WBOW (AM)
Encyclopedia
WBOW is a radio station
broadcasting a Sports radio format. Licensed to Terre Haute
, Indiana
, the station serves the Terre Haute area. It first began broadcasting in 1983
under the call sign WPFR. The station is currently owned by Crossroads Investments, LLC and features programing from ESPN Radio
.
.
In 1992, current WAXI
morning personality Ronn Mott purchased the station with the help of banker Terry Tevlin, the call sign had been changed to WJSH prior to the sale on October 22, 1991. The station was again sold to an individual in Connecticut which eventually led to the station going off the air for a second time in 1996
.
The station was again sold in late 1996, this time to current owner Crossroads Communications. They brought the station back on the air in January 1997, simulcasting new sister station WSDM-FM
. In 1998
the simulcast ended and the format was changed to Southern Gospel
with some programming coming from Reach Network out of Nashville, Tennessee.
The format was again changed in 1999 to Sports radio ("The X") prompting the call sign to be changed to WSJX on March 1, 2000. The call sign was finally changed to WBOW on August 1, 2002, utilizing the legendary call sign that had been used on 1230 AM and 640 AM in the Terre Haute metropolitan area from 1927 until 2001 when 640 AM went dark
. The WBOW call sign was later picked up by sister station 102.7 FM in 2003 as WBOW-FM. The station continues to broadcast a Sports radio format along with sister station WSDX
, simulcasting "ESPN Sports Radio" featuring programming from ESPN Radio.
. It began in 1927
as WRPI, a service of then Rose Polytechnic Institute. In 1932
, it split from the school, went commercial, and took the call letters WBOW, which stand for Banks of the Wabash. It had at least one other frequency before receiving its assignment of 1230 kHz. For years, WBOW was a full-service news and top-40
voice, and often the leading station, in the Terre Haute area. It was long affiliated with NBC radio
. In the early days of its existence, entertainer Burle Ives was a staff announcer at this radio station. In its waning years, its music had changed to adult standards
and became affiliated with the ABC
Information network. In 1992, WBOW moved to 640 kHz to gain a better signal and wider coverage, but shortly thereafter the station's programming became delivered entirely via satellite
.
WBOW changed hands several times through the years, and ultimately went dark when Mike Rice, president of owner Contemporary Media, Inc., lost licenses to all his stations for lack of candor to the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) during an investigation.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
broadcasting a Sports radio format. Licensed to Terre Haute
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, the station serves the Terre Haute area. It first began broadcasting in 1983
1983 in radio
The year 1983 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*August 2 - WHTZ in New York City debuts, soon becoming one of the most influential CHR stations in the US...
under the call sign WPFR. The station is currently owned by Crossroads Investments, LLC and features programing from ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
.
AM 1300 history
The station went on the air as WPFR on March 17, 1983 as a sister station to WPFR-FM (now WBOW-FM). On November 9, 1987, the call sign was changed to WYTL. The company that owned WPRF-FM and WYTL went into bankruptcy and both stations went of the air in 19911991 in radio
The year 1991 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:* January 18 - Brian Beirne became one of the few celebrities from radio to get a "star" on the Hollywood Walk of Fame....
.
In 1992, current WAXI
WAXI
WAXI is a radio station serving the Terre Haute, Indiana with a Classic rock format. It broadcasts on FM frequency 104.9 MHz and is under ownership of Crossroads Investments, LLC....
morning personality Ronn Mott purchased the station with the help of banker Terry Tevlin, the call sign had been changed to WJSH prior to the sale on October 22, 1991. The station was again sold to an individual in Connecticut which eventually led to the station going off the air for a second time in 1996
1996 in radio
The year 1996 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*WBOB and KQQL, both in Minneapolis, Minnesota are sold to Chancellor Communications....
.
The station was again sold in late 1996, this time to current owner Crossroads Communications. They brought the station back on the air in January 1997, simulcasting new sister station WSDM-FM
WSDM-FM
WSDM-FM is an FM radio station licensed to the city of Brazil, Indiana. The station operates on the FM radio frequency of 92.7 MHz, FM channel 224. The studios are located at 1301 Ohio Street in Terre Haute, Indiana.-History:...
. In 1998
1998 in radio
The year 1998 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*January 2 — A gunman shoots Antario Teodoro Filho, Brazilian politician and radio presenter, during a broadcast.*January 21 - Big 105 debuts playing its AC format...
the simulcast ended and the format was changed to Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
with some programming coming from Reach Network out of Nashville, Tennessee.
The format was again changed in 1999 to Sports radio ("The X") prompting the call sign to be changed to WSJX on March 1, 2000. The call sign was finally changed to WBOW on August 1, 2002, utilizing the legendary call sign that had been used on 1230 AM and 640 AM in the Terre Haute metropolitan area from 1927 until 2001 when 640 AM went dark
Dark (broadcasting)
In the broadcasting industry, dark is a term used to describe a radio station or television station that has gone off-the-air for an indefinite period of time, or as defined by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission , a "silent" station...
. The WBOW call sign was later picked up by sister station 102.7 FM in 2003 as WBOW-FM. The station continues to broadcast a Sports radio format along with sister station WSDX
WSDX
WSDX was a radio station broadcasting a Sports radio format. Licensed to Brazil, Indiana, USA, the station served the Terre Haute area. It first began broadcasting in 1982 under the call sign WWCM. The station is currently owned by Crossroads Investments, LLC and features programing from ESPN...
, simulcasting "ESPN Sports Radio" featuring programming from ESPN Radio.
WBOW history
WBOW was the first radio station in Terre Haute, IndianaTerre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
. It began in 1927
1927 in radio
The year 1927 saw a number of significant happenings in radio broadcasting history.-Events:*1 January: The British Broadcasting Corporation takes over the activities and operations of the fomer British Broadcasting Company ....
as WRPI, a service of then Rose Polytechnic Institute. In 1932
1932 in radio
The year 1932 saw a number of significant happenings in radio broadcasting history.-Events:*January 8 - Pittsburgh radio activist and catholic priest, Father Cox, and his army of unemployed men return home after a protest march on Depression era Washington, D.C.*March 1 – Both NBC and CBS go to...
, it split from the school, went commercial, and took the call letters WBOW, which stand for Banks of the Wabash. It had at least one other frequency before receiving its assignment of 1230 kHz. For years, WBOW was a full-service news and top-40
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
voice, and often the leading station, in the Terre Haute area. It was long affiliated with NBC radio
NBC Red Network
The NBC Red Network was one of the two original radio networks of the National Broadcasting Company. After NBC was required to divest itself of its Blue Network , the Red Network continued as the NBC Radio Network.It, along with the Blue Network, were the first two commercial radio networks in the...
. In the early days of its existence, entertainer Burle Ives was a staff announcer at this radio station. In its waning years, its music had changed to adult standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
and became affiliated with the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
Information network. In 1992, WBOW moved to 640 kHz to gain a better signal and wider coverage, but shortly thereafter the station's programming became delivered entirely via satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
.
WBOW changed hands several times through the years, and ultimately went dark when Mike Rice, president of owner Contemporary Media, Inc., lost licenses to all his stations for lack of candor to the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) during an investigation.