Indiana RadioWatch: April 30, 2006
First, IRW now provides content on tophour.net. IRW knows everyone in
broadcasting has affection for a facet of the industry. IRW's affection
is the Legal ID. We believe IRW in the upper echelon of radio "nerds"
now. If you want to hear everything from the most mundane to very
well-produced Legal ID's, give the website a listen. You may even hear an
ID from your own station!
Second, if any of your colleagues are interested in receiving IRW, have
them drop us an e-mail (irw@well.com)
Finally, a question: A reader e-mailed this week asking where and when
John Roberts programmed in Indianapolis. Roberts is now Group PD with
First Broadcasting in Dallas. If you know, e-mail us - irw@well.com
A few stories still remain on our plate, but here we go:
Northeast
The $1 million sale of AC/WNUY (100.1fm, Bluffton) by Wells County Radio
Corp. to Independence Media closed in late March. Ed Roehling's Roehling
Broadcast Services brokered the sale. After tweaking the format slightly
to Soft AC, Independence Media started a billboard campaign around the
Fort Wayne metro - "Y100.1 Great Soft Rock, Less Talk."
Summit City Radio removes "interim" from the PD's at Rhythmic CHR/WNHT
(96.3fm, Churubusco) and CHR/WYLT (103.9fm, Fort Wayne). Now, MoJo is PD
of "Wild 96.3" and McConnell Adams (mornings as "Man at Large") is PD of
"My 103.9."
Summit City Radio Group's Alternative/WXTW (102.3fm, Auburn) morning
co-host Jack Hammer exits. He is moments away from resurfacing, proving
you can go home again...
Where Are They Now (Part 1)? Former Summit City Radio Group Director of
Sales Dave Wisniewski is now Director of Sales for the Zimmer Radio Group
of stations in Mid-Missouri (Columbia, Fulton, and Jefferson City).
Where Are They Now (Part 2)? Former Fort Wayne DJ (he was at several
places) Sammy Suarez is now PD/afternoons at Clear Channel's KISN in
Bozeman, Montana.
Where Are They Now (Part 3)? Former Summit City Radio Rhythmic CHR/WNHT
(96.3fm, Churubusco) and CHR/WYLT (103.9fm, Fort Wayne) PD Dave B. Goode
is now MD/mornings at WKHQ in Charlevoix, Michigan.
Northcentral
Citadel Country/WWKI (100.5fm, Kokomo) suffered a fire Wednesday night
(4/26). Just before 8pm, night jock Kenny Beasley smelled smoke and
called the fire department. Mike Fletcher's Kokomo Tribune story reports
that the building was engulfed in smoke and flames were shooting from the
roof when fire department crews arrived. WWKI returned on air at 9:30am
Thursday morning, however, it went silent Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
nights, and all day Sunday. During Sunday's off-air period, station
personnel will move broadcasting and office equipment into two large
portable trailers in the station parking lot, and temporarily work out of
those trailers. WWKI GM Mike Christopher tells IRW the entire power grid
was destroyed. The building was damaged; however the full extent remains
unclear. In an unrelated story, IRW extends Get Well wishes to WWKI PD
Dave Broman as he suffered a heart attack on 8 April. Broman is now home
from the hospital and recovering.
Several Artistic Media stories here:
First, Artistic Media shakes up the South Bend AM dial as WNDV (1490am,
South Bend) breaks off from its long time simulcast of sister CHR/WNDV-FM
(92.9fm, South Bend) and starts simulcasting Sports/WDND (1580am, South
Bend). WDND formerly partnered with an Artistic station on 1620am and
that station (starting March 15) became Soft AC/"Love Songs," returning
the call letters WWLV to the market. WWLV was last heard on 102.3fm,
Second, Artistic Media promotes Casey Daniels to Station Manager of
Rock/WZOW-WOZW (102.3fm, New Carlisle; 97.7fm, Goshen) and Soft AC/WWLV
(1620am, South Bend).
Finally, Artistic Media CHR/WNDV (92.9fm, South Bend) welcomes Karen Rite
to the PD chair. Rite was last PD at WGKS in Lexington, Kentucky. Rite
replaces Tommy Frank who is now with NextMedia's stations in Saginaw,
Michigan. Also at "U93," MD/afternoon guy Scotty Wylde adds APD duties
and resets the alarm clock much earlier as he's now doing mornings.
Northwest
Radio One Communications' Country/WLJE (105.5fm, Valparaiso) adds
Hollywood Hendrix Productions for station imaging.
Two long-time Indiana radio vets were recently married; Kevin Burris
(ex-WIRE, WIBC/WKLR, WTPI/WXNT, now afternoons WWKI), and Karen James
(ex-WZWZ, WFMS/WGLD, now sales WRDZ) exchanged wedding vows February 11,
2006 at Bethesda Baptist Church in Brownsburg. The happy couple welcomed
an array of broadcasting talent to the ceremony/reception. Some attending
included Gia Berns, J.D. Cannon, Doug Dahlgren, Terry Fullen, Gary Havens,
Tammy Lively, Mike O'Brien, Steve Rich, Scott Roddy, and Steve Simpson.
The newlyweds honeymooned in the somewhere in the Bahamas.
Eastcentral
Mid-America Radio's Soft AC/WMRI (106.9fm, Marion) is now WXXC. No format
change. Remember, WMRI's call letters live on at 860am, as a News/Talk
station (that format/call letter change happened recently).
WKBV (1490am, Richmond) sports broadcaster Phil Stigleman passed away on
Sunday 9 April. The 79 year old Stigleman worked at WKBV from 1961 until
retiring in 1989.
Central
A longtime jazz aficionado returns to broadcasting as Chuck Workman
recently commenced hosting "The Saturday Evening Jazz Show" (6pm - 8pm) on
the University of Indianapolis' WICR (88.7fm, Indianapolis). Workman was
last heard on the former WTPI (107.9fm, Indianapolis), hosting "The Sunday
Morning Jazz Show" and from 1970-1990, ago was on the board and hosted a
jazz show on the former WIAN (90.1fm, Indianapolis).
Congratulations to Ben Davis High School's WBDG (90.9fm, Indianapolis).
Recently, students Keith Czerwinski and Alex Kirby were named "Radio
Sports Casting/Radio Sports Play-by-Play" Grand Prize winners at the 2006
Columbia College Chicago High School Student Radio Awards competition.
Also, students Garrison King and Ryan Huber received Honorable Mention in
the same category. WBDG Station Manager Jon Easter commented: "These four
students deserve this honor tremendously."
Dan Pantos exits as Promotions Director at Emmis' Country/WLHK (97.1fm,
Shelbyville). His last day was Friday 7 April. If you're interested in
applying for the job, we have all the details; just drop us an e-mail.
Alice Cooper's radio show - "Nights with Alice Cooper" debuts on Clear
Channel's WFBQ (94.7fm, Indianapolis) 7pm - 12am, weeknights.
Westcentral
Midwest Communications' Hot AC/WWSY (95.9fm, Seelyville) flips to Adult
Hits as "95.9 The Valley." An IRW reader mentions that it's the same
format that Midwest Communications has on several of their stations.
Southcentral
White River Broadcasting's Sam Simmermaker was inducted recently into the
Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame as the St. Vincent Silver Medalist Winner.
Sam was also recognized by top statehouse officials. Indiana Senate Pro
Tem President Bob Garton along with the Indiana General Assembly has
congratulated Sam yesterday at the statehouse. The Assembly congratulated
Simmermaker on a long and prosperous career in the sportscasting
profession and recognizes his accomplishments and contributions to the
community of Columbus. Simmermaker has been with White River Broadcasting
for 47 years.
Southwest
Dan Egierski exits as Sports Director for Regent's N-T/WGBF (1280am,
Evansville) and Sports/WYNG (94.9fm, Mount Carmel, Illinois). Dan Korb's
Evansville Courier and Press article indicates that WGBF/WYNG PD John
Story will take some of Egierski's duties for now, but the stations "will
no longer have a sports director." Egierski told the Courier and Press
that "it's very rare for a market this size to have a title (sports
director) like that at a radio station."
Eric Page exits as Imaging Director/Nights at Classic Rock/WABX (107.5,
Evansville) for Sports Director duties at WGST in Atlanta, Georgia.
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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