Indiana RadioWatch: March 18, 2003

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Before we start, a question:

Has your country station reacted to the Dixie Chick's anti-George Bush comments? If so, e-mail us (irw@well.com) and we'll print a list of stories, if there is a sufficient response.

Northeast

The fine folks at 100000 Watts tell us that Oldies/WZOM (105.7fm, Defiance, Ohio) flipped formats on Christmas Day from Oldies ("Majic 105.7") to Country, as "105.7 The Bull."

Standards/WSHI (106.3fm, Columbia City) is sold by local businessman Steve Shine to Art Angotti's Artistic Media Partners. No purchase price disclosed.

Jon Zimney, OM/PD at N-T/WOWO (1190am, Fort Wayne) adds similar duties at sister Sports/WONO (1380am, Fort Wayne). Former WONO OM/PD Dean McNeil continues to program sister Country/WQHK-FM (105.1fm, Decatur). Historians will note that WONO was once WQHK (AM). WQHK (AM) changed its calls in 1996 to WHWD, after a format change from C&W to Standards.

Farm Director Kevin Morse replaces the recently-departed Michael O'Shea as News Director at N-T/WOWO (1190am, Fort Wayne). Newsman Kurt Deffenbaugh assumes Morse's Farm Director duties.

Charly Butcher moves down the hall from afternoons at sister Hot AC/WMEE (97.3fm, Fort Wayne) to host "Fort Wayne's Morning News" at N-T/WOWO (1190am, Fort Wayne). Butcher replaces Dave Macy who recently left the station. Replacing Charly Butcher in afternoons at Hot AC/WMEE (97.3fm, Fort Wayne) is Mark Evans. Evans returns to radio from TV, where he was a features reporter for NBC affiliate WKJG-TV (Channel 33, Fort Wayne). Evans also worked for 15 years at AC/WAJI (95.1fm, Fort Wayne).

Northcentral

Classic Rock/WZUW (102.3fm, New Carlisle) flips calls to WWLV. It remains a simlucast with WZOW (97.7fm, Goshen) as "Double Rock ZOW."

According to DX-midAMerica, Religious/WFRN(AM) (1270am, Elkhart) flips format to southern gospel and talk as "Smart Talk 1270."

Urban AC/WUBU (106.3fm, South Bend) flips formats to Smooth Jazz as of 12:01am on Saturday 1 March. They also dropped the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner in the Morning Show.

As reported by The Chicago Sun-Times' Robert Feder, Pat Clark is now doing nights at CHR/WNDV (92.9fm, South Bend). Clark replaces Marko who now handles middays at sister simulcast Classic Rock/WWLV & WZOW (102.3fm, New Carlisle; 97.7fm, Goshen). Clark arrives from weekends at the recently defunct Chicagoland station WKIE (92.7fm).

AC/WLEG (102.7fm, Ligonier) debuts a website at http://www.ilovemyfroggy.com

Central

Radio 1500 sells both WBRI(AM) (1500am, Indianapolis) and WXIR-FM (98.3fm, Plainfield). Religious/WBRI(AM) is sold for $1.5 million to Wilkins Communications Network, a network of Christian radio stations. Religious/WXIR-FM is sold for $5.6 million to ABC and will become a Radio Disney affiliate. The Indianapolis Star reports that both sales are set to close on June 1.

Robert Feder, The Chicago Sun-Times' media guru reports that John Vitanovec, VP/GM at Tribune Broadcasting's WGN-TV adds duties as regional VP of Tribune Broadcasting. This means he will now oversee WTTV/WTTK (Channel 4, Bloomington; Channel 29, Kokomo [WB]), WXIN (Channel 59, Indianapolis [FOX]), and WXMI-TV in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Westcentral

Dave Sabaini, GM at Indiana State University's WISU (89.7fm, Terre Haute) tells IRW that they have flipped formats from Jazz/Blues to Modern Rock (with Urban on weekends).

The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's station - Alternative/WMHD (90.5fm, Terre Haute) shifts frequency to 90.7fm and increases power to 1400 watts.

Employment Opportunities

Federated Media has an immediate opening for a full-time Broadcast Engineer. We are a growing company that currently owns 6 radio stations in Fort Wayne, consisting of 2 studio locations, with 9 studios total, and 6 transmitter locations. We are looking for a highly motivated self-disciplined, work well others individual with an electronics background. This person must be able to work unsupervised and eager to learn and advance within the company. If you are this person please send resume to: Federated Media, 2915 Maples Road, Fort Wayne IN 46816 ATTN: Market Chief Engineer. Applicants may stop by 2915 Maples Road and fill out an application. E-mail resumes to mdavid at federated media dot com. Fax resumes to (260) 447-7546. Federated Media is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Indiana Country - WKKG is looking for an experienced morning show host. We're looking for a personable individual who understands the lifestyle of the Country audience and can relate to them on-air in a fun and conversational manner. The selected individual should also possess skills to actively seek opportunities for community involvement to promote the morning show and radio station. Send tape and resume to Scott Michaels, P.O. Box 1789, Columbus, IN 47203. White River Broadcasting is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Indiana Country - WKKG is looking for an evening host with an upbeat and adult delivery. We're looking for an individual who understands the lifestyle of the Country audience and can relate to them on-air in a fun and conversational manner. Phone skills are a plus and the ability to handle other duties for stations in the cluster. Send tape and resume to Scott Michaels, P.O. Box 1789, Columbus, IN, 47203. White River Broadcasting is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

That's it for this issue. See you soon!

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All pages Copyright Blaine Thompson. Articles, photos, corrections, and other contributions should be e-mailed to the editors.