, and weather reports. In time, WIVV and its associated ministries consolidated into what became known as Calvary Evangelistic Mission.
WBMJ: The Rock Radio Network
WBMJ (AM-1190) was founded in the 1960s by the comedian and musician Bob Hope. In its early years, WBMJ was a secular music station. Passing through different hands and managements, it eventually rose to become one of the top rock-music stations in the island of Puerto Rico. To its fans, WBMJ was known affectionately as "The Rock." In 1985, WBMJ passed into the hands of Calvary Evangelistic Mission. Shortly thereafter, its programming changed to an all-Christian teaching format with a mixture of live and prerecorded material similar to was what already broadcasting on WIVV. With two radio stations, Calvary Evangelistic Mission made the decision to broadcast mostly from WBMJ and to combine the two stations into one radio network. After an on-air contest to adopt a new name, listeners chose the moniker "The Rock" for the new network. This name honored both WBMJ's history as a rock station and the Christian title of the "Rock of Ages" for Jesus Christ.
WCGB
WCGB (AM-1060) was founded in 1967 by Grace Broadcasters, Inc. The station was built in Juana Díaz, which is a small town just outside of the second-largest city in Puerto Rico, Ponce. WCBG was an all-Spanish station with a Christian emphasis, but slightly secular in programming. For example, the station covered local sports, news, and politics, and it aired secular music. Yet the management also made sure that every hour of programming contained something with a religious context. For many years, the management of The Rock had desired to reach the Western side of Puerto Rico and Ponce. In 2004, Grace Broadcasters sold WCGB to Calvary Evangelistic Mission. When WCBG joined The Rock, its programming changed to a bilingual teaching format almost identical to what was already airing on WIVV and WBMJ. Most of the programming today on WCGB originates from The Rock's main studios in San Juan. However, WCGB retains a three-hour bloc of its own programming every weekday morning between the hours of 9-12. These programs are Spanish. For more on Lawrence Trumbower and the history of WCGB, click here .
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