Indiana RadioWatch: 2000 Year in Review
2000 in Station Sales
February: Religious/WHPZ (96.9fm, Bremen) was sold by Bomar Broadcasting
to LeSea Broadcasting, while Religious/WVXI (106.3fm, Crawfordsville) sold
by the Xavier University "X-Star" network to C.V.L. Broadcasting.
March: Maryland based Radio One purchased all of Bill Shirk's Indianapolis
properties: Rhythmic/WHHH (96.3fm, Indianapolis), Rhythmic Oldies/WBKS
(106.7fm, Greenwood), and Jazz/WYJZ (100.9fm, Lebanon). The $40 million
deal also included W53AV, ("WAV-TV") a low-powered TV station. Also,
Country/WBTU (93.3fm, Kendallville) is sold by 62nd Street Broadcasting to
Artistic Media Partners for $5 million.
May: The allocation on 106.7fm in Hicksville, Ohio is sold by GMA
Broadcasting to Fallen Timbers Communications for $512,000. We saw in
Broadcasting & Cable magazine that Fallen Timbers is run by Alec C. Dille,
the son of Pathfinder Communications' President John F. Dille III.
August: A long-standing LMA is over with Country/WSKT (92.7fm, Spencer).
The Vincennes-based Original Company, either itself or the now-defunct Old
Northwest Broadcasting, has operated the station under the agreement since
the mid-1990's. Some internal changes within the two companies, including
the buyout of Old Northwest by Original, prevented a sale from occurring
earlier.
October: Cumulus Media has closed on the sale of the Connoisseur stations.
However, the 4 Evansville properties have been spun off to Clear Channel,
since Cumulus needs additional monies to fund the complete purchase of
Connoisseur. Spun off to Clear Channel is News-Talk/WGBF(AM) (1280am,
Evansville), Rock/WGBF-FM (103.1fm, Henderson, Kentucky), Classic
Rock/WTRI (94.9fm, Mount Carmel, Illinois), and Country/WYNG (105.3fm,
Evansville). Also, WZRK (101.7fm, Kentland) is sold by Lyle Robert Evans
to Milner Broadcasting, owners of Oldies/WVLI in Kankakee, Illinois.
2000 in Format Changes
March: WSDM(AM) (1130am, Brazil) and WJSH (1300am, Terre Haute) flip
formats from gospel to sports as "The X", on March 1. WSDM's call letters
change to WSDX, while WJSH is now WSJX. Then on Tuesday March 28, at 6am,
Rock/WNAP (93.1fm, Indianapolis) flipped formats to CHR. Also, CVL
Broadcasting, the new owners of WVXI (106.3fm, Crawfordsville) flips
format to CHR.
April: Federated Media's Oldies/WNIL (1290am, Niles, Michigan) flips
format to ABC's "Lite 2000" satellite format. Also flipping is sister
station WTRC (1340am, Elkhart). WNIL was doing oldies using Jones Radio
Network's "Good Time Oldies" satellite format, while WTRC was doing WW1's
"MOR" format. Also, WWWY (104.9fm, Columbus) flips formats from Soft AC
to Hot AC.
August: Country/WKVI (1520am, 99.3fm; both Knox) flips format to AC.
WKVI had been a country station for the last 17 years. Their AC format is
off satellite from Westwood One. Heritage Rock/WZZQ (107.5fm, Terre
Haute) flips to Alternative as "107-5 The Edge" under new PD J. Jay King.
The flip happened on Tuesday 15 August after non-stop Metallica for an
hour.
September: WEXI (102.9fm, Huntington) ends its simulcast with sister
Rock/WXKE (103.9fm, Fort Wayne) and flips to "alternative dance" as
"Energy 102.9" WYGB (102.9fm, Edinburgh) signed on with a country format
as "Korn Country", after a feud with perennial Country/WKKG (101.5fm,
Columbus) involving a phony commercial for Corn that aired on WKKG.
October: AC/WRSW(AM) & FM (1480am, 107.3fm; both Warsaw) ended their
simulcast. The FM continued its AC format while the AM began a sports
format, airing ESPN Radio. Artistic Media Partners' WAZY(AM) (1410am,
Lafayette) dropped its simulcast of AC/WAZY-FM and flipped to Standards
under PD Steve Clark. According to an article in The Lafayette
Journal and Courier, WAZY's programming comes from Westwood One.
November: A format change in the Anderson area, as Hot AC WHTI/WHTY
(96.7fm, Alexandria; 93.5fm, Hartford City) flip formats to classic rock
as "The Max". Tom Willhoite is the new PD of "The Max."
2000 in Call Letter Changes
WTHC (95.9fm, Seelyville) to WWSY (February)
WQSH (98.9fm, Salem) to WZTR (February)
WSDM (1130am, Brazil) to WSDX (March)
WJSH (1300am, Terre Haute) to WSJX (March)
WOOO (1520am, Shelbyville) to WKWH(AM) (March)
WRCR (94.3fm, Rushville) to WKWH-FM (March)
WZZQ(AM) (1230am, Terre Haute) to WBUZ(AM) (August)
WBRO (96.9fm, Hardinsburg) to WKLO (September)
WKLO (89.9fm, Marengo) to WBRO (September)
2000 in Personnel Changes
January: The major story revolved around Rock/WFBQ (94.7fm, Indianapolis)
as Marty Bender is now Executive Producer for The Bob & Tom Show. Bender
gives up his PD duties at flagship Rock/WFBQ (94.7fm), but keeps OM duties
for WFBQ, Sports/WNDE (1260am), and Alternative/WRZX (103.3fm, all
Indianapolis).
February: J.J. Davis joins the Mid(AM)erica stations in Logansport and
Peru, as Operations Manager. He'll oversee Classic Hits/WARU(AM) & FM,
Country/WHZR, Oldies/WIOU, and CHR/WZWZ. Also, John Dille, president of
Pathfinder Communications, names one of his general managers as Chief
Operating Officer. Tony Richards, GM of N-T/WOWO, Country/WQHK, Hot
AC/WMEE, and Sports/WONO will also retain his spot as GM at the Maples
Road facility in Fort Wayne.
March: Tim Makenzie replaces Dick Prescott as News Director at Soft
AC/WSAL & AC/WLHM (1230am & 102.3fm, both Logansport). Prescott exits to
become Mayor of Logansport.
April: OM Sky Phillips departs CHR/WSTO & Country/WBKR (96.1fm, 92.5fm;
both Owensboro, Kentucky) to form his own production company.
Susquehanna Market Manager Monte Maupin-Gerard exits. Maupin-Gerard
oversaw Country/WFMS (95.5fm, Indianapolis), Oldies/WGLD (104.5fm,
Indianapolis), and Country/WGRL (93.9fm, Noblesville). Replacing
Maupin-Gerard in an Acting role is Charlie Morgan, VP/GM of WGLD. He
became VP/Market Manager in May. Finally, Dave Crooks becomes GM at
Gospel/WAMW(AM) and Soft AC/WYER-FM (1580am, 107.9fm, both Washington).
Crooks was formerly co-owner of Country/WWBL (106.5fm, Washington).
May: Longtime AAA/WTTS (92.3fm, Bloomington) PD Rich Anton announced he'll
depart on July 14. In addition to being PD, Anton also does mornings at
"Indiana's 92.3". He's replaced in September by Jim Ziegler. Ziegler
arrives from nights at legendary AAA/KFOG in San Francisco, California.
Also, MD Marie McCallister is promoted to Assistant Program Director.
June: After 14 years at CHR/WMEE (97.3fm, Fort Wayne), the last 2 as PD,
"Captain" Chris Didier departs the heritage CHR for Oldies/WLDE (101.7fm,
Fort Wayne). There, he'll do afternoons. Also, CHR/WZPL (99.5fm,
Greenfield) night guy Ted Stryker departs for sunny Florida. There, he'll
be PD & mornings at CHR/WILN in Panama City.
July: At CHR/WNOU, PD Scrap Jackson departs. Also, Longtime sports talk
show personality Art Saltsberg hangs up the headphones of the popular
"Sports Talk with Art & Dean" show, that he hosted with WPTA-TV Sports
Director Dean Pantazi. Saltsberg and Pantazi have hosted the show since
November 4, 1985. Before "Sports Talk", Saltsberg had worked at WOWO in
the 1970's, first as a news person, then as News Director from 1977-1979.
Saltsberg continues in his sales position for WOWO and sister Sports/WONO
(1380am, Fort Wayne). J. Jay King arrives at Rock/WZZQ (107.5fm, Terre
Haute) from WCIL in Carbondale, Illinois. Scott Michaels, PD at
Country/WKKG (101.5fm, Columbus) exits for the APD job at WJYE in Buffalo,
New York.
August: Pat Redd exits as OM of Rock/WAOR (95.3fm, Niles, Michigan) for
the Promotion Director gig at the Clear Channel stations in Albany, New
York (WABT, WGY, WHRL, WRVE, and WXCR). Brian Michel, PD at Rhythmic/WCKZ
(102.3fm, Auburn) rises to VP/Programming for Kovas Communications
stations WCKZ and Alternative/WEJE (96.3fm, Churubusco). Michel also is
off-air now, having done afternoons at WCKZ "Z-102.3"
September: Weasel, PD at Urban/WJFX (107.9fm, New Haven) steps down, but
will remain with "Hot 107.9" doing mornings. Replacing Weasel is Phil
Becker. Becker arrives from WBCD in Dothan, Alabama. Weasel becomes
APD/MD. Religious/WBCL (90.3fm, Fort Wayne) names Jason Craner as News
Director. Craner arrives in the Summit City from Lansing, Michigan, where
he was News Director & morning host at WLGH. CHR/WNOU (93.1fm,
Indianapolis) names David Edgar as PD. Edgar arrives from Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, where he was PD at WBZZ. The vacant night gig at CHR/WZPL
(99.5fm, Greenfield) is filled by Jason Burns (aka Buzz Craven). Burns
heads to the Circle City from Florida, where he's worked in Orlando and
Tallahassee.
October: After 53 years in radio, Talk/WIBC (1070am, Indianapolis) News
Director Fred Heckman retired. According to Marc Allan's article in The
Indianapolis Star, Heckman worked for 36 years with WIBC (1957-1993) and
walked out when WIBC's former owners wanted to change to a "headline news"
format. In 1994, when Emmis Communications purchased the station, Heckman
returned. Ernie Caldemone is the new GM for Citadel's News-Talk/WMDH(AM) &
Country/WMDH-FM (1550am, 102.5fm; both New Castle)
November: CHR/WNOU (93.1fm, Indianapolis) morning guy Marty McKnight
resigns, but will stay on until a new morning show arrives. Dave Kersch
is the new GM at Alternative/WZZQ (107.5fm, Terre Haute). Kersch was last
at Country/WACF (98.5fm, Paris, Illinois/Terre Haute). Jeff Weber departs
as GSM at News-Talk/WGCL and AAA/WTTS (1370am, 92.3fm; both Bloomington).
He'll be GSM at WZBA in Baltimore, Maryland. Former Rock/WFBQ (94.7fm,
Indianapolis) midday guy Jay Baker joins Dan Somers in mornings at Classic
Rock/WKLU (101.9fm, Brownsburg).
2000 in Otherness
January: Oldies/WGTO (910am, Cassopolis, Michigan) commences a live audio
feed on the Internet at http://www.warpradio.com/asx/wgto.asx
February: The Purdue University Board of Trustees has approved a $1.5
million plan to almost double the size of WBAA(AM) & FM (920am, 101.3fm,
both West Lafayette). This project will both increase studio space and
renovate offices and other work areas. The current facility was built in
the early 1940's for a single AM station. Over in Anderson, a big
landmark disappears: The WHBU (1240am, Anderson) Blaw-Knox Tower. At 175
feet, the self supporting tower sat atop the six-story Union Building in
downtown Anderson. Replacing this tower is a new guyed tower on the south
side of town. The upper 6 feet of the old tower, including the top
beacon, will be housed in a local museum.
March: News-Talk/WOWO (1190am, Fort Wayne) turned 75 on March 31. From
humble beginnings as a 500 watt station above the Main Auto Supply
Company, WOWO grew into a 50 kilowatt Westinghouse-owned station. WOWO
was later sold several times, reducing its power in the late 1990's to
accommodate co-channel WLIB in New York. WOWO is now owned by Federated
Media of Elkhart. Also, 990am returns in Muncie: WLHN (formerly WERK(AM))
is now on the air. Operating with 62 watts, under an STA from the FCC,
WLHN airs southern gospel music & religious programming.
June: Early this month, we were made aware of the death of Warren
Freiberg. IRW recognized the name, but wasn't aware of any Indiana
connection. Through several readers (among them, Chicago Sun-Times
columnist Bob Feder), we were made aware that Freiberg does indeed have an
Indiana connection. First of all, we'll tell you that Freiberg, 60, died
on June 2. After working in Michigan and Illinois, he began a lengthy
career at WWCA (1270am, East Chicago). Known as "The Dean of Northwest
Indiana Talk Shows", Freiberg was appointed VP/GM at WLTH (1370am, Gary)
in 1969. In 1985, he started the "Freedom Network" on WWJY (103.9fm,
Crown Point) and a Chicago station. Until his death, he has his wife,
Libby, broadcast a daily simulcast on the St. George stations: WJOB
(1230am, Hammond) and WIMS (1420am, Michigan City). Freiberg is survived
by his wife, Libby, and a son, Warren.
August: Condolences to the family of Richard M. Fairbanks. Fairbanks, 88,
died on the 11th in Key Largo, Florida. He started Fairbanks
Communications in 1948 to buy WIBC (1070am, Indianapolis). The Fairbanks
family also owned the Indianapolis News (later sold to Eugene C. Pulliam
also in 1948.)
That's the wrap on this year. We'll be back with you with the latest news
on 27 January.
Blaine Thompson
Indiana RadioWatch
irw@well.com
Back to the Archive Index
All pages Copyright
Blaine Thompson. Articles, photos, corrections, and other contributions should be
e-mailed to the editors.