Indiana RadioWatch: January 13, 1999

Northeast

WGL-FM (102.3fm, Auburn) has changed formats. They are a rimshot of Fort Wayne; last simulcasting ModernAC/WYSR (94.1fm, Roanoke), in an attempt to blanket the entire city of Fort Wayne. WGL-FM switches to a Rhythmic/CHR format, calling themselves Z102 "Today's Hottest Music". The IRW radio dial was tuned to them last night, and this morning. We heard alot of dance tunes ... currents from Will Smith, Lauryn Hill and Aaliyah ... 'gold' from Dee-Lite, Heavy D & The Boyz, Boys II Men, and Montel Jordan.

Speaking of WYSR...PD Coyote exits the station. Weasel, PD at sister Alternative/WEJE (96.3fm, Churubusco) handles day-to-day PD duties at WYSR.

Standards WSHI (106.3fm Columbia City/Fort Wayne) was knocked off the air the afternoon of Dec. 28th. The station returned to the air, at reduced power, that evening. Full repairs were completed on December 30th.

Northcentral

Lots of news happening in Warsaw. Dan Daggett moves from Mornings at AC/WRSW (1480am and 107.3fm, both Warsaw) to PM Drive at Country/WLNB (102.7fm, Ligonier). WLNB was sold at auction in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, according to the Warsaw Times-Union. WLNB was purchased for $195,000 by GBC Media of nearby Winona Lake. The Brethren Missionary Herald will operate the station under an LMA. GBC also purchased AC/WRSW(AM) & FM (1480am & 107.3fm, both Warsaw).

Some Goshen news: M-Street reports that AOR/WZOW (97.7fm, Goshen) switches format to Classic Rock. Also, the World Radio Network has applied for a translator on 88.5fm, relaying KRUC (88.9fm, Las Cruces, New Mexico)

Standards/WJVA (1620am, South Bend) recently completed its DX Test, conducted in cooperation with the National Radio Club. The folks at WJVA tell us that letters were received from as far as England and Hawaii. They also say that WHLY (1580am, South Bend) will start a new format around the first of February. We'll let you know what transpires.

Northwest

We've only heard about one station being affected by the "Blizzard of '99" -- Alternative/WGBD (95.7fm, Attica) was off the air for 3 days, due to damage from the storm. Also at WGBD, Wes Scott arrives for Nights.

WBEZ (91.5fm, Chicago, Illinois) files for a translator on 90.3fm in Michigan City.

Eastcentral

Hot AC/WLBC (104.1fm, Muncie) PM Driver Rick Duncan exits for PD/Mornings at CHR/WFMG (101.3fm, Richmond). Richard Ramsey moves up from nights to PM Drive and Adam Grubb returns to WLBC, having left the station last summer.

WMDH(AM) & FM (1550am, Talk/Sports; 102.5fm, Country, both New Castle) are sold to Citadel along with Country/WWKI (100.5fm Kokomo).

Central

Congrats to Emmis Communications on opening their new world headquarters in Indianapolis. Emmis' headquarters is in the heart of Indianapolis; Monument Circle. The building will house radio stations WENS, WNAP, WIBC & WTLC(AM) & FM; Network Indiana and AgriAmerica radio networks, Indianapolis Monthly Magazine, Emmis Publishing, and the Emmis corporate offices. The building, built in 1897, used to house the Indianapolis Journal newspaper.

Jazz/WWRE (91.1fm, Lebanon) appears to have filed necessary applications to come within compliance. You'll remember IRW reported that WWRE was operating with a higher power than allowed by the FCC. This caused interference with WEDM (91.1fm, Indianapolis). We're not sure who alerted the FCC, but they did an inspection on WWRE and notified owner Bill Shirk that his station needed to be brought within compliance.

Congrats to Urban/WTLC(AM) & FM (1310am & 105.7fm, Indianapolis) VP/GM Vincent Fruge. Fruge becomes a member of the Arbitron Radio Advisory Council.

Morning duo Bob & Tom add four new stations: WIQB (102.9fm, Ann Arbor, Michigan), WWBN (101.5fm, Flint, Michigan), KKCD (105.9fm, Omaha, Nebraska), and KTHK (97.9fm, Tri-Cities, Washington).

The application by Education Opportunities for 88.3fm in Tipton is returned by the FCC.

Westcentral

Former CHR/WMGI (100.7fm, Terre Haute) PD Beau Richards joins Cumulus, as PD at CHR/WHHY in Montgomery, Alabama.

Southeast

Kudos to CHR/WRZQ (107.3fm, Greensburg). Yesterday morning, DJ Dave Wineland delivered 107 donuts to the city snow plow drivers. They called it "The Chow Providers for The Snow Plow Drivers".

The application by Good Shepherd Radio for a station on 88.1fm in Versailles is returned by the FCC.

That's it for this issue! See you in two weeks...

Blaine Thompson
Indiana RadioWatch
irw@well.com

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