Indiana RadioWatch: April 22, 2009

We are working on bringing back "This Week in Indiana Radio History," along with our "Radio Spotlight" interview section. More on those upcoming.

We will start this issue with a question. We received an e-mail with a picture of WEOA/Evansville evangelist Jerry Owen. The e-mail says:

"I have a picture of the evangelist Jerry Owen standing before a radio mike with call letters WEOA. It looks as if it was taken in the early/mid-50's, but I find little about the programming or activity on the station prior to the 1960's. When would WEOA have been prominent enough to have this photo taken with the WEOA mike, as if everyone should know about the station? Can you, or your sources, provide any information on when the picture may have been taken? It has "Logan Studio 18B S.E. 3rd Street Evansville, IND" on the reverse."

If you want to see the photo, drop us an e-mail.

Now, onto the news!

The Indiana Associated Press has announced their Radio Awards. IRW congratulates all the winners.

Outstanding News Operation - Local Radio
First: IPR News Team, Indiana Public Radio, Muncie.
Second: Swick Broadcasting News Team, WTHD, LaGrange.

Outstanding News Operation - Metro Radio
First: WIKY News Team, WIKY, Evansville.

Best Community Impact - Metro Radio
First: Randy Wheeler and the WIKY Morning Team, WIKY, Evansville.

Best Reporter - Local Radio
First: Brian Beaver, Indiana Public Radio, Muncie.
Second: Tim Murray, WTHD, LaGrange.

Best Reporter - Metro Radio
Honorable Mention: Michael Puente, WBEZ, Chicago.

Best Newscast - Short Form - Local Radio
First: Jim Measel, Tim Murray, WTHD, LaGrange.
Second: Tim Murray, WTHD, LaGrange.
Honorable Mention: Jim Measel, WLKI, Angola.

Best Newscast - Short Form - Metro Radio
First: Randy Wheeler and the WIKY News Team, WIKY, Evansville.
Second: WSBT News Team, WSBT, South Bend.
Honorable Mention: Gary Hummel, Bob Horner, WXNT-AM, Indianapolis.

Best Newscast - Long Form - Local Radio
First: Stan Sollars and the IPR News Team, Indiana Public Radio, Muncie.
Second: Chris Kiefer, WWKI, Kokomo.

Best Newscast - Long Form - Metro Radio
Honorable Mention: Gene Stewart, WKDQ-FM, Henderson, Ky.

Best Spot News Reporting - Local Radio
First: Brian Beaver, Indiana Public Radio, Muncie.
Second: Tim Murray, WTHD, LaGrange.
Honorable Mention: Jim Measel, WLKI, Angola.

Best Spot News Reporting - Metro Radio
First: Jay Zimmer, WIKY, Evansville.
Second: John Gibson, WIKY, Evansville.

Best Continuous Coverage of a Single Event - Local Radio
First: WWKI Storm Team, WWKI, Kokomo.

Best Continuous Coverage of a Single Event - Metro Radio
First: Randy Wheeler and the WIKY News Team, WIKY, Evansville.
Second: Michael Puente, Cate Cahan, WBEZ, Chicago.
Honorable Mention: Randy Wheeler, John Gibson, WIKY, Evansville.

Best News Series - Local Radio
First: Chris Kiefer, Kenneth Beasley, WWKI, Kokomo.

Best News Series - Metro Radio
First: Mary Hartnett, Marianne Holland, Colleen Iudice, Sandy Roob, WFYI, Indianapolis.
Second: Michael Puente, Cate Cahan, WBEZ, Chicago.
Honorable Mention: Larry Bower, WBCL-FM, Fort Wayne.

Best General News - Metro Radio
First: Michael Puente, WBEZ, Chicago.
Second: Micah Schweizer, WNIN-FM, Evansville.
Honorable Mention: Larry Bower, WBCL-FM, Fort Wayne.

Best Enterprise Story - Metro Radio
First: Mary Hartnett, WFYI, Indianapolis.
Second: Michael Puente, Cate Cahan, WBEZ, Chicago.
Honorable Mention: Steve Burger, WNIN-FM, Evansville.

Best Public Affairs Program - Local Radio
First: Stephen Kendrick, Samantha Cappadona, Laura Wiscomb, Alyssa Jewell, Tiffany Camhi, WGRE, Greencastle.
Second: Chris Kiefer, WWKI, Kokomo.

Best Public Affairs Program - Metro Radio
First: Dave Lyons, WIKY, Evansville.
Second: Dave Lyons, WIKY, Evansville.
Honorable Mention: Mary Hartnett, WFYI, Indianapolis.

Best Feature - Local Radio
First: Brian Beaver, Indiana Public Radio, Muncie.
Second: John Herrick, Kate Carrico, Anna Whitelaw, Kelly Knox, WGRE, Greencastle.

Best Feature - Metro Radio
First: Michael Puente, WBEZ, Chicago.
Second: Dave Lyons, WIKY, Evansville.
Honorable Mention: Sharon Alseth, WFYI, Indianapolis.

Best use of Radio Sound - Local Radio
First: Brian Beaver, Indiana Public Radio, Muncie.
Second: Tim Murray, WTHD, LaGrange.

Best Use of Radio Sound - Metro Radio
Honorable Mention: Dave Lyons, WIKY, Evansville.

Best Sports Play-by-Play - Local Radio
First: Mike Stiles, Bob Murphy, WTHD, LaGrange.
Second: Mike Stiles, Bob Murphy, WTHD, LaGrange.
Honorable Mention: John Herrick, Justin Weiner, WGRE, Greencastle.

Best Web Site - Local Radio
First: Swick Broadcasting News Team, WTHD, LaGrange.

Northeast

Religious/WLAB (88.3fm, Fort Wayne) is for sale. Sealed bids are due on Monday (27 April). Word on the street has a desired sale price north of $1 million dollars ($1.5 million, anyone?). The station is owned by the Indiana District Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod).

Before we leave 6600 North Clinton Street and the campus of Concordia Theological Seminary, "Star 88.3" won the 2009 Gospel Music Association "Station of the Year" in the Small Market Division, and GM Melissa Montana won the Rob Gregory Award, which is presented to a Christian broadcaster, radio station or associated professional who, during the past year, has shown outstanding effort in the community.

There is a pair of new morning shows in Fort Wayne. Well. Sorta. Let's explain:

First, Austin and Alana segue from nights at Radio One's CHR/WNOU (100.9fm, Speedway) to mornings (5am until 9am) at Russ Oasis' Rhythmic CHR/WJFX (107.9fm, New Haven), starting earlier this month. This move displaces Weasel (who segues to afternoons), and Weasel's morning co-host (Angie) is now part time for all three of Russ Oasis' Fort Wayne radio stations.

Second, Shelly K. has a new co-host at Federated Media's Hot AC/WMEE (97.3fm, Fort Wayne). Zack Skyler joins the morning show, effective last week. Skyler is no stranger to 2915 Maples Road, having worked there in the 1990's, as MD and he handled various airshifts. Skyler returns to Fort Wayne from Executive Producer duties at KSTP-FM in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Skyler tells IRW: "Proving you really can come back home, this opportunity is like coming back home. I'm excited about the possibilities with WMEE and Shelly K...and Shelly sure smells nice."

"Mary Jane" exits afternoons at Federated Media's Rock/WBYR (98.9fm, Woodburn).

Chris Larko's Oldies/WBZQ (1300am, Huntington) and Hot AC/WMYQ (101.1fm, South Whitley) now airs both Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox games. The Cubs take precedence, though, when both teams are playing at the same time.

Where Are They Now? Country Aircheck Today reveals that former WBTU (93.3fm, Kendallville) PD Mitch Mahan is now PD and middays at KFIN in Jonesboro, Arkansas. He is also voicetracking afternoons at C&W sister station KWHF.

Northwest

Schurz Communications' Country/WKOA (105.1fm, Lafayette) morning co-host Annie James adds "APD" to her business card. The publication Country Aircheck Today reports that this is a newly created position (and that is something really worth mentioning, in this era of downsizing and budget cuts).

Central

An Indianapolis CP will soon become reality. Kurt Wallace segues from PD and mornings at WAKW in Cincinnati, Ohio to PD and mornings at Horizon Christian Fellowship's WHZN (88.3fm, New Whiteland) once it signs on this summer. AllAccess reports the station will sign on 15 June. Joining Wallace at "88.3 The Walk" will be OM Tony Silva. Wallace is no stranger to Indianapolis, having hosted mornings for a few years at Susquehanna (later Cumulus)-owned WISG (93.9fm, Fishers) under their contemporary Christian music format.

Employment Opportunities

If you have a reason to be in the southern Indiana/western Kentucky area, and if you are a "selling manager," Cromwell Radio Group has a position for you. We have four FMs and one AM in Owensboro, plus two AMs in surrounding counties. Solid long-term staff needs sales leadership and support. It is not a position for a 'ratings' or 'transactional' selling general manager. It's a "roll your sleeves up, get the job done" position, as it is with smaller markets. Base plus bonus and good benefits. Please send resume and facts to: Bayard Walters, President: owensboromanager at cromwellradio dot com.

US93.3 (Fort Wayne) is looking for weekend help. Resumes should go to PD Dave Steele at dave [dot] steele at oasisradiogroup [dot] com. Oasis Radio Group and US93.3 (WBTU) are an Equal Opportunity Employer.

FM 100 Talks (Bluffton/Fort Wayne) is looking for sales people. Experience preferred, but if someone is a go-getter, we are here to help them learn and try to make things a success. If you are interested, e-mail GM Ken Allen at ken [at] fm100talks [dot] com. Independence Media and FM 100 Talks (WNUY) are an Equal Opportunity Employer.

That's all for this issue. Thank you for your continued support.

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