Indiana RadioWatch: October 30, 2017
Northeast
One of the men who founded Fort Wayne's Asher Agency passed away on Friday from pancreatic cancer. Tim Borne was 71. In 1974, Mr. Borne started Asher Agency with his brother Tom. They built the organization into a full service advertising agency, with nine offices throughout the country. A memorial service will be held on December 23 at 1:00pm at Plymouth Congregational Church, 501 West Berry Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802.
After over two years as a weekend meteorologist at Nexstar Broadcasting's CBS affiliate/WANE-TV (Channel 15, Fort Wayne), Hannah Strong exits their West State Boulevard studios. Ms. Strong began last week at WDRB-TV in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Allen County Public Library welcomes John O'Rourke as their new assistant manager of Access Fort Wayne, and station manager of their Variety/WELT-LP (95.7fm, Fort Wayne). Mr. O'Rourke last worked for Sarkes Tarzian/Fort Wayne (Promotions Director), and he's a Fort Wayne broadcasting veteran and broadcasting educator. Mr. O'Rourke begins his new role next week Monday November 6.
iHeartMedia's Hot AC/WDFM (98.1fm, Defiance, Ohio) adds the syndicated Murphy, Sam and Jodi show to mornings (6am until 10am).
Northcentral
Where Are They Now? Chicago media reporter Robert Feder reports that former WNDU-TV reporter Megan Hickey will join WLS-TV in Chicago, Illinois as a per diem reporter.
Central
E.W. Scripps' ABC affiliate/WRTV-TV (Channel 6, Indianapolis) promotes Nicole Griffin from weekend morning news reporter to weekday morning news reporter. Ms. Griffin joined "RTV6" earlier this year after working in Lincoln, Nebraska as a reporter for KOLN-TV.
Where Are They Now? Former then-WNOU PD Chris Edge becomes Area SVP/Programming for the iHeartMedia clusters in Raleigh, North Carolina and Greensboro, North Carolina.
Westcentral
Cromwell Group's CHR/WCBH (104.3fm, Casey, Illinois) files an FCC application to increase their power (11kW to 12.kW) and decrease antenna height (495 feet to 476 feet) from their existing tower site which is southeast of Casey.
Where Are They Now? Former WMGI PD Natalie Randall adds MD responsibilities at KCKC in the Kansas City market. Ms. Randall also does afternoon drive at "KC 102.1" as "Natalie Rush".
This Week in Indiana Radio History
Sign-on dates seem to be a prickly matter, subject to great debate, and mostly impossible to confirm. If there's something we need to add to the "calendar," please let us know. Please e-mail us if you have updated information.
October 29: In 1970, 99.3fm in Aurora signed on as WSCH, and still is. The call letters represent founder John Schuler's.
October 30: In 1938, 1050am in Indianapolis signed on as WIBC. The 1941 NARBA agreement moved WIBC from 1050am to 1070am, and today it's WFNI. In 1957, Channel 13 in Indianapolis signed on as WLWI. Today, it's WTHR-TV. In 2008, WJFX PD Thomas Foley ("Tommy Frank") dies at age 43.
October 31: In 1948, 1330am in Evansville signed on as WJPS. Today, it's WBGW. In 2014, 98.9fm in Newburgh signs on as WDXM-LP, and remains so today.
November 1: In 1963, 104.7fm in Jasper signed on as WITZ-FM, and remains so today. In 1971, 91.7fm Pendleton signed on as WEEM (for founder Ernest E. Miller), and still is. In 1973, 1110am in Noblesville signed on as WHYT. This was an AM daytimer which later went dark. In 1987, Channel 23 in Marion signed on as WMCC-TV. Today, it's WNDY-TV. In 1997, 98.5fm in Ferdinand signed on as WQKZ, and still is.
November 2: In 1920, WLK in Indianapolis signs on (it was only on the air for about 3 years). In 2001, 1620am in South Bend changed call letters from WHLY to WDND.
November 3: In 2003, 1380am in Fort Wayne changed call letters from WONO ("One on One Sports") to WKJG ("William Kunkel Journal Gazette").
November 4: In 1949, 1390am in Seymour signed on as WJCD. It's now WZZB. In 1964, 1500am in Valparaiso signed on as WAYK. Today, it's WAKE. In 2014, WHBU(AM) in Anderson adds an FM translator at 103.7fm (W279CL).
That's all for this issue. Thank you for your continued support.
Blaine Thompson
Indiana RadioWatch
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