Indiana RadioWatch: July 14, 2001

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Northeast

Condolences to the family and friends of Herbert John Weber. Weber, 75, passed away Sunday 8 July. He used to be president & GM of WLYV(AM) (1450am, Fort Wayne). Although we don't know when he was at WLYV, we presume it was during their heyday as a Top-40 station back in the 1970's and early 1980's.

A Petition to Deny filed against Family Worship Center's application for a translator CP on 89.7fm, licensed to Bluffton is granted, and FWC's application is dismissed.

Northcentral

Brent Randall exits AC/WKAM (1460am, Goshen) for middays at AC/WAWC (103.5fm, Syracuse).

News-Talk & Standards/WTRC (1340am, Elkhart) brought a new solid state Harris transmitter online at 7:15am on June 18. Two other significant changes at the station: They have replaced their old slogan ("The Heartbeat of Elkhart") with "Newsradio 1340." Also, GM Dick Rhodes departs for new responsibilities within parent Federated Media - He'll be starting a new division known as Federated Marketing. Morning man Gene Walker assumes GM responsibilities.

Guy Mitchell (aka Guy Forest, when he's on the air) is now Production Director at Country/WWKI (100.5fm, Kokomo).

Pensacola Christian College's application for a new station on 88.5fm, in South Bend is dismissed by the FCC.

Eastcentral

A big sale to report as Sabre Communications purchases all of Michael Schwartz' Indiana Radio Partners stations: Classic Rock/WHTI & WHTY (96.7fm, Alexandria; 93.5fm, Hartford City), Oldies/WERK & WURK (104.9fm, Muncie; 101.7fm, Elwood), and Talk-Sports/WHBU (1240am, Anderson). The new Indiana Sabrecom Radio already owns CHR/WLBC (104.1fm, Muncie) and Sports/WXFN (1340am, Muncie). Indiana Radio Partners pockets $8 million.

Country/WMDH (102.5fm, New Castle) adds Jim Barbee as production director. He arrives from WPFT in Dayton, Ohio.

Ball State University has a new 3 year agreement with WLBC & WXFN radio to broadcasting athletic games. According to Doug Zaleski's article in The Muncie Star Press, Ball State had sold the rights to CHR/WLBC (104.1fm, Muncie). Then, WLBC would sell advertising to recoup expenses. Under this new agreement, Ball State will purchase time from WLBC to air the games. Morry Mannies will continue doing play-by-play, but color commentator Jeff Weller won't be a part of the broadcast. Weller had been color commentator for 20 years.

Central

Ed Weigle is now OM at Spanish/WSYW(AM) & WEDJ-FM (810am, Indianapolis; 107.1fm, Danville). Weigle is also Production Director. While we don't have a complete airstaff lineup, we know that Angel "Cuba" Chacon is now MD & afternoons.

New to weekends at Alternative/WRZX (103.3fm, Indianapolis) is Matt Goshert. Goshert also does nights up in Fort Wayne at Alternative/WEJE (102.3fm, Auburn).

Westcentral

The story of Michael Rice's attempt to save the licenses of his Contemporary Media stations here in Indiana, and in Missouri is coming closer to an end. The FCC released a notice two weeks ago stating that Contemporary Media will lose their broadcasting rights at 12:01am on July 13 (yesterday!). The FCC also said that the stations will broadcast for 90 days or until two weeks after a new owner is ready to take over the stations. According to an article in The Columbia (Missouri) Missourian, all of the stations' licenses will be put on the auction block July 16. Michael Rice is losing his licenses over the FCC Character Policy Statement, which he violated when he was convicted in 1994 of 12 counts, all of a sexual nature. He was sentenced to 84 years in prison, but has been released. The Indiana stations affected are WBOW(AM), WBUZ(AM), and WZZQ-FM; while the Missouri stations are KBMX, KFMZ, KROW-CP, and KFXE-CP.

A format change as Soft AC/WKZS (103.1fm, Covington) flips formats to Country on 4 June. According to WKZS president Larry Weatherford, the station played Alan Jackson's "Gone Country" repeatedly to promote the change. Worried listeners alerted local police, thinking something was wrong. All was found to be okay though :-) Back at WKZS, the station is live in mornings with DJ Greg Green. Jones Radio Networks' "CD Country" format takes over for the rest of the day.

Calvary Chapel of Crawfordsville, Inc. gains a new LPFM CP on 93.9fm, licensed to Crawfordsville.

Southeast

Madman exits mornings at Soft AC/WWWY (104.9fm, Columbus). He's replaced by husband & wife team Jay & Rachel (Jay & Rachel Foyst). Jay Foyst last did afternoons at sister Country/WJCP (92.7fm, Austin). Also at "Magic 104.9", Oz exits afternoons, replaced by Jeff Hollan. Hollan last worked at sister Country/WIKI (95.3fm, Carrollton, Kentucky) doing afternoons & sales. He has also worked at various southcentral Indiana stations, including WINN & WKKG.

Also, John Foster, Director of Programming for WCSI/WINN/WKKG leaves hosting 6am - 9am on News-Talk/WCSI (1010am, Columbus), but he will continue a daily program "AM Columbus." This departure allows him more involvement with parent White River Broadcasting.

Pensacola Christian College's application for a CP on 89.7fm in Oak Park is granted with the calls W209BS-CP. This follows a petition to deny that was filed back in April, 2000, followed shortly by PCC's opposition to it. W209BS will transmit from a site alongside Moser Knob Road in Floyds Knobs.

Southcentral

Family Worship Center's application on 90.9fm in Paoli is granted, after a petition to deny & supplement to the PTD are both denied. The new calls are W215BP. According to the CP, it will transmit from a facility near IN-37 on the northeast side of Paoli.

Southwest

CHR/WSTO (96.1fm, Evansville) Promotions Director Angie Ross adds duties for Brill Media sister station Country/WKDQ (99.5fm, Henderson, Kentucky). Ross replaces Krista Kaye. Also, Becka Wathen is now Assistant Promotion Director for both WKDQ & WSTO.

Otherness

While dialing around to talk with various people in radio this week, we stumbled upon an unusual voicemail message. We won't name names, but in trying to reach the Operations Manager of 3 stations, we heard this message (excerpted, for brevity):

"...In the meantime, we can't come to the phone...because it's the operations office, we're having an operation. Please leave a message at the tone..."

Employment Opportunities

Radioworks VP/Programming Keith Edwards is on the hunt for a new PD for his new Top 40, WXXB (B102-9)/Lafayette. Get those T&R's to Keith Edwards, Radioworks, 2830 Sandy Hollow Road, Rockford, IL 61109.

News-Talk WGTK, 970am in Louisville, Kentucky, is looking for a morning news/interview host. Contact Fred North at 502-339-3470 if interested.

That's it for this issue. More stories in a week, including a proposed shakeup in Indianapolis. See you then!

Blaine Thompson
Indiana RadioWatch

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