Indiana RadioWatch: February 27, 2008
Check out our new feature "This Week in Indiana Radio History" at the end of todays update!
Northeast
Sarkes Tarzian AC/WAJI (95.1fm, Fort Wayne) and Oldies/WLDE (101.7fm, Fort Wayne), GM Candace Wendling will retire at the end of June. Wendling has been GM for the last twenty years there. AllAccess reports that Wendling also worked
for Sarkes Tarzian from 1965 - 1971. Replacing Wendling is OM Lee Tobin, and WLDE APD/MD "Captain" Chris Didier will rise to PD for both WAJI and WLDE.
Federated Media's Hot AC/WMEE (97.3fm, Fort Wayne) adds Shelly Kay as morning co-host with a yet un-named host. Kay was last APD/morning co-host at WKFR in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Northcentral
After many years as Hot AC "The Coast," Mid-West Family's WCNF (94.9fm, Benton Harbor, Michigan) changes format to a simulcast of its News-Talk sister station WSJM (1400am, St. Joseph, Michigan). The stations programming lineup:
5:00AM - 6:00AM - America in the Morning (Jim Bohannon)
6:00AM - 9:00AM - Moody in the Morning (Pat Moody)
9:00AM - 11:00AM - Dr. Laura
11:00AM - 11:30AM - In the Spotlight
11:30AM - 11:45AM - Paul Harvey
11:45AM - 12:00PM - WSJM News Midday
12:00PM - 3:00PM - Rush Limbaugh
3:00PM - 6:00PM - Dave Ramsey
6:00PM - 10:00PM - Fox Sports
10:00PM - 1:00AM - Jim Bohannon
1:00AM - 5:00AM - Coast to Coast AM
AllAccess reports that Rock/WRBR (103.9fm, South Bend) PD Ron Stryker segues to sister N-T/WTRC and Hot AC/WLEG (1340am, Elkhart; 102.7fm, Ligonier) as OM. Replacing Stryker in the leather WRBR PD chair is afternoon host Tommy
Carroll.
Northwest
Kelly Busch's KVB Broadcasting sells Hot AC/WGLM (106.7fm, West Lafayette) to the Educational Media Foundation for $1.2 million. EMF will air one of its religious formats starting on 29 February.
Talk/WBEW (89.5fm, Chesterton) now has local approval from the Porter County Plan Commission for a new 595 foot tower, on the southwest corner of Indiana State Road 49 and US-20. This reflects a move from WBEW's current transmitter
location, on the WEFM (95.9fm, Michigan City) tower on the east side of Michigan City.
Central
A most interesting "Where are they now" as two former then-Susquehanna/Indianapolis air personalities are now together again at Citadel's Country/KKND in New Orleans. New APD/MD/midday jock Chris Clare joins PD "Trapper" John Morris.
Clare was last PD at KCIL in Houma, Louisiana.
A second "Where are they now," as former then-Contemporary Christian/WISG (93.9fm, Fishers) morning co-host Kurt Wallace is now handling afternoons just down I-74 at WAKW in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Southcentral
Sarkes Tarzian AAA/WTTS (92.3fm, Bloomington) adds Johnette Cruz as Promotions Director, starting 19 February. Cruz was last a Promotions Assistant and occasional on-air at the Clear Channel/Indianapolis stations.
Westcentral
Indiana University's WFIU (103.7fm, Bloomington) adds Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett to their weekly "Ask the Mayor" segment, which airs in Terre Haute on WFIU translator W236AE (95.1fm, Terre Haute).
This Week in Indiana Radio History
As this is a new column, strictly from our archives, and because we are human and errors do sometimes occur, please e-mail us if this information is not correct! Thank you.
February 24: In 2003, Dave Macy began in mid-mornings at WGL (1250am, Fort Wayne) after four and a half years in mornings at WOWO (1190am, Fort Wayne).
February 25: In 2000, Talk/WTRC (1340am, Elkhart) aired its last "Sound Off" show; a longtime local talk show, hosted by Allen Strike.
February 26: In 1965, 93.5fm, Hartford City signed on (it will always be WWWO to us!) In 2001, WCKZ (102.3fm, Auburn) began a 13 day simulcast of sister WYSR (94.1fm, Roanoke). In 2004, 90.5fm, Greencastle signed on as WSPV.
February 27: In 1948, 100.3fm, Connersville signed on. The allocation has since moved to Norwood, Ohio, and is now a Cincinnati station. In 2003, WYGS (91.1fm, Columbus) signed on.
February 28: In 1997, the sale of WFWI (92.3fm, Fort Wayne) closed from Edgewater Radio to Pathfinder Communications.
[We imagine important Indiana radio events happened every four years on February 29, too!]
March 1: In 1993, 96.9fm, Bremen signed on (now WHPZ). In 2002, WWWD (96.3fm, Churubusco) switched formats from Country to CHR, as "Hits 96." The call letters changed to WHTD.
That's it for this issue.
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All pages Copyright Blaine Thompson. Articles, photos, corrections, and
other contributions should be e-mailed to the editors.