Indiana RadioWatch: November 7, 2016
Northeast
This week, Quincy Broadcasting's ABC affiliate WPTA-TV (Channel 21, Fort Wayne) will roll out a new news set, a new logo, additional local newscasts and revamped anchor teams. WPTA-TV will also drop the 38-year-old "21 Alive" branding for "ABC 21." There's also a new website. Let's dive into this a bit with respect to local news:
Monday through Friday Morning: Starting tomorrow, the early morning news block will begin a half hour earlier: 4:30am until 7am. Baha Eldin and Emily Dwire will co-anchor "ABC 21 Morning News." Mr. Eldin last worked as a news anchor, producer and reporter at KFYR-TV in Bismarck, North Dakota. Meteorologist Holly Beemer will handle weather until meteorologist David Stradling arrives. A Fort Wayne native, Mr. Stradling last worked as a meteorologist at KOTA-TV in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Monday through Friday Evening: 5pm (1 hour), 6pm (30 minutes) and 11pm (35 minutes) remain anchored by Brien McElhatten and Alexis Gray, Chief Meteorologist Matt Leach and Sports Director Zach Groth.
Weekend Morning: This Saturday (11/12), WPTA will launch a new local weekend morning newscast to compete against Media General's CBS affiliate WANE-TV (Channel 15, Fort Wayne). On Saturday, the "ABC 21 News Saturday Morning" will air from 6am until 8am. On Sunday, the "ABC 21 News Sunday Morning" will air from 6am until 7am and 8am until 9pm, book ended around "Good Morning American Sunday."
Northcentral
Teen Horizons Christian Outreach, Inc. LPFM WYLG-LP (94.5fm, North Manchester) signs on. Here's their website.
Eastcentral
WPGW, Inc.'s AC/WPGW(AM) (1440am, Portland) signs on a 250 watt FM translator: W287BC (105.3fm, Portland).
Woof Boom Radio promotes Account Executive Mike Rhodes to editor and sales director for their online Muncie Journal, which will be 18 months old at the end of 2016.
Central
Update: Services for former WFMS DJ Doug Baker will take place Tuesday November 8 at Robert Loose Funeral Home, 200 W. 53rd St., Anderson, IN 46013. Visitation will be from 11am until 1pm, with the funeral service immediately thereafter. Mr. Baker passed away Wednesday November 2.
Dispatch Broadcasting's NBC affiliate WTHR-TV (Channel 13, Indianapolis) welcomes Ben Hill as morning co-anchor, alongside Julia Moffitt (4am until 7am). Mr. Hill last co-anchored the "FOX Carolina Morning News" at WHNS-TV in Greenville, South Carolina.
Southwest
Starboard Media Foundation, Inc. sells the CP to translator W264CY (100.7fm, Henderson, Kentucky) for $15,000 to Iroquois County Broadcasting Company. Once this sale closes, the buyer will move the translator to an Illinois radio station.
This Week in Indiana Radio History
If there's something we need to add to the calendar, please let us know. Also, errors do sometimes occur. Please e-mail us if this information is not correct!
November 6: In 1964, 97.1fm in Shelbyville signs on as WSVL-FM. It's now WLHK. In 1998, 1620am in South Bend signs on as WJVA. It's now WDND.
November 7: In 1963, 1560am in Paoli signs on as WVAK (for Z. Denzel King Jr.'s spouse Virginia A. King). Today, it's WSEZ. In 1969, 100.1fm on Angola (now 100.3fm) signs on as WAFM. Today it's WLKI.
November 8: In 1966, 92.7fm in Decatur signs on as WADM-FM. That 92.7fm allocation moved to 105.1fm (today's WQHK-FM, licensed to Huntertown), while another 92.7fm (now licensed to Berne) signed on later.
November 9: In 1955, 1140am in Kendallville signs on. It's still WAWK.
November 10: In 1969, 91.1fm in Gaston signed on as WDHS. In 1972, 103.9fm in Crown Point signs on as WFLM. It's now WXRD.
November 11: In 1949, Channel 10 in Bloomington signs on as WTTV-TV, for owner Sarkes Tarzian ("Tarzian TeleVision").
That's all for this issue. Thank you for your continued support.
Blaine Thompson
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.