WFUN (AM)
Encyclopedia
WFUN is an AM radio station
in Ashtabula, Ohio
, USA broadcasting at 970 kHz with a sports radio
format. It is one of four stations in the Media One Group's Ashtabula cluster, the others being WZOO-FM
, WREO-FM
, WYBL
(FM) and WFXJ-FM
—all of which were sold off by Clear Channel
in September 2007.
WICA and WICA-FM later became WREO and WREO-FM, taking their calls from the company name Radio Enterprises of Ohio, Inc. (albeit being formally formed on October 7, 1986). WREO-AM would change its call sign to WFUN on July 3, 1978, taking the call letters of a legendary AM Top 40 station in Miami, Florida
while eventually adopting an oldies format. The call letters WREO were retained by the sister FM station, which continues today with a Soft AC format.
In May 2000 the Rowleys sold the stations and WZOO-FM
to Clear Channel. WFUN's oldies format was dropped in February 2001 for a standard news/talk format (Rush Limbaugh
's show was the only one retained, as WFUN aired it since the early 90s), adding Dr. Laura, Jim Rome
, Coast to Coast AM
and Fox Sports Radio
. Morning drive on the station remained local throughout this time, evolving into basic a local news and political talk show hosted by Roger McCoy and later by John Broom.
Clear Channel sold their Ashtabula cluster, including WFUN, in September 2007 to Media One Group (headed by Embrescia and dubbed "Sweet Home Ashtabula" as a placeholder). WFUN's programming changed on November 3, 2007 over to a sports/talk format affiliated with ESPN Radio
, dropping all political talk programming and electing to go for a smaller, male dominated, core audience.
The Rowley family then reactivated WICA-TV on April 4, 1966, with an intent of donating it as a non-profit educational license. As was in its first incarnation, WICA-TV was again hampered with no network programming, an often overused and limited film library of mediocre and low rental fare. In addition, WICA-TV still broadcast only in black-and-white when most stations already converted to color (WQEX in Pittsburgh was the last licensed television station to convert in 1986.) and still filmed local programming with only one camera.
WICA-TV signed off forever on December 26, 1967, with its license returned to the FCC. The UHF antenna is the sole remaining element of WICA-TV's existence, still affixed to the WREO-FM tower.
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...
in Ashtabula, Ohio
Ashtabula, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,962 people, 8,435 households, and 5,423 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,775.9 people per square mile . There were 9,151 housing units at an average density of 1,211.8 per square mile...
, USA broadcasting at 970 kHz with a sports radio
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
format. It is one of four stations in the Media One Group's Ashtabula cluster, the others being WZOO-FM
WZOO-FM
WZOO-FM is an FM radio station in Edgewood, Ohio, USA broadcasting at 102.5 MHz with an oldies radio format. It is one of four stations in the Media One Group's Ashtabula cluster, the others being WFUN, WREO-FM, WYBL and WFXJ-FM - all of which were sold off by Clear Channel in September...
, WREO-FM
WREO-FM
WREO-FM is a radio station broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to Ashtabula, Ohio, USA, it serves Ashtabula and Lake Counties in Northeast Ohio. The station is currently owned by Sweet Home Ashtabula, LLC and features programing from Citadel Media.For many years, WREO broadcast...
, WYBL
WYBL
WYBL is a radio station broadcasting a Country Music format. Licensed to Ashtabula, Ohio, USA, it serves the Ashtabula area. The station is currently owned by Sweet Home Ashtabula, LLC.HISTORY...
(FM) and WFXJ-FM
WFXJ-FM
WFXJ-FM is a commercial FM radio station in Ashtabula, Ohio, USA, broadcasting at 107.5 MHz with a classic rock format. It is one of four stations in the Media One Group's Ashtabula cluster, the others being WZOO-FM, WREO-FM, WYBL and WFUN - all of which were sold off by Clear Channel in...
—all of which were sold off by Clear Channel
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
in September 2007.
History
The station signed on the air in 1937 as WICA (its call letters having stood for "Industry, Commerce, Agriculture"). WICA started an FM sister station, WICA-FM, on 103.7 MHz around 1950. The dial position of WICA-FM soon moved to the current spot of 97.1 MHz, duplicating the programming of the AM station. Both AM and FM stations were owned by Richard D. and David C. Rowley since their inception.WICA and WICA-FM later became WREO and WREO-FM, taking their calls from the company name Radio Enterprises of Ohio, Inc. (albeit being formally formed on October 7, 1986). WREO-AM would change its call sign to WFUN on July 3, 1978, taking the call letters of a legendary AM Top 40 station in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
while eventually adopting an oldies format. The call letters WREO were retained by the sister FM station, which continues today with a Soft AC format.
In May 2000 the Rowleys sold the stations and WZOO-FM
WZOO-FM
WZOO-FM is an FM radio station in Edgewood, Ohio, USA broadcasting at 102.5 MHz with an oldies radio format. It is one of four stations in the Media One Group's Ashtabula cluster, the others being WFUN, WREO-FM, WYBL and WFXJ-FM - all of which were sold off by Clear Channel in September...
to Clear Channel. WFUN's oldies format was dropped in February 2001 for a standard news/talk format (Rush Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
's show was the only one retained, as WFUN aired it since the early 90s), adding Dr. Laura, Jim Rome
Jim Rome
Jim Rome is an American sports radio talk show host syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications....
, Coast to Coast AM
Coast to Coast AM
Coast to Coast AM is a North American late-night syndicated radio talk show that deals with a variety of topics, but most frequently ones that relate to either the paranormal or conspiracy theories. It was created by Art Bell and is distributed by Premiere Radio Networks. The program currently...
and Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
. Morning drive on the station remained local throughout this time, evolving into basic a local news and political talk show hosted by Roger McCoy and later by John Broom.
Clear Channel sold their Ashtabula cluster, including WFUN, in September 2007 to Media One Group (headed by Embrescia and dubbed "Sweet Home Ashtabula" as a placeholder). WFUN's programming changed on November 3, 2007 over to a sports/talk format affiliated with 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...
, dropping all political talk programming and electing to go for a smaller, male dominated, core audience.
WICA-TV
Richard D. and David C. Rowley, the founders of WICA AM/FM, also started WICA-TV on channel 15 in the 1950s. Hampered both by broadcasting on the (then relatively unknown) UHF dial, and with no network affiliation of any sort, WICA-TV had limited broadcast hours, a sparse and often overused film library, and a heavy amount of local programming (usually filmed with only one camera). WICA-TV started broadcasting on September 19, 1953, but quietly signed off around June 21, 1956.The Rowley family then reactivated WICA-TV on April 4, 1966, with an intent of donating it as a non-profit educational license. As was in its first incarnation, WICA-TV was again hampered with no network programming, an often overused and limited film library of mediocre and low rental fare. In addition, WICA-TV still broadcast only in black-and-white when most stations already converted to color (WQEX in Pittsburgh was the last licensed television station to convert in 1986.) and still filmed local programming with only one camera.
WICA-TV signed off forever on December 26, 1967, with its license returned to the FCC. The UHF antenna is the sole remaining element of WICA-TV's existence, still affixed to the WREO-FM tower.
External links
- radiodxer.bravehost.com/WICA.html (WICA-TV at the UHF Morgue)