WFRF-FM
Encyclopedia
WFRF-FM is an American non-commercial educational
radio station
licensed
to serve Monticello, Florida
, USA. The station, established in 1989 as WJPH, is currently owned and operated by Faith Radio Network, Inc.
to the greater Tallahassee, Florida
, area. WFRF-FM programming is simulcast on sister station
WFRF
(1070 AM) during daylight hours and, by time brokerage agreement
, 24 hours a day on WFRU (90.1 FM). Notable national programs on WFRF-FM include Adventures in Odyssey
, Back to the Bible
, Bible Reading with Max McLean
, Focus on the Family
, Insight for Living with Chuck Swindoll
, Joni and Friends with Joni Eareckson Tada
, Let My People Think hosted by Ravi Zacharias
, Love Worth Finding
, My Money Life with Chuck Bentley
, plus Unshackled!
by the Pacific Garden Mission
.
(FCC) in September 1987 for a new FM radio station to serve the community of Monticello, Florida
. The new station would broadcast with 3,000 watt
s of effective radiated power
on a frequency of 101.9 megahertz from an antenna 76 metres (249.3 ft) in height above average terrain
. The FCC accepted this application for filing on April 27, 1988, and granted a construction permit
on July 12, 1988, with a scheduled expiration date of January 12, 1990.
, "WJPH", by the FCC on August 4, 1988. In October 1989, the completed station applied for its broadcast license
. The FCC granted this license on November 21, 1990. Almost one year later, on November 12, 1991, the FCC authorized the station to double its effective radiated power to 6,000 watts.
In March 1992, license holder Hyden Broadcasting Company reached an agreement to transfer the license and assets of WJPH to Mayflower Broadcasting Corporation of Chicago
, Illinois
. On April 17, 1992, the station reported the involuntary transfer of control of Hyden Broadcasting from Jack P. Hyden Jr. to Opal R. Raines. The FCC approved the license transfer to Mayflower Broadcasting on May 7, 1992, and the transaction was formally consummated on June 8, 1992. Mayflower Broadcasting soon after became Webster Broadcasting.
The new owners applied to the FCC to increase the station's effective radiated power to 25,000 watts and relocate the broadcast transmitter to a new site on Old Pinhook Road in Wacissa, Florida
, in June 1993. The FCC accepted the application for filing on July 14, 1993 and granted the new construction permit
on March 3, 1994. In the meantime, Webster Broadcasting owner Charles R. Webster died on July 1, 1993, and control of the station passed to Mary S. Webster as the executor of his estate. She immediately reached an agreement to transfer WJPH's license and assets to PCG of Tallahassee, Inc. An informal objection was filed by W.W. Gunnels, Jr., in August 1993 but denied in January 1994. The FCC approved the transfer on August 12, 1994, and the deal was apparently consummated on January 10, 1995.
The construction permit to build the new 25,000 watts transmitter site was scheduled to expire on September 3, 1995. When construction was not completed and in light of later filings by new owners, the permit was cancelled by the FCC. In November 1995, a new agreement for WJPH was reached with Rebus, Inc., to take control of the broadcast license. The FCC approved this deal on February 26, 1996, and the transaction formally consummated on April 3, 1996.
While the sale was in progress, the license holder applied to the FCC to change WJPH's broadcast power, antenna height and location, and support structure, along with switching from a directional antenna
to a non-directional antenna. Driving these changes was a requested shift in frequency from 101.9 to 105.7 MHz. The FCC granted a construction permit for these changes on September 16, 1996, with a scheduled expiration date of March 16, 1998.
and the station received its new broadcast license
on April 30, 1998.
Monti Radio announced in December 1998 its intention to transfer WTAL-FM to W.W. & Nia, LLC. The FCC granted this request, with conditions, on February 19, 1999, and the transaction was consummated on April 22, 1999.
. The transfer was approved on January 21, 2000, and the transaction consummated on February 2, 2000. WVHT broadcast an urban contemporary
music format with a "Hot 105.7" branding.
to "WFRF-FM" on February 5, 2004, to match Faith Radio Network's other broadcast property, WFRF
(1070 AM).
WFRF-FM began regular 24-hour broadcasting on February 17, 2004. In February 2004, WFRF-FM applied for a main studio waiver to allow it to broadcast from outside its city of license
and farther than 25 miles from the center of that city. In August 2004, the station applied to convert its broadcast license
from commercial broadcasting
to a non-commercial educational
license. The FCC granted both requests on November 2, 2004.
In August 2007, Faith Radio Network entered into a time brokerage agreement
to operate WFRU (90.1 FM) with an option to purchase it from license holder Okaloosa Public Radio, Inc.
station in Kenya
. Imani Radio (88.8 FM) launched in May 2005 as one of just four Christian radio stations in Kenya. ("Imani" means "faith" in the Swahili language
.)
Faith Radio also raised funds to provide 2,500 solar-powered radios pre-tuned to Imani Radio for use in Kenyan villages, hospitals, and prisons. This last effort inspired to a new drive to provide solar-powered radios to prisoners in Florida's Big Bend
region. Starting with a single prison and 250 radios that prisoners could check out, as they would a book from a library, by 2009 the program had grown to more than 1200 radios in 8 prisons across the region. These radios are tuned to receive only WFRF/WFRF-FM programming.
Non-commercial educational
The term non-commercial educational applies to a radio station or TV station that does not accept on air advertisements , as defined in the United States by the Federal Communications Commission . NCE stations do not pay broadcast license fees for their non-profit uses of the radio spectrum...
radio station
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...
licensed
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
to serve Monticello, Florida
Monticello, Florida
Monticello is a city in Jefferson County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,533 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 2,572. It is the county seat of Jefferson County...
, USA. The station, established in 1989 as WJPH, is currently owned and operated by Faith Radio Network, Inc.
Programming
WFRF-FM broadcasts a religious radio formatRadio format
A radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
to the greater Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
, area. WFRF-FM programming is simulcast on sister station
Sister station
In broadcasting, sister stations or sister channels are radio and/or television stations operated by the same ownership....
WFRF
WFRF (AM)
WFRF is an American radio station licensed to serve Tallahassee, Florida, USA. The station, established as "WANM" in 1974, is currently owned and operated by Faith Radio Network, Inc...
(1070 AM) during daylight hours and, by time brokerage agreement
Local marketing agreement
In U.S. and Canadian broadcasting, a local marketing agreement is an agreement in which one company agrees to operate a radio or television station owned by another licensee...
, 24 hours a day on WFRU (90.1 FM). Notable national programs on WFRF-FM include Adventures in Odyssey
Adventures in Odyssey
Adventures in Odyssey , or simply Odyssey, is an Evangelical Christian-themed radio drama/comedy series created by Focus on the Family in 1987. The show's daily audience averages around 1.2 million within North America. The Odyssey series also includes several spin-off items, including a home-video...
, Back to the Bible
Back to the Bible
Back to the Bible is an international Christian ministry based in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States, using radio, the internet, television, and other media...
, Bible Reading with Max McLean
Max McLean
Max McLean is an American actor and narrator for audio books. He is the President of Fellowship for the Performing Arts, narrator for the Listener's Bible audio line, and speaker on the daily radio program Listen to the Bible which airs on over 670 radio affiliates worldwide.McLean is best known...
, Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s...
, Insight for Living with Chuck Swindoll
Chuck Swindoll
Charles Rozell "Chuck" Swindoll is an evangelical Christian pastor, author, educator and radio preacher. He founded Insight for Living, currently headquartered in Plano, Texas, which airs a radio program of the same name on more than 2,000 stations around the world in 15 languages...
, Joni and Friends with Joni Eareckson Tada
Joni Eareckson Tada
Joni Eareckson Tada is an evangelical Christian author, radio host, and founder of Joni and Friends, an organization "accelerating Christian ministry in the disability community." "Joni" is pronounced as if it were spelled "Johnny" as she was named after her father.-Biography:As a teenager, Joni...
, Let My People Think hosted by Ravi Zacharias
Ravi Zacharias
Frederick Antony Ravi Kumar Zacharias is an Indian-born, Canadian-American evangelical Christian apologist. Zacharias is the author of numerous Christian books, including Gold Medallion Book Award winner Can Man Live Without God? and bestsellers Light in the Shadow of Jihad and The Grand Weaver...
, Love Worth Finding
Love Worth Finding
Love Worth Finding is an American radio and television ministry founded by Adrian Rogers, who was the president and CEO, as well as the chairman of the board of directors of it before his death. In 2003, it could seen and heard worldwide on more than 14,000 television outlets and 2,000 radio...
, My Money Life with Chuck Bentley
Chuck Bentley
Chuck Bentley is the current chief executive officer for Crown Financial Ministries. He has previously served Crown Financial Ministries as Senior Vice President of Global Impact Group, Vice President of the US Field, State Director of Texas, and Area Director in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas.Bentley...
, plus Unshackled!
Unshackled!
Unshackled! is a radio drama series produced by Pacific Garden Mission, in Chicago, Illinois, that first aired in 1950. It is the longest-running radio drama in history and one of very few still in production in the United States...
by the Pacific Garden Mission
Pacific Garden Mission
Pacific Garden Mission is a homeless shelter in the South Loop section of Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1877, by Colonel George Clarke and his wife, Sarah. It has been nicknamed, "The Old Lighthouse." It is the oldest such shelter in Chicago...
.
Launch
Hyden Broadcasting Company filed an application with the Federal Communications CommissionFederal 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) in September 1987 for a new FM radio station to serve the community of Monticello, Florida
Monticello, Florida
Monticello is a city in Jefferson County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,533 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 2,572. It is the county seat of Jefferson County...
. The new station would broadcast with 3,000 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s of effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
on a frequency of 101.9 megahertz from an antenna 76 metres (249.3 ft) in height above average terrain
Height above average terrain
Height above average terrain is used extensively in FM radio and television, as it is actually much more important than effective radiated power in determining the range of broadcasts...
. The FCC accepted this application for filing on April 27, 1988, and granted a construction permit
Construction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
on July 12, 1988, with a scheduled expiration date of January 12, 1990.
WJPH era
The new station was assigned its original call signCall sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
, "WJPH", by the FCC on August 4, 1988. In October 1989, the completed station applied for its broadcast license
Broadcast license
A broadcast license or broadcast license is a specific type of spectrum license that grants the licensee the privilege to use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum in a given geographical area for broadcasting purposes. The licenses are generally straddled with additional restrictions that...
. The FCC granted this license on November 21, 1990. Almost one year later, on November 12, 1991, the FCC authorized the station to double its effective radiated power to 6,000 watts.
In March 1992, license holder Hyden Broadcasting Company reached an agreement to transfer the license and assets of WJPH to Mayflower Broadcasting Corporation of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. On April 17, 1992, the station reported the involuntary transfer of control of Hyden Broadcasting from Jack P. Hyden Jr. to Opal R. Raines. The FCC approved the license transfer to Mayflower Broadcasting on May 7, 1992, and the transaction was formally consummated on June 8, 1992. Mayflower Broadcasting soon after became Webster Broadcasting.
The new owners applied to the FCC to increase the station's effective radiated power to 25,000 watts and relocate the broadcast transmitter to a new site on Old Pinhook Road in Wacissa, Florida
Wacissa, Florida
Wacissa is a small unincorporated community in Jefferson County, Florida, United States of America. It is 3.86 sq. miles in size and shares its name with the Wacissa River, the headwaters of which are about one mile to the south.-Churches:...
, in June 1993. The FCC accepted the application for filing on July 14, 1993 and granted the new construction permit
Construction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
on March 3, 1994. In the meantime, Webster Broadcasting owner Charles R. Webster died on July 1, 1993, and control of the station passed to Mary S. Webster as the executor of his estate. She immediately reached an agreement to transfer WJPH's license and assets to PCG of Tallahassee, Inc. An informal objection was filed by W.W. Gunnels, Jr., in August 1993 but denied in January 1994. The FCC approved the transfer on August 12, 1994, and the deal was apparently consummated on January 10, 1995.
The construction permit to build the new 25,000 watts transmitter site was scheduled to expire on September 3, 1995. When construction was not completed and in light of later filings by new owners, the permit was cancelled by the FCC. In November 1995, a new agreement for WJPH was reached with Rebus, Inc., to take control of the broadcast license. The FCC approved this deal on February 26, 1996, and the transaction formally consummated on April 3, 1996.
While the sale was in progress, the license holder applied to the FCC to change WJPH's broadcast power, antenna height and location, and support structure, along with switching from a directional antenna
Directional antenna
A directional antenna or beam antenna is an antenna which radiates greater power in one or more directions allowing for increased performance on transmit and receive and reduced interference from unwanted sources....
to a non-directional antenna. Driving these changes was a requested shift in frequency from 101.9 to 105.7 MHz. The FCC granted a construction permit for these changes on September 16, 1996, with a scheduled expiration date of March 16, 1998.
WTAL-FM years
With construction underway, Rebus, Inc., made a deal to transfer WJPH to Monti Radio, LLC. The FCC approved this transfer on January 22, 1997, and the deal was consummated on February 1, 1997. The new owners had the station's call sign changed to "WTAL-FM" on February 27, 1997. WTAL-FM began broadcasting on 105.7 MHz in March 1997 under program test authorityProgram test authority
In broadcasting, program test authority is an authorization to conduct on-air testing of broadcast station facilities authorized to be built under a construction permit...
and the station received its new broadcast license
Broadcast license
A broadcast license or broadcast license is a specific type of spectrum license that grants the licensee the privilege to use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum in a given geographical area for broadcasting purposes. The licenses are generally straddled with additional restrictions that...
on April 30, 1998.
Monti Radio announced in December 1998 its intention to transfer WTAL-FM to W.W. & Nia, LLC. The FCC granted this request, with conditions, on February 19, 1999, and the transaction was consummated on April 22, 1999.
WVHT era
The FCC assigned new call sign "WVHT" to the station on May 19, 1999, at the request of the new owners. This ownership would prove short-lived as W.W. & Nia, LLC, filed an application with the FCC in January 2000 to transfer WVHT to Wilson Broadcasting, Inc., of AlabamaAlabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. The transfer was approved on January 21, 2000, and the transaction consummated on February 2, 2000. WVHT broadcast an urban contemporary
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
music format with a "Hot 105.7" branding.
WFRF-FM today
In October 2003, Wilson Broadcasting contracted to sell WVHT and all of its assets (except the station's 1996 Chevy Astro van) to Faith Radio Network, Inc., for $800,000 in cash. As of that filing, Faith Radio Network was owned in equal share by president Scott Biegle, vice-president Brenda Biegle, treasurer Herbert Shepherd, and corporation secretary Lola Shepherd. The FCC approved the deal on January 26, 2004, and the deal was consummated on February 5, 2004. At the new owner's request, the FCC changed the station's call signCall sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
to "WFRF-FM" on February 5, 2004, to match Faith Radio Network's other broadcast property, WFRF
WFRF (AM)
WFRF is an American radio station licensed to serve Tallahassee, Florida, USA. The station, established as "WANM" in 1974, is currently owned and operated by Faith Radio Network, Inc...
(1070 AM).
WFRF-FM began regular 24-hour broadcasting on February 17, 2004. In February 2004, WFRF-FM applied for a main studio waiver to allow it to broadcast from outside its city of license
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
and farther than 25 miles from the center of that city. In August 2004, the station applied to convert its broadcast license
Broadcast license
A broadcast license or broadcast license is a specific type of spectrum license that grants the licensee the privilege to use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum in a given geographical area for broadcasting purposes. The licenses are generally straddled with additional restrictions that...
from commercial broadcasting
Commercial broadcasting
Commercial broadcasting is the broadcasting of television programs and radio programming by privately owned corporate media, as opposed to state sponsorship...
to a non-commercial educational
Non-commercial educational
The term non-commercial educational applies to a radio station or TV station that does not accept on air advertisements , as defined in the United States by the Federal Communications Commission . NCE stations do not pay broadcast license fees for their non-profit uses of the radio spectrum...
license. The FCC granted both requests on November 2, 2004.
In August 2007, Faith Radio Network entered into a time brokerage agreement
Local marketing agreement
In U.S. and Canadian broadcasting, a local marketing agreement is an agreement in which one company agrees to operate a radio or television station owned by another licensee...
to operate WFRU (90.1 FM) with an option to purchase it from license holder Okaloosa Public Radio, Inc.
Outreach
Working with International Christian Ministries, Faith Radio raised money for a mission trip for its founders and more than a dozen WFRF listeners to help establish a Christian radioChristian radio
Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
station in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. Imani Radio (88.8 FM) launched in May 2005 as one of just four Christian radio stations in Kenya. ("Imani" means "faith" in the Swahili language
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
.)
Faith Radio also raised funds to provide 2,500 solar-powered radios pre-tuned to Imani Radio for use in Kenyan villages, hospitals, and prisons. This last effort inspired to a new drive to provide solar-powered radios to prisoners in Florida's Big Bend
Big Bend (Florida)
The Big Bend of Florida, U.S.A., is an informal region of the state with no official surveyed boundary. It includes part of the counties of the Florida Panhandle. Geologists prefer to characterize Florida’s Big Bend as the drowned karst section of the coast that occurs between the mouth of the...
region. Starting with a single prison and 250 radios that prisoners could check out, as they would a book from a library, by 2009 the program had grown to more than 1200 radios in 8 prisons across the region. These radios are tuned to receive only WFRF/WFRF-FM programming.