Indiana RadioWatch: October 17, 2008
Northeast
Just over the border, Michiana Christian Broadcasters signs WCWB (90.1fm, Coldwater, Michigan) on in July with the Bible Broadcasting Network satellite-fed religious format.
Since April 2007, Russ Oasis' Rhythmic Oldies/WVBB (106.3fm, Columbia City) has aired a Rhythmic Oldies format, as "The Vibe." Over the last few months, "The Vibe" has started adding more 1980's music. On Saturday 27 September, at
Midnight, "The Vibe" flipped formats to Adult Hits, as "106.3 Joe FM ... The 80s, 90s, and Whatever." The first song was .38 Special's 1981 hit "Hold On Loosely."
We hear the station is now jockless, which results in these changes:
Mornings: Phil Becker (now focusing on his group OM duties)
Middays: Keith Harris (now focusing on his group Production Director duties)
Afternoons: Randy Alomar (Instead of splitting airshifts on two stations, he now handles an aishift at sister Rhythmic CHR/WJFX (107.9fm, New Haven))
Overnights: Joel Hoffman (now handling weekends for all of Russ Oasis' Fort Wayne stations)
A note from the "Radio with Pictures" desk: Glenn Marini debuted Thursday 10 July as the new Sports Director at LIN-TV CBS affiliate WANE-TV (Channel 15/DT31, Fort Wayne). Marini, a Muncie native, was last Sports Director at Raycom
ABC affiliate KAIT-TV (Channel 8) in Jonesboro, Arkansas. WANE News Director Ted Linn said: "Glenn brings to NewsChannel 15 experience, enthusiasm, and Hoosier roots. His Muncie upbringing stamped in him a passion for Indiana high
school sports."
Several changes at Federated Media N-T/WOWO (1190am, Fort Wayne) and Sports/WKJG (1380am, Fort Wayne): First, WOWO/WKJG OM/PD Andy Ober segues to WOWO APD and WOWO/WKJG News Director duties, while remaining PD at WKJG. Replacing Ober
as WOWO/WKJG OM and WOWO PD is Dan Mandis. Mandis arrives at WOWO/WKJG from Director of AM Programming and Operations at KKML/KVOR in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Second, David Kohli, of Ford and Young Futures, returns for farm
reports and farm market analysis. This is Kohli's second time with WOWO; he did farm reports a few years ago.
Northwest
St. Joseph College's station Alternative/WPUM (90.5fm, Rensselaer) will be displaced by a new authorized NCE station at Crown Point. WPUM has filed an application with the FCC which, if approved, will move it from 90.5fm to 93.3fm and
increase its power from 11 watts to 60 watts. WPUM will remain at its existing transmitter site along US-231 south of Rensselaer.
Central
A note from the "Radio with Pictures" desk: Jeff Benscoter is now Assistant News Director at Dispatch Broadcasting's NBC affiliate WTHR (Channel 13/DT46, Indianapolis).
Southeast
Chris Fox exits as co-host of the Q-Wakeup-Crew on AC/WRZQ-FM (107.3fm, Greensburg), effective 17 June. Fox was also PD of "QMIX 107.3" and sister Country/WYGB (100.3fm, Edinburgh).
After three and a half years with a sports format, WWSZ (1570am, New Albany) flips format to talk, as "Indiana 1570" with new call letters WNDA ("iNDiAna"). The format changed on 2 June under GM/PD David Smith. The simulcast with
WTSZ (1600am, Eminence, Kentucky) remains. Their website (http://www.indiana1570.com/) quotes the following programming lineup:
6:00AM - 9:00AM - Clark Howard
9:00AM - 12:00PM - Glenn Beck
12:00PM - 2:00PM - Bill O'Reilly
2:00PM - 4:00PM - Clark Howard
4:00PM - 6:00PM - Laura Ingraham
6:00PM - 10:00PM - Phil Valentine
10:00PM - 1:00AM - Neal Boortz
1:00AM - 6:00AM - Sporting News Radio
Southcentral
Rock/WWWY (106.1fm, North Vernon) afternoon rock chick Tonya Haze was promoted to Program Director as of 25 June. She will keep her afternoon on-air duties. Haze has been with White River Broadcasting for two years. Former PD Scott
Michaels remains PD of Country/WKKG (101.5, Columbus).
Country/WKKG (101.5, Columbus) PD Scott Michaels segues from afternoons to mornings. "Michaels in the Morning" is on the air from 5:00AM - 10:00AM. Director of Programming John Foster handles interim afternoon duties.
Where Are They Now? Mike Patrick, former PD/Morning host at Country/WKKG (101.5fm, Columbus) is now PD/mornings at Country/WFFG in the Albany, New York market.
Southwest
Where Are They Now? Looking at that "flickering box" reminds us that Lyle Schulze - former GM at then-WB affiliate WAZE-TV (Channel 19/DT20/LP17) is now VP/GM at KMIR-TV/KPSE-TV in Palm Desert, California.
That's all for this issue. Thank you for your continued support.
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