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This Page Last Updated: Monday 15 August 2011

The Essentials

Frequency: 1450am
City of License: Fort Wayne
Metro(s): Fort Wayne
Power: 1000 watts - Day, 1000 watts - Night (ND)
Format: Religious
Address: 4705 Illinois Road, Suite 100, Fort Wayne, IN 46804-5108
Phone: 260.436.9598
FAX: 260.432.6179
Ownership: Redeemer Radio
Network Affiliation(s): ISP Sports (Notre Dame Football)
Web Presence: http://www.wlyv.com

Station Personnel

Current

Business Manager/Sales: Linda Ballman

Former

President/GM: Herbert Weber (January 1966 - March 1982) (Deceased 8 July 2001)
GM: P.A. Gaither Stephens (Now Regional Manager for former WLYV owner Christian Broadcasting System)
GM: Victor H. Sterling (January 1974 - ?)
GM: Herbert Weber
GM/SM: Tanya Pierce
Chief Engineer: Dave Jackson
Chief Engineer: Jeff Goode
OM/PD: Brian J. Thomas
PD: Bob Hamilton (Now at KNEW(AM) in San Francisco, California)
PD: Diane Shannon
PD: Mike Gilbert
MD: Tom Williams (Deceased 8 Janaury 1998)
News Director: Katrina Martin
Mornings: Gary Lockwood (6am - 10am)
Mornings: Jim Felton ("Uncle Felty") (6am - 9am)
Middays: Jay Walker (1969 - ?) (First in Nights, then afternoons, and finally middays)
Middays: Dale Allen (9am - 12pm)
Middays: Rick Hughes (12pm - 4pm) (Retired after a career at WQHK(AM) and a longer tenure in middays at WQHK-FM)
Afternoons: Ron White (4pm - 8pm)
Nights: Wally Baker (8pm - 1am)
Overnights: Tom Roberts (1970-1973)
Overnights: Don Beckman (1am - 6am)
Airstaff: Bob Barnes (Now out of radio)
Airstaff: Bill Donovan (Summer 1973 - ?) (From WMEE)
Airstaff: Victor H. Sterling (Deceased 1 August 2001)

Station History

There are definately two different WLYV's: The 1960's and 1970's Top 40 station, and the current religious incarnation.

1450am signed on March 28, 1948. The former WLYV was a hayday station of the 1960's - The proverbial David to Golliath WOWO(AM). In the Fall of 1968, WLYV beat WOWO by 1 point in the Arbitron (12+) ratings. This was a feat, as WLYV was running a mere 481 watts to WOWO's 50,000 watts. WLYV switched formats to Country on March 14, 1974 (it was owned by Shepard Broadcasting). WLYV had some prominent ownership for a time. Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus owned the station from March 14, 1974 to 1980 under the corporate name "Golden Bear Broadcasting." WLYV was once located in the Antony Wayne Bank Building (Suite 925).

The current WLYV is a religious station, broadcasting from studios alongside Illinois Road in southwestern Fort Wayne. It has gone through several slogan changes, and a few minor format modifications, but it's usually stayed true to religious programming. In December 2002, parent company Midwest Broadcasting Corporation changed names to Christian Broadcasting System. WLYV was sold by Christian Broadcasting System to Redeemer Radio.

For Further Reading...

"Fates & Fortunes." Broadcasting. 21 January 1974. Page 52.
Shepherd, Michelle L. "Veteran broadcaster Tom Williams dies." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. 11 January 1998. Page 14A.
"Former airport official, WLYV president dies." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. 11 July 2001. Page 3C.
Mettert, Andrea. "Radio, TV broadcastor Victor H. Sterling dies." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. 3 August 2001. Page 3C.

RadioWatch Mentions

14 July 2001
1 September 2001
20 September 2005
24 February 2007

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All pages Copyright Blaine Thompson. Articles, photos, corrections, and other contributions should be e-mailed to the editors.