Indiana RadioWatch: October 20, 2007
Northeast
With Russ Oasis announcing his $3.8 million purchase of Artistic Media Partners' Fort Wayne properties: Country/WBTU (93.3fm, Kendallville) and Oldies/WSHY (106.3fm, Columbia City), an LMA was worked out on Monday 5 March. That LMA
took effect on Tuesday 6 March, and at 12:01AM that day, Oasis flipped the format on WSHY to Regional Mexican. This brief competition with Three Amigos-owned "Mega" WGBJ (102.3fm, Auburn) lasted until Wednesday 11 April, when WSHY
flipped formats again - to classic dance. The new "Vibe 106.3" debuted at 6:00PM that evening, under PD Phil Becker, with the first song (a most logical choice) Donna Summer's "On the Radio". New call letters are WVBB, and their
website is http://www.1063thevibe.com/.
Back at sister Rhythmic CHR/WJFX (107.9fm, New Haven), Becker is replaced in middays is Mia Amini, who was last in promotions at WBTS in Atlanta, Georgia. Replacing Alomar in Afternoons is Pierre Moussa, who was last doing weekends at
WPYO in Orlando, Florida (and worked with Becker when he was PD down there.)
C&W/WADM (1540am, Decatur) is sold by Holden Broadcasting, Inc. for $110,000 to Lewis Broadcasting, LLC.
After stunting most of the afternoon and all evening on Thursday 24 May, with various renditions of the The Star-Spangled Banner, Russ Oasis' Country/WBTU (93.3fm, Kendallville) relaunched at Midnight as "US 93.3" under GM Roger Diehm,
GSM Dave Turpchinoff, and PD Scott Roddy ("Sam Adams"). The station kicked off at midnight with Brooks & Dunn's "Only in America"
US 93.3 has a new website at http://www.us933.us/
We have more details on Northeast Indiana Public Radio's purchase of WCKZ (94.1fm, Roanoke). The change happened in May, with the WBNI call letters and format moving to 94.1fm and the WCKZ call letters replaced WBNI's (91.3fm,
Orland). On Monday night (9 April), the classic rock format disappeared from 94.1fm and was replaced by a loop of various arrangements of Pachelbel's Canon in D.
Federated Media N-T/WOWO (1190am, Fort Wayne), OM/PD/News Director Jon Zimney exits for APD/News Director duties at KTAR-FM in Phoenix, Arizona. Replacing Zimney in all those roles at WOWO is APD Andy Ober, who also remains PD of
sister Sports/WKJG (1380am, Fort Wayne). Ober has been with Federated Media since March, 2006.
Contemporary Christian/WBCL (90.3fm, Fort Wayne) welcomes Jill Johnston as Promotions Director.
Federated Media Rock/WBYR (98.9fm, Van Wert, Ohio) PD Chuck Wright ("DJ Manic") exits, after a brief tenure programming "98.9 The Bear." Before "The Bear," Wright programmed Rhythmic CHR/WYPW (95.7fm, Nappanee).
Northcentral
Adding to our story we reported last issue, AllAccess reports that LeSEA Broadcasting sold WDOW(AM) (1440am, Dowagiac, Michigan) to Larry Langford for $90,001 ($90,000 for the property; $1 for the equipment and license).
Artistic Media Partners adds Jack Swart as Market Manager for both Artistic's South Bend and Lafayette stations. Swart was last Market Manager for Cumulus in the Quad Cities. Swart replaces Greg DeRue, who left in May for Market
Manager for the Cumulus properties in Columbia and Jefferson City, Missouri. Also, CHR/WNDV-FM (92.9fm, South Bend) morning duo Scotty Wylde and Lindsey Bauer exit for mornings at KHTT in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Replacing Wylde and Bauer in
mornings is former WWXM/Myrtle Beach, South Carolina duo Rob Sparks and AJ Seliga. At WWXM, Rob was APD/Imaging Director and Middays, while AJ was PD/Afternoons.
Clear Channel (through its Capstar TX L.P.) sells FM translator W242BM (96.3fm, Kokomo) for $4000 to Friends of Christian Radio, Inc.
Northwest
Logansport Radio's Soft AC/WSAL & Adult Hits/WLHM (1230am & 102.3fm, both Logansport) will be sold to Mid-America Radio for $1.1 million, plus a $240,000 three year non-compete. Ed Henson of Henson Media, Inc. brokered this deal.
KVB Broadcasting's Hot AC/WGLM (106.7fm, West Lafayette) promotes Ken Stapleton to Director of Traffic and Operations. Before joining WGLM, Stapleton was Assistant Director of Operations and APD at Brothers Broadcasting Corp's
Oldies/WIBN (98.1fm, Earl Park).
AllAccess reports that Artistic Media Partners CHR/WAZY (96.5fm, Lafayette) morning co-host Kim Iverson adds Music Director duties.
Eastcentral
Whitewater Broadcasting, Inc. buys Country/WKWH (94.3fm, Rushville) for $1.5 million from RSE Broadcasting. The station retained its country format, now as "Hometown Country 94.3" and the call letters changed in July to WIFE-FM.
Inside Radio reports that RSE Broadcasting also sells Classic Hits/WKWH (1520am, Shelbyville) for $225,000 to Scott Huber's Three Towers Broadcasting.
Dave Stout is now News Director for Backyard Broadcasting Eastcentral Indiana (WLBC/WERK/WURK/WHTI/WHTY/WHBU/WXFN). Stout replaces Tom Hammond, who unexpectedly passed away in March at entirely too young age of 40. Also at Backyard,
Bruce Law is now Market Manager and Amy Dillon is General Sales Manager.
Central
Let's take those very minor changes in the Indianapolis radio dial in sequential order:
Emmis' CHR/WNOU (93.1fm, Indianapolis) PD Chris Edge has been named Program Director for sister stations KGSR and KLBJ in Austin, Texas. Edge has been with "Radio Now 93.1" since October, 2003 when he arrived from PD at WDCG in
Raleigh, North Carolina.
In June, Chris Pickett was named PD at WNOU. Pickett arrived from PD at KVUU and KKLI in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Two weeks ago, everything changed. Let's recap 8 October 2007:
At 4:30pm, 93.1fm switched from "Radio Now" to Christmas music, ending seven and a half years as a CHR. After his brief tenure, PD Chris Pickett returned to KVUU/Colorado Springs, Colorado as PD. Also out at Radio Now are the morning
show of Marco, Shannon, and Super Phat Mikey, along with afternoon jock Nigel. (We later learned that the morning trio will debut at a station in Atlanta in early January 2008)
On Wednesday 10 October, Emmis announced the sale of the Radio Now intellectual property to Radio One. "Radio Now 100.9" soon debuted on the former Jazz/WYJZ (100.9fm, Speedway). AllAccess reports that Tim "Rayne" Rainey is the new
PD at "Radio Now @ 100.9." He was the APD/MD/night guy at the former "Radio Now 93.1."
We read in several places that the future of 93.1fm after Christmas will be what is now N-T/WIBC (1070am, Indianapolis). AllAccess reports that this will happen on 7 January 2008. The AM will become an ESPN Sports affiliate.
AllAccess also says all of the play by play on 1070am (Colts, Pacers, and IU Football) will continue. Finally, Colts games, the Indy 500, and the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard will remain simulcast on sister Country/WLHK (97.1fm,
Shelbyville).
What becomes of the current ESPN affiliate - WXLW (950am, Indianapolis), after its affiliation runs out? We have heard no official answer yet, though the format speculation could easily fill our next column.
Veteran Cumulus/Indianapolis Market Manager Charlie Morgan exits after over 20 years. Replacing him is another veteran Market Manager - Chris Wheat. Wheat was VP/Market Manager at Clear Channel/Indianapolis for 21 years before
leaving in November, 2006. Before returning to Indianapolis, Wheat was VP/Market Manager for Entercom's stations in Norfolk, Virginia.
After over fifteen years spent pursuing a radio license, Kids First, Inc. now has a CP for WITT (91.9fm, Zionsville). The station expects to sign on from studios in Zionsville sometime in 2008.
A pair of PD departures at Entercom Indianapolis. First, Adult Hits/WNTR (107.9fm, Indianapolis) PD Tom Watson exits. Second, Talk/WXNT (1430am, Indianapolis) PD Andrew Lee exits. Cluster OM Scott Sands adds PD duties for WXNT.
Amber Stearns exits after eleven years with Mid-America Radio's WIOU/WZWZ (1350am, 92.5fm; both Kokomo) for news reporting and hosting the Noon news program at Emmis' WIBC (1070am, Indianapolis). WIBC News Director Sherry Fisher tells
IRW: "WIBC/Network Indiana is thrilled to have a news person of Amber Stearns talent and experience to our news team. Amber will bring great energy to the the station, both on and off the air. We couldn't be happier to have her."
AllAccess mentions that Emmis' Country/WLHK (97.1fm, Shelbyville) adds Dan Pantos as APD/middays. Pantos returns to Emmis Communications after about ten years outside of radio.
The Yolanda Adams Morning Show - syndicated by Radio One from their station KROI in Houston, Texas - is now airing in mornings at Radio One's Gospel WTLC (1310am, Indianapolis).
Clear Channel RVP/Programming Kelly Carls adds Indianapolis to his RVP duties. Carls is also PD at N-T/WHAS in Louisville, Kentucky.
Where Are They Now? Former WISG (93.9fm, Fishers; now WWFT) morning man Kurt Wallace is now PD and nights at WCVO in Columbus, Ohio.
Southeast
Radio One sells Alternative/WLRX (104.3fm, Charlestown) to Colorado Springs-based WAY-FM for $1 million dollars. They also sell Urban/WGZB (96.5fm, Lanesville) to Main Line Broadcasting, along with the remainder of their Louisville
cluster (WLRX/WMJM/WDJX/WXMA). The total price of $76 million includes those five Louisville cluster stations, and five Dayton, Ohio stations.
C.J. Miller, PD/mornings co-host at Hot AC/WRZQ (107.3fm, Greensburg) exits, as of last Thursday (18 October). Miller was also PD at sister Country/WYGB (100.3fm, Edinburgh). Miller has been with owner Reising Radio Partners for the
last three years. In the interim, Station Manager Mike King, OM Dave Wineland and Keith Maddox will rotate filling in on the morning show.
Clear Channel's CHR/WZKF (98.9fm, Salem) gets a FCC Notice of Apparent Liability for $10,000 regarding public-file problems. IRW Public Service Announcement: Is your stations' public file in order?
Southcentral
Artistic Media Partners welcomes Brandon Scott as PD of CHR/WBWB (96.7fm, Bloomington). Scott last was APD/MD and Middays at WPIA in Peoria, Illinois.
Southwest
Mark Elliot is now PD at South Central's AC/WIKY (104.1fm, Evansville). Elliott was last PD at WFCX/WFDX in Traverse City, Michigan.
Dave Crooks, a state lawmaker (House 63rd District, D-Washington), and owner of DLC Media, Inc. has begun a weekly talk show. Crooks' show began 1 September and airs Saturday mornings on both Standards/WAMW and Classic Hits/WAMW-FM
(1580am & 107.9fm, both Washington).
Cindy Patrick, PD at Regent Oldies/WJLT (105.3fm, Evansville), exits as of 14 September. The Main Street Tattler reports that she has been with the station since its sign on with oldies in mid-February 2005.
Austin Henry ("Rooster"), night jock at South Central's Country/WLFW (93.5fm, Chandler) exits.
That's it for this issue. See you in a week!
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All pages Copyright Blaine Thompson. Articles, photos, corrections, and
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