Indiana RadioWatch: December 5, 2005
Northeast
A pair of rural northeastern Indiana radio stations have new owners. Wells County Radio Corp. owns AC/WNUY (100.1fm, Bluffton) which is simulcast on sister WADM (1540am, Decatur). Recently, Holden Broadcasting purchased WADM and
took over station operations last Thursday (1 December). Also on Thursday, the format changed to C&W with a webstream - via http://www.wadm.com - when the daytimer is off the air. This format switch breaks a 10+ year simulcast
between the stations. On the FM side, WNUY was sold for $1 million to Independence Media which has already closed on the sale. What changes are on the horizon for both frequencies? We'll keep you posted.
Phil Becker, onetime PD/Afternoon guy at Russ Oasis' Rhythmic CHR/WJFX (107.9fm, New Haven) rejoins WJFX (from PD at WPYO in Orlando). He's now PD and an ownership partner.
Federated Media's Hot AC/WMEE (97.3fm, Fort Wayne) flips to all holiday music through December 25.
Where Are They Now? Former then-WKJG (Channel 33, Fort Wayne) News Director Kathy Hostetter is now News Director for LIN Broadcasting's WAVY-TV in Norfolk, Virginia.
Late word into IRW is sad, as we learned that former Hot AC/WMEE (97.3fm, Fort Wayne) midday personality Phil Lindsey passed away on Thanksgiving Day in Paris, France. Lindsey, 57, worked for WMEE from its debut as "Mix 97.3" until
March 1997. He also had radio stops in Cincinnati and several Kentucky towns. In radio, he was last at WWXL in Manchester, Kentucky before joining and managing his brother's concession business.
Northcentral
The biggest media story isn't radio related here. The University of Notre Dame, through its Michiana Telecasting Corp. owns NBC affiliate WNDU-TV (Channel 16, South Bend) and has owned and operated it since originally signing on 15
July 1955. Last April, the university announced it was exploring selling WNDU, saying "In recent months we have received a number of inquiries from parties" (ND Executive VP John Affleck-Graves, as quoted in The Notre Dame
Observer). Recently, Notre Dame announced a buyer for WNDU-TV. Gray Television will purchase all of Michiana Telecasting's stock for $85 million. This marks Gray's first acquisition in Indiana. However, through a subsidiary,
Gray also publishes the nearby Goshen newspaper The Goshen News. No changes are expected at WNDU, except for a new GM next year, as current GM James Behling will retire. Finally, Kalil & Co., Inc. brokered the deal for The
University of Notre Dame
Country/WHFB-FM (99.9fm, Benton Harbor, Michigan) flips to all holiday music. A reader told us that the station is promoting a return to Country "once the holidays are over."
Where Are They Now? Former Country/WBYT (100.7fm, Elkhart) OM/PD Tom Oakes is promoted to OM of New Northwest Broadcasters' stations in Anchorage, Alaska.
Northwest
Newsweb's brokered Talk/WNDZ (750am, Portage) applied to the FCC to move its city of license to Calumet City, IL. That application was rejected because the move would leave Portage without a licensed station.
N-T/WJOB (1230am, Hammond) goes all-holiday music with local talk hosts spinning Christmas music instead. However, the story is much different at sister WIMS..
N-T/WIMS (1420am, Michigan City) is silent while they complete some tower work. What's in store for WIMS and WJOB? As the broadcasting cliche' goes, stay tuned.
Brothers Broadcasting's Standards/WRIN (1560am, Rensselaer) flips to all holiday music.
Rock/WXRD (103.9fm, Crown Point) adds "The Rockin' 80's" - syndicated by Mark Zander's "Zanderadio Productions" - to its Saturday lineup airing from 9pm - 11pm.
Eastcentral
Backyard Broadcasting simulcast Oldies/WERK + WURK (104.9fm, Muncie; 101.7fm, Elwood) welcomes Steve Brown to mornings.
Rodgers Broadcasting's AC/WZZY (98.3fm, Winchester) flips to all holiday music.
Backyard Broadcasting's Hot AC/WLBC (104.1fm, Muncie) afternoon driver Dieter exits.
Central
Phil Hoover replaces Tim Medland as VP/Market Manger for Entercom's Indianapolis cluster - Adult Hits/WNTR (107.9fm, Indianapolis), N-T/WXNT (1430am, Indianapolis) and Hot AC/WZPL (99.5fm, Greenfield). For the last four years,
Hoover was VP/Market Manager for Entercom's New Orleans cluster.
Clear Channel Alternative/WRZX (103.3fm, Indianapolis) welcomes new morning show, hosted by DJ's "Stuck" and "Gunner." Gunner shifts from afternoons at "X-103," while Stuck was part of the former morning show. The new "Stuck'N
Gunner" morning show debuted Monday 28 November.
Sad news to report as former WTLC (1310am, Indianapolis) morning host Robert Duckett Turner passed away on 21 November. The Indianapolis Star reports that he had been with WTLC over ten years.
A check of the TV files reveals that Karen Rariden exits as ND of FOX affiliate WXIN-TV (Channel 59, Indianapolis). She's off to Philadelphia as Dayside EP at KYW-TV.
Westcentral
Matt Luecking remains loose on the Terre Haute radio landscape. He still handles weekend work at Entercom Hot AC/WZPL (99.5fm, Greenfield). Want to talk with Matt? 812.239.5495 or matt at showtimemusic dot net.
Crossroads Communications' Hot AC/WBOW-FM (102.7fm, Terre Haute) OM/PD Chris Carter adds PD duties for sister Oldies/WAXI (104.9fm, Rockville).
Rhythmic CHR/WCBH (104.3fm, Casey, Illinois) PD Ken Cunningham exits for PD/middays at WQQB in Champaign, Illinois.
Southcentral
Rock/WWWY (106.1fm, Columbus) adds "The Rockin' 80's" - syndicated by Mark Zander's "Zanderadio Productions" - to its Saturday lineup airing from 10pm - 12am.
Southwest
Mark down new calls - WEJK - for the adult hits station formerly known as WYXY (107.1fm, Boonville). WEJK changed formats from Contemporary Christian to Adult Hits in October and now uses ABC Radio Network's "Jack FM" format.
That's it for this issue. See you in a week!
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