Indiana RadioWatch: October 14, 2009

Northeast

CHR/WOPR (102.3fm, Auburn) adds Mojo Wilson, who is helping get the station off the ground, after its recent format change. An interesting item went along with the 2006 sale of the station from Summit City Broadcasting to Three Amigo's Broadcasting: a request line telephone number. The new "Power 102.3" request line is 747.7711, which was the former request line for then-Alternative/WEJE (then-96.3fm, Churubusco). While that number never moved as the formats changed on 96.3fm, IRW does note that 96.3fm is now the home to "Power" competitor Rhythmic CHR/WNHT (96.3fm, Churubusco) which does that format as "Wild 96.3." (And, Mojo was PD/mornings at "Wild" for about two years from 2006 until 2008)

A pair of Fort Wayne morning show newspeople exit:

First, Northeast Indiana Public Radio's Jazz-Talk/WBOI (89.1fm, Fort Wayne) News Director and "Morning Edition" local host Jeanette Dillon exits this month, and will become the Chief External Officer at the Fort Wayne Women's Bureau.

Charlotte Burke exits as morning newsperson at Federated Media's N-T/WOWO (1190am, Fort Wayne), but IRW recently spotted her doing video newscasts on Swick Broadcasting's AC/WLKI (100.3fm, Angola). IRW heard Erika Taylor handling Burke's on-air duties this week (Taylor returns to WOWO after a hiatus from radio).

Where Are They Now? Chad Mitchell is now morning co-host at WRMF in West Palm Beach, Florida. While in Fort Wayne, he was the producer for the locally hosted "Rusty Humphries Show" on Talk/WGL (1250am, Fort Wayne), before Humphries became a syndicated talk show host.

Northwest

We tip the IRW cap to Gary Kline, who is the winner of Radio World's Excellence in Engineering Award. Kline was once an engineer with Artistic Radio Partners, but is now VP for engineering and information technology for Cumulus Media. You may read more about Gary's award and career here.

There's a recent article out about the multicast programming done by Northwest Indiana Public Broadcasting's PBS affiliate WYIN-TV (Channel 17, Gary). You may read more here.

Eastcentral

Barry Drake's Backyard Broadcasting sells half of its oldies simulcast WURK (101.7fm, Elwood) to Educational Media Foundation. Backyard pockets $750,000, as $250,000 down, and the balance in a six year note at five percent interest held by Backyard. The broker on this deal is Florence, Kentucky-based John Pierce and Company, LLC. In a press release from Pierce, Barry Drake commented on the sale as a result of: "improving the signal and broadening the coverage area of simulcast sister WERK" (104.9fm, Muncie).

Phil O'Reilly exits as PD at Brewer Broadcasting's Country/WQLK (96.1fm, Richmond) for APD/morning host duties at WNWN-FM (98.5fm, Coldwater, Michigan).

Central

Bill Poorman's Hoosier Broadcasting donates the CP for its WCNB (91.5fm, Lebanon) to Jennifer Cox-Hensley's Indiana Community Radio Corporation.

Educational Media Foundation's Contemporary Christian/WIKL (90.5fm, Greencastle) flips format and call letters at Noon on Friday 10 October. Now WQRA, the station is airing a Christian CHR/Rock format, with EMF's "Air One" format.

John Klesewetter at The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that after only a few months, Kurt Wallace exits mornings at Horizon Christian Fellowship's WHZN (88.3fm, New Whiteland) for mornings at WAKW in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was before WHZN. Wallace remains on the WHZN website, though.

Westcentral

Two CP's for Calvary Chapel of Terre Haute now have call letters. Mark down WVWD for 90.1fm, licensed to Hymera, and WVWG for 88.9fm, licensed to Seeleyville.

Southeast

Last month, IRW wrote that two Ohio based groups have agreed on the sale of a CP. WCIX (89.5fm, Versailles) was sold by William Spry's Hamilton-based Spryex Communications for $45,000 to David Rinderle's Cincinnati-based Sacred Heart Radio. This sale resulted in a FCC Petition for Reconsideration, filed by a man from Washington State. His basis for filing was that Spryex was trying to sell the CP for a profit. The FCC denied the petition based on both its late filing, and based on the full power status for WCIX, thus it could be sold for a profit (or IRW supposes, a loss, too). Finally, the FCC also approved the sale.

A pair of Clear Channel Louisville PD moves: After just over four years, J.J. Duling exits as PD of Classic Rock/WQMF (95.7fm, Jeffersonville) and sister WLGX. Mike Klein is the new PD for CHR/WZKF (98.9fm, Salem) and WLGX.

Southwest

WNIN Tri-State Public Media's PBS affiliate WNIN-TV (Channel 9, Evansville) adds programming from "The Indiana Channel," daily between 3:00PM and 6:00PM on their digital 9.2 subchannel. WNIN is the first Indiana television station to add this new service from IPBS (Indiana's Public Broadcasting Stations).

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

=============== Indiana RadioWatch ===============

(c) 2009, Blaine E. Thompson

Indiana RadioWatch may not be reproduced, transmitted, or distributed in any way, shape, or form without the permission of the copyright holder (Thompson, above)

Indiana RadioWatch is produced weekly. Subscriptions are free. To subscribe, send an e-mail to irw@well.com asking to be added. Indiana RadioWatch is archived after publication on the Indiana Radio Archive at http://www.indianaradio.net. Submissions of any nature are welcomed by e-mail, FAX, or postal mail. Employment opportunities are posted as is, so please proofread. Employment opportunities are only posted when received from a credible source (usually the owner, GM, or PD of a station).

Finally, we thank you for your continued support.

=============== Indiana RadioWatch ===============

Back to the Archive Index

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