WERK
Encyclopedia
WERK is a commercial FM station broadcasting an Oldies
format.The station serves the Muncie-Marion area. The former WURK (now WIKL licensed to Elwood, Indiana
) was a simulcast of WERK until January of 2010. The station is currently owned by Backyard Broadcasting
Indiana Licensee, LLC.
The station also carries a local morning show, Brownie in the Morning as well as syndicated programming The Mike Harvey Show with Mike Harvey and The 70's with Steve Goddard.
station in the fall of 2009 which is now WIKL.
format as an AM daytime station at 990 kHz and was owned by Robert Poorman's company/licensee The Muncie Broadcasting Corporation. Its original studios, offices, transmitter and six directional transmitting towers were located south of Muncie on State Road 3. Poorman's son William was best known as air personality Bill "Super" Shirk up until 1973 when he purchased WXLW
in Indianapolis and later gained local notriety as an aspiring daredevil. Shirk's powerful vocal delivery was also heard in the form of station IDs and liners for other stations in Indiana and Ohio as well...and was the voice of radio ads for the now defunct International Hot Rod Association and its local sanctioned track Mid America Dragway.(now NHRA-sanctioned Muncie Dragway.) Although only 250 watts daytime (to protect the 50,000 watt nighttime skywave signal of CBW (AM)
(aka: CBC Radio
Manitoba) in Winnipeg and WNOX (now WNML
) in Knoxville, Tennessee, WERK's high energy on-air production values,programming,promotions and jingles produced by PAMS
and Jam Creative Productions
gave the station a more professional on-air image likened to that of its respectiveTop 40 counterparts WNDE
, WMEE
, WLS (AM)
, WCFL
, CKLW
and WABC
and was the top rated station in Muncie giving heavy competition to WLBC-FM and its Drake-Chenault automated contemporary hit format "Solid Gold."
WERK (nicknamed: "Werk Radio" and "990 Werk") for many years was the launching pad for many area radio personalites...many of which attended Ball State University
that included Johnathan Apple (later the host of his own sydnicated program "Oldies Coast To Coast") Dan Collins (later of WMEE
),"Marvelous Mark" McClure (later of WNDE
), Paul Mendenhall (later of WIBC), John Irwin (later of WOWO
), Randy Lawson (later of WNDE, Indianapolis, Armed Forces Radio Panama and Turkey, and currently Lawson Productions and Shine 99 Operations Director; and, Chad Hunt (later of WMEE
) among countless others who became known as "The Men At Werk." Irwin also worked in news as did Lee Kelso (later of WKJG-TV, now WISE-TV
), Brad Byrd and Nila Wells.
WERK was the first commercial station in East Central Indiana with a Top 40 format and for many years competed with the former WHUT 1470 in Anderson (now WGNR (AM)),the former WGOM 860 in Marion (which since has reverted back to the original WMRI
callsign) and with WHON 930 in Richmond.
The FM station originally went on the air in 1985, taking its 104.9 frequency from WWHC located in Hartford City
. WWHC's frequency was simultaneously swapped to 93.5 and call letters changed to WWWO. On 1991-11-12, WOKZ changed its call sign to the 6-letter WERK-FM. Then on 1999-06-16 modified to the current 4-letter callsign of WERK,
In the mid-1980s to the 1990s, the station was a Contemporary Christian music
station and went by Christian Radio at WERK (pun).
operating at 90.5 mHz. That station is now WQRA which retains its Air 1 affiliation. The former WURK (now WIKL) went silent on January 1, 2010 and returned to the air as a K-LOVE
station on January 5, 2010.
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
format.The station serves the Muncie-Marion area. The former WURK (now WIKL licensed to Elwood, Indiana
Elwood, Indiana
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 9,737 people, 3,845 households, and 2,660 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,743.1 people per square mile . There were 4,179 housing units at an average density of 1,177.3 per square mile...
) was a simulcast of WERK until January of 2010. The station is currently owned by Backyard Broadcasting
Backyard Broadcasting
Backyard Broadcasting is a radio broadcasting company, primarily owning radio stations in medium-sized, small and rural markets in the United States. The company is owned by the private equity firms Boston Ventures Management and Pacific Corporate Group and is headed by Barry Drake, the former head...
Indiana Licensee, LLC.
The station also carries a local morning show, Brownie in the Morning as well as syndicated programming The Mike Harvey Show with Mike Harvey and The 70's with Steve Goddard.
WURK History
The station went on the air as WBMP in 1964 becoming WEWZ on 1985-11-08. on 1992-07-03, the station changed its call sign to WIVM, on 1994-02-15 to WLHN, on 1999-06-16 to WURK, WURK was sold to EMF Broadcasting as a K-LOVEK-LOVE
K-LOVE is a Contemporary Christian music radio programming service in the United States operated by the Educational Media Foundation. As of January 2011, K-LOVE's programming is carried on over 440 FM stations and translators in 45 states. K-LOVE claims an audience of 250,000 people each week via...
station in the fall of 2009 which is now WIKL.
WERK History
WERK first signed-on in 1965 with a Top FortyTop Forty
The Top Forty or Top 40 is a music industry shorthand for the currently most-popular songs in a particular genre. When used without qualification, it typically refers to the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music songs of the previous week...
format as an AM daytime station at 990 kHz and was owned by Robert Poorman's company/licensee The Muncie Broadcasting Corporation. Its original studios, offices, transmitter and six directional transmitting towers were located south of Muncie on State Road 3. Poorman's son William was best known as air personality Bill "Super" Shirk up until 1973 when he purchased WXLW
WXLW
WXLW, "XL 950," is an AM radio station owned by Pilgrim Communications LLC serving the greater Indianapolis, Indiana area. The station operates on the AM radio frequency of 950 kHz. In the fall of 2006, the studios were moved from Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis to a different...
in Indianapolis and later gained local notriety as an aspiring daredevil. Shirk's powerful vocal delivery was also heard in the form of station IDs and liners for other stations in Indiana and Ohio as well...and was the voice of radio ads for the now defunct International Hot Rod Association and its local sanctioned track Mid America Dragway.(now NHRA-sanctioned Muncie Dragway.) Although only 250 watts daytime (to protect the 50,000 watt nighttime skywave signal of CBW (AM)
CBW (AM)
CBW is the callsign of the CBC Radio One station in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The station broadcasts at AM 990, and this frequency functions as a Class A clear channel under former North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement allocations.-History:...
(aka: CBC Radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
Manitoba) in Winnipeg and WNOX (now WNML
WNML
WNML, WNML-FM, and WNRX are sports radio stations serving the Knoxville, Tennessee area. They broadcast on AM 990 and 2 FM frequencies, 99.1 & 99.3 . The stations are under ownership of Cumulus Media...
) in Knoxville, Tennessee, WERK's high energy on-air production values,programming,promotions and jingles produced by PAMS
PAMS
PAMS , based in Dallas, Texas, was the most famous jingle production company in American broadcasting. It produced identification packages for radio stations around the world, as well as some commercial music.-History:The company was founded by William B. Meeks, Jr. PAMS (an acronym for Production,...
and Jam Creative Productions
JAM Creative Productions
JAM Creative Productions, Inc., is an American company that produces radio jingles, promo music for television, and commercial jingles for advertisers. It has made more radio jingles than any other jingle company and has become part of American pop culture....
gave the station a more professional on-air image likened to that of its respectiveTop 40 counterparts WNDE
WNDE
WNDE, branded as "SportsRadio 1260 WNDE", is an AM radio station owned by Clear Channel Communications in Indianapolis, Indiana. The station operates on the AM radio frequency of 1260 kHz...
, WMEE
WMEE
WMEE is a radio station broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary format. The station serves the Fort Wayne, Indiana area. The station is currently owned by Federated Media.-History:...
, WLS (AM)
WLS (AM)
WLS is a Chicago clear-channel AM station on 890 kHz. It uses C-QUAM AM stereo and transmits with 50,000 watts from transmitter and towers on the south edge of Tinley Park, Illinois....
, WCFL
WMVP
WMVP is the callsign of a commercial radio station in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is owned by ABC. Its transmitter is located in Downers Grove. The station broadcasts live sports talk, both locally and nationally. Daily programming consists of talk shows that are both national and local...
, CKLW
CKLW
CKLW is a 50,000 watt AM radio station broadcasting on 800 kHz and located in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and serving Windsor and Detroit. Additionally, its signal can be heard as far west as Belding, Michigan; as far east as Batavia, New York; as far south as Edgewood, Kentucky; and as far...
and WABC
WABC (AM)
WABC , known as "NewsTalkRadio 77 WABC" is a radio station in New York City. Owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of Cumulus Media Networks...
and was the top rated station in Muncie giving heavy competition to WLBC-FM and its Drake-Chenault automated contemporary hit format "Solid Gold."
WERK (nicknamed: "Werk Radio" and "990 Werk") for many years was the launching pad for many area radio personalites...many of which attended Ball State University
Ball State University
Ball State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State or simply BSU.Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans and includes 106 buildings...
that included Johnathan Apple (later the host of his own sydnicated program "Oldies Coast To Coast") Dan Collins (later of WMEE
WMEE
WMEE is a radio station broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary format. The station serves the Fort Wayne, Indiana area. The station is currently owned by Federated Media.-History:...
),"Marvelous Mark" McClure (later of WNDE
WNDE
WNDE, branded as "SportsRadio 1260 WNDE", is an AM radio station owned by Clear Channel Communications in Indianapolis, Indiana. The station operates on the AM radio frequency of 1260 kHz...
), Paul Mendenhall (later of WIBC), John Irwin (later of WOWO
WOWO
Located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, WOWO is an independent news/talk radio station transmitting on 1190 kHz at 50,000 watts during the daylight hours and 9,800 watts during the nighttime hours. An application is on file with the Federal Communications Commission to add a fourth tower to the three...
), Randy Lawson (later of WNDE, Indianapolis, Armed Forces Radio Panama and Turkey, and currently Lawson Productions and Shine 99 Operations Director; and, Chad Hunt (later of WMEE
WMEE
WMEE is a radio station broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary format. The station serves the Fort Wayne, Indiana area. The station is currently owned by Federated Media.-History:...
) among countless others who became known as "The Men At Werk." Irwin also worked in news as did Lee Kelso (later of WKJG-TV, now WISE-TV
WISE-TV
WISE-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for Northeastern Indiana licensed to Fort Wayne. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 18 from a transmitter at its studios on Butler Road in Northwest Fort Wayne. The station can also be seen on Frontier FiOS channel 4 and...
), Brad Byrd and Nila Wells.
WERK was the first commercial station in East Central Indiana with a Top 40 format and for many years competed with the former WHUT 1470 in Anderson (now WGNR (AM)),the former WGOM 860 in Marion (which since has reverted back to the original WMRI
WMRI
WMRI is a radio station broadcasting a Sports format. Licensed to Marion, Indiana, USA, the station serves the Muncie-Marion area. The station is currently owned by Hoosier AM/FM LLC and features programing from ESPN Radio.-History:...
callsign) and with WHON 930 in Richmond.
The FM station originally went on the air in 1985, taking its 104.9 frequency from WWHC located in Hartford City
Hartford City, Indiana
Hartford City is a city in the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Blackford County. Located in the northeast central portion of the state, the small farming community experienced a 15-year “boom” beginning in the late 1880s...
. WWHC's frequency was simultaneously swapped to 93.5 and call letters changed to WWWO. On 1991-11-12, WOKZ changed its call sign to the 6-letter WERK-FM. Then on 1999-06-16 modified to the current 4-letter callsign of WERK,
In the mid-1980s to the 1990s, the station was a Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
station and went by Christian Radio at WERK (pun).
WURK becomes WIKL
According to Indiana posts in October 2009 through January of 2010,at www.radio-info.com. WURK was sold to EMF Broadcasting in the fall of that year. The WIKL calls were previously used as an affiliate of EMF-owned Air 1Air 1
Air1 is a Christian music radio network in the United States, operated by the non-profit organization EMF Broadcasting. Air 1 is essentially a Top-40 station with Christian Music - so many of the rules that commercial Top-40 stations use for musical rotation apply.-History:In 1986, KLRD began...
operating at 90.5 mHz. That station is now WQRA which retains its Air 1 affiliation. The former WURK (now WIKL) went silent on January 1, 2010 and returned to the air as a K-LOVE
K-LOVE
K-LOVE is a Contemporary Christian music radio programming service in the United States operated by the Educational Media Foundation. As of January 2011, K-LOVE's programming is carried on over 440 FM stations and translators in 45 states. K-LOVE claims an audience of 250,000 people each week via...
station on January 5, 2010.