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Indiana RadioWatch
Serving Hoosier Broadcasters Since 1998
28 August 2023
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Good Evening:
Need to fill a broadcasting job? Please send me an e-mail with the details.
Let's start this issue with an advertorial.
Until now local news meant compromise: either staff an expensive newsroom, or accept a halfhearted effort by someone who just rips and reads. Now technology can help upgrade your station’s news while controlling costs!
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Why does my station even need local news?
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For most Music Stations and many News/Talkers, it's hard to justify the cost of even one fulltime news staffer. But when you share the cost with other stations, everybody has better quality at far less expense. Each Virtual News Center™ anchor has years of industry experience and your anchor (or anchors if you like) will be exclusive to your station. Plus they sound like they are part of your staff.
How do you know what’s going on in my market?
Of course Virtual News Center™ can do the normal beat calls, web site checks, and we get on relevant email and fax distribution lists. With today’s technology your DJ does not have to be in the building, your traffic and billing is somewhere else, and now you can have a larger sounding newsroom and not worry about the challenges of attitude in the hall and other issues that go along with a hire.
How are my newscasts delivered?
Virtual News Center™ delivers on-air content via digital audio in MP3 and WAV format. They are posted to a website where your automation software or on-air staff can grab them as needed. Files can be pushed to you if you have the right automation software as well.
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Onto the news!
Northeast
Columbia City High School's Alternative/WJHS (91.5fm, Columbia City) redesigns their webpage. Check it out here.
Impact Radio’s Classic Rock/WBNO (100.9fm, Bryan, Ohio) adds veteran broadcaster Adam Gubernath in morning drive (6am until 10am).
Taylor University Broadcasting's Contemporary Christian/WBCL (90.3fm, Fort Wayne) News Director Larry Bower retired after nearly 60 years in broadcasting. In 1972, Mr. Bower joined what was then Top-40/WLYV (1450am, Fort Wayne). He then moved to TV at what was then NBC affiliate WKJG-TV (Channel 33, Fort Wayne). There he wore multiple hats (commercial production, and promotions). For the past 19 years, he’s been with WBCL, as part of their morning show.
The WBCL Radio Network also includes these stations and translators:
WBCJ (88.1fm, Spencerville, Ohio)
WBCW (89.7fm, Upland)
WBCY (89.5fm, Archbold, Ohio)
WTPG (88.9fm, Whitehouse, Ohio)
WCVM (94.7fm, Bronson, Michigan)
W267BN (101.3fm, Marion)
W291AH (106.1fm, Muncie)
W258CE (99.5fm, Findlay, Ohio)
W249BT (97.7fm, Adrian, Michigan)
Gray Television has both the ABC and NBC affiliations (among others) in Fort Wayne, with ABC on WPTA-TV (Channel 21.1, Fort Wayne) and NBC on WPTA-TV (Channel 21.2).
Lots going on here, so let’s break it down.
Last Thursday afternoon (08/24) at the end of the 6:00pm local newscast, co-anchor Brien McElhatten said it would be his last newscast, and that he was leaving 21 Alive. Brien re-joined WPTA in 2016; he had been a reporter at WPTA earlier on in his career.
Also, anchor and reporter Angelica Pickens exits, and joins TEGNA's NBC affiliate/WTHR-TV (Channel 13, Indianapolis) as a reporter. Finally, Karli VanCleave joins the ‘Digging Deeper’ investigative team as their investigative reporter.
Where Are They Now? Former Fort Wayne broadcaster Vincent ‘Mojo’ Wilson now is OM for Cumulus Media in Mobile, Alabama, PD for their WXQW(AM) and WABD-FM, and middays on WABD-FM.
Northcentral
Weigel Broadcasting's ABC affiliate/WBND (Channel 57, South Bend) promotes Jordan Hatfield from photographer and editor to anchor and reporter. Mr. Hatfield joined ‘ABC57’ in 2019. Mr. Hatfield graduated from DePaul University.
Mid-West Family Broadcasting’s Hot AC/WNSN (101.5fm, South Bend) adds Caleb James in afternoons (3pm until 8pm). Mr. James previously worked on-air in South Bend at WNDV (92.9fm, South Bend). After leaving South Bend, he worked in Lincoln, Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska, and then co-hosted mornings in Indianapolis for Country/WLHK (97.1fm, Shelbyville).
After 5 years, Tiffany Salameh exits as anchor and investigative report at Weigel Broadcasting's ABC affiliate/WBND (Channel 57, South Bend). Ms. Salameh joined as part of their I-TEAM and Consumer Investigative Reporter for WJXT-TV in Jacksonville, Florida.
Where Are They Now? Former Sound Management/South Bend OM and WNDV-FM morning host Aaron ‘Goose’ Seller now programs and co-hosts mornings on WWWW-FM in Ann Arbor, Michigan (‘W4 Country’).
Eastcentral
Where Are They Now? Former then-Backyard Broadcasting/Muncie GM Bruce Law becomes Director of Radio Operations for the Griffin Radio cluster in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Central
The Power Foundation announced a $150,000 agreement to sell both WWQI (91.3fm, Morristown) and WWDL (91.3fm, Plainfield) to Gospel Light Ministries. At present, both radio stations air the Christian formatted The Life FM. Griffin Media Services brokered this transaction.
Circle City Broadcasting's CW affiliate/WISH-TV (Channel 8, Indianapolis) meteorologist Ryan Morse can now be seen on the Weekend Daybreak local news shows.
Where Are They Now? Former then-WNOU PD Tim "Rayne" Rainey now does mornings for KRAT (‘Alt 92.1’) in Reno, Nevada. Mr. Rainey is also PA announcer for the Sacramento River Cats and handles fill-in PA announcing for the San Francisco Giants.
Westcentral
After five years, Omar Tellow exits as sports anchor and reporter for Nexstar’s NBC affiliate WTWO-TV (Channel 2, Terre Haute).
Southeast
Two Hawks Communications restructured their ownership. Dawn Fowler paid $50,000 half the ownership interest in their Classic Country/WOCC (1550am, Corydon) and FM translator W274AD (102.7fm, Corydon). Timothy Jackson owns the other 50% of WOCC and W274AD.
Southwest
Townsquare's Country/WKDQ (99.5fm, Henderson, Kentucky) adds Melissa Awesome to mornings alongside PD Ryan O’Bryan. Ms. Awesome moves over from Promotions and Afternoons at sister Rock/WGBF-FM (103.1fm, Henderson, Kentucky).
This Week in Indiana Radio History
Sign-on dates seem to be a prickly matter, subject to great debate, and mostly impossible to confirm. If there is something we need to add to the calendar, please let us know. Please also e-mail us if you have updated information.
August 27: In 1993, 92.7fm in Berne signs on as WZBD, and still is.
August 28: In 1989, 99.3fm in Van Buren signs on as WCJC, and still is. In 2006, broadcaster Kevin Bradley died. Age 52. Mr. Bradley worked in TV and Radio in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Terre Haute.
August 29: In 1948, 104.1fm in Evansville signs on as WIKY-FM, and still is. In 1971, 92.1fm in Rochester signs on as WROI-FM and still is.
August 30: In 2007, Andy Ober became PD at WOWO(AM) (1190am, Fort Wayne).
August 31: In 2006, then-WGL-FM (102.9fm, Huntington) flips format from Variety Hits ('Mike FM') to a simulcast of then-Standards formatted WGL(AM) (1250am, Fort Wayne) 'The River.'
September 1: In 1965, Channel 2 in Terre Haute signs on as WTWO-TV (and still is). Also on the same day and year, 103.1fm in Huntington signs on as WHLT-FM. Today, it's on 102.9fm as WJCI. In 1998, Fort Wayne's then-WHWD (1380am) flipped format from Adult Standards ('Radio Hollywood') to Sports ('The Game'). In 2006, there was a double Fort Wayne format change: WXTW (102.3fm, Auburn) flipped from Alternative to Spanish, under a new owner. Also, WYLT (103.9fm, Fort Wayne) returned to their WXKE call letters, flipping from pop CHR back to Rock as 'Rock 104.' In 2015, broadcaster and radio station owner Chris Caggiano (Chris Cage) died. Age 67.
September 2: In 1994, 102.3fm in LaGrange signs on as WTHD. It's now on 105.5fm (after a frequency swap with an Auburn, Indiana allocation), but it's still WTHD. On that same day, WMEE (97.3fm, Fort Wayne) flipped formats from CHR to Hot AC, as 'Mix 97.3.'
Employment Opportunities
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VP of Sales Columbus Indiana
Our town has a "tailwind" and Reising Radio Partners Incorporated is looking for its next General Sales Manager for our cluster of three FM stations. GSM candidate must exhibit strong ability for client-focused, local direct sales. Coaching, training, and ongoing development of personnel is the primary mission. Local direct sales are the primary emphasis. Must understand all media and be able to produce results-producing plans. We boast a fun family company environment and wonderful quality of life in our City. Our Brands are QMIX, KORN Country, MOJO, and Local News Digital
Forbes magazine selected Columbus as one of the top ten best small cities to raise a family, saying Columbus is one of the cities that “sweep our ranking of quiet, prosperous, and family-friendly places . . . these places boast solid average incomes, good educational prospects, low costs, short commute times, and high rates of home ownership.”
Chicago Tribune, Alfred Borcover says, “In the heart of the so-called RustBelt lies an extraordinary example of what vision and open-mindedness did for a central Indiana industrial town set amid farm fields . . . Columbus, however, is a town that lifts your spirits . . . some 60 architectural gems — schools, a library, churches, banks, a post office, fire stations, a newspaper, and offices — make you ooh and aah.”
Responsibilities:
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with key clients.
- Recruit and Develop local direct salespeople
- Collaborate with internal teams to ensure customer satisfaction and retention
- Ensure revenue targets are met
Qualifications:
- PROVEN EXPERIENCE IN BROADCAST OR DIGITAL MEDIA SALES IS A PRE-REQUISITE (no exceptions).
- Leadership skills guiding and encouraging a group toward common goals and enabling people to work together.
- Ability to coach and train
- Strong business acumen and ability to understand client needs
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills
- Self-motivated with a results-oriented mindset
- Familiar with CRM software
Come prosper with us in Columbus Indiana. The compensation package includes salary, bonus, healthcare, 401k. Send your resume and salary requirements to kreising@gmail.com. Reising Radio Partners Inc is an Equal Opportunity Employer located at 825 Washington Street Columbus Indiana.
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That's all for this issue. Thank you for your continued support.
=============== Indiana RadioWatch ===============
Indiana RadioWatch is (c) 2023, Blaine E. Thompson
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=============== Indiana RadioWatch ===============
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