Indiana RadioWatch: December 11, 2004
Northeast
Beginning Monday (13 Dec), Soft AC/WBZQ (1300am, Huntington) and Hot
AC/WLZQ (101.1fm, South Whitley) will simulcast in mornings - hosted by
Chris Larko, owner of the two stations.
Northcentral
An IRW reader tipped us to some unexpected downtime at Religious/WFRN-FM
(104.7fm, Elkhart). We asked WFRN President/GM Ed Moore for the story.
Moore told us that around 4:30pm on Wednesday 24 November (Thanksgiving
Eve), a severe electrical storm with strong gusting winds, rain, and snow
swept south of Elkhart. That storm damaged the FM antenna and coax. Moore
says that both will be replaced starting 16 December. WFRN-FM, the 50,000
watt flagship, was off the air for 48 1/2 hours before an emergency tower
crew was able to install a temporary four bay, vertical only antenna. That
antenna was loaned by HCJB who has their World Radio Engineering Center in
Elkhart. Now, WFRN-FM is operating at 5,200 watts ERP. WFRN's repeaters in
Coldwater (W266AE/101.1fm), and Kalamazoo (W262AF, 100.3fm, Parchment,
Michigan) are also off the air, for they can't receive the weaker signal.
WFRN's two 6 kw stations: 100.1 in Winamac (WFRI), and 93.7 Kokomo/Walton
(WFRR) and it's repeater in Marion at 107.7fm (W299AJ) have continued
without problem along with WFRN's Internet streaming.
A followup on our WLFQ-LP (98.7fm, Elkhart) story from last week. An IRW
reader writes to alert us that the Hip Hop, Contemporary, Hard Rock
formats that WLFQ plays are all Christian related. WLFQ will also
eventually have a studio at the Living Faith - Fellowship Ministries
Church and once the studio is up and running with DJ's, they will start to
promote themselves more.
Northwest
The FCC fines WLTH Radio, Inc., owners of Talk/WLTH (1370am, Gary) $16,000
for "wilful and repeated violation" involving WLTH's failure to register
their antenna, failure to notify the FAA that one or more tower lights
were out, and failure to have the required "red obstruction lighting." In
responses to the FCC, WLTH claimed that the WLTH day power transmitter
site (in Gary) used an antenna shorter than 200 feet AGL, thereby leaving
it short of FCC rules requiring registration, red obstruction lighting,
and marking. In September, 2004, WLTH conducted a survey which established
that the antenna height was actually 202.97 feet AGL. In addition, WLTH
also claimed that hunters caused the lighting outage by shooting out the
antenna lights.
Eastcentral
Rodgers Broadcasting's AC/WZZY (98.3fm, Winchester) segues to Holiday
Music through December 26th.
Central
Blaire, morning show producer for the Billy and Marco Morning Show at
CHR/WNOU (93.1fm, Indianapolis) exits the Emmis Communications station.
SuperRadio's Country Lovin', hosted by Country/WFMS (95.5fm, Indianapolis)
night jock Darren Tandy adds several affiliates: WDJR in Dothan, Alabama,
and WYTZ in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Westcentral
CHR/WMGI (100.7fm, Terre Haute) will celebrate its ten year anniversary as
a CHR at the end of this month. New PD Matt Luecking e-mails IRW, saying
there will be a large on-air reunion on Friday January 7th at the studios
from 6am-7pm. Former WMGI DJ's spinning airshifts, music from the past ten
years, and all the memories. Anyone who has worked with WMGI is invited to
attend. For more information, contact Luecking - matt at 1007mixfm dot
com. Luecking is especially looking for these people: James Gregory (of
Cumulus/Nashville fame), Wendy Allen, Ryan Olsen, and Mike Forte.
Crossroads Communications' WAXI (104.9fm, Rockville) segues to Holiday
Music through December 25th, using ABC's "Christmas" channel.
Southeast
As predicted, Blues-Jazz/WLBJ (1570am, New Albany) flips to Sports with
programming from ESPN Radio.
Southcentral
Marty Pieratt's Midwest Ministries, Inc. sells Religious/WJLR (91.5fm,
Seymour) to Richard Jenkins' Educational Media Foundation for $150,000.
EMF takes the option to buy WJLR, as stated in a network affiliation
agreement that was signed in July, 2001. WJLR is already running EMF's
"K-LOVE" contemporary Christian format.
That's it for this issue!
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Blaine Thompson. Articles, photos, corrections, and other contributions should be
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