Indiana RadioWatch: February 26, 2000

Northeast

Condolences to the family of Adolph "Deac" Dietric who died on 22 January. Dietrich, 81, was instrumental in starting Religious/WLAB (88.3fm, Fort Wayne)

Northcentral

Kokomo news: Hoosier Broadcasting adds its application for the open allocation on 91.3fm in Oakford. The only other application is from Pensacola Christian College.

Northwest

At CHR/WAZY (96.5fm, Lafayette), Dave North heads to PM Drive, while Bob Richards and Larry Clisby take mornings.

John Willyard is now the station voice at Country/WKOA (105.3fm, Lafayette).

We know a little more about the CP for 91.5fm in the Lafayette area: It now has a callsign: WFWR-CP (91.5fm, Attica) The CP is for 160 watts at 171 feet from a tower on U.S. 41 south of Attica. Astute Indiana radio historians will note that WFWR used to be on 1090am in Fort Wayne (now WFCV).

Central

A new high school station hits the airwaves: WRGF (89.7fm, Greenfield) launched at 1:30pm on Saturday December 4, 1999. Under advisor Tim Renshaw, the station is on the air 24-hours a day, directed and programmed totally by students. The format, according to Renshaw is "current and classic rock, with a heavy emphasis on local news, public affairs, and local sports." Renshaw adds that they plan on working with other high schools in the county for additional coverage of sports.

Country/WFMS (95.5fm, Indianapolis) has a new morning show: Trapper John, Deborah Honeycutt (from sister WGRL) and Jim Denny.

Bob & Tom add these stations to their burgeoning network: Sports/KXXT (1340am, Santa Barbara, California), Sports/KAVL (610am, Lancaster, California), Rhythmic Oldies/WJQR & WFBJ (105.5fm, 105.3fm, both Jacksonville, Florida), Oldies/WNKK (92.1fm, Carthage, Illinois), Rock/KXUS (97.3fm, Springfield, Missouri), and Classic Hits/WWUZ (96.9fm, Bowling Green, Virginia)

Westcentral

WSDM(AM) (1130am, Brazil) and WJSH (1300am, Terre Haute) flip formats from gospel to sports as "The X", on March 1. WSDM's call letters change to WSDX, while WJSH is now WSJX. Programming will come from a variety of sources, including One-on-One Sports, Jim Rome, Network Indiana (sports news), MRN, and the Indy Racing League.

Southeast

Calvary Chapel (owners of KAWZ in Twin Falls, Idaho) have applied for another translator at 91.1fm in Hamburg, on the north side of Louisville.

The application by Willtronics Broadcasting for the 96.9fm allocation in Hardinsburg is dismissed by the FCC. 96.9fm is awarded to Good Shepherd Radio.

Southcentral

Trey McKain, weekends at Country/WKKG (101.5fm, Columbus) exits for mornings at Rock/WBHG in Concord, New Hampshire.

The open allocation on 105.7fm in Tell City goes to Tell City Broadcasting. They plan on running 4800 watts from the WXCM tower site southeast of Tell City.

Southwest

At Rock/WGBF-FM (103.1fm, Henderson, Kentucky), they have a new lineup

Mornings: Bob & Tom (Syndicated from WFBQ in Indianapolis)
Middays: Bobby G. (from afternoons)
Afternoons: Turner Watson (PD/MD)
Nights: Fatboy (from overnights)
Overnights: Slick Nick (from weekends)

Why did they have this change? Julie Raymond exits for middays at sister Hot AC/WDKS (106.1fm, Newburgh).

A group known as the "Indiana Community Radio Corporation" has filed an application for a station on 90.1fm in Wadesville, just outside of Evansville. They've also applied for an allocation at 91.7fm in Madisonville, Kentucky.

Soft AC/WAMW-FM (107.9fm, Washington) flips calls to WYER, as part of an LMA with Southern Wabash Communications' WSJD.

Lamb & Lion Communications files for a new CP in the Evansville area at 90.1fm, licensed to Mount Vernon.

Otherness

The LPFM decision by the FCC has had a major impact on translator applications. Their January decision means that new LPFM stations must protect existing translator stations. Some of the big players in translators (CSN International, American Family Association, Pensacola Christian College, et al.) have read this as a cue to put up more translator stations to further their stronghold on the non-commercial spectrum, thereby limiting what legitimate, community radio stations can do, under the new LPFM rules. Instead of listing each group and the frequency(ies) they've applied for, within our various regions, we'll list them here. By no means are we angry at groups in Indiana that have translators to serve areas which can't be reached with existing station allocations (such as Indiana University's translators in Columbus and Kokomo). Remember these are applications not grants:

Calvary Chapel: 91.1fm, Hamburg (mentioned above) (translates KAWZ in Twin Falls, Idaho)
Family Worship Center: 89.5fm, Olney, Illinois (translates WJFM in Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
Family Worship Center: 90.3fm, Jasper
Family Worship Center: 89.5fm, Loogootee
Family Worship Center: 91.1fm, Madison (after having their application for 88.7fm in Madison denied!)
Family Worship Center: 91.7fm, Shelburn
Pensacola Christian College: 88.5fm, South Bend (replays WPCS in Pensacola, Florida)

That's it for this issue! See you in two weeks...

Blaine Thompson
Indiana RadioWatch

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