Before we get to the updates, I want to invite you to view ABMP's new Google+ page. It's public, so you don't have to be a member of anything Google-related to view. But if you are a member, you can follow ABMP and get occasional updates and interact with me. Give it a try! I'm moving updates to that platform for a while to see if it's easier to handle than Blogger. If not, I'll come back here.
On to the updates…
In Mobile, Clear Channel has acquired another translator, W258AY, on 99.5 MHz. They received a CP to up power to 250 watts and broadcast from the tower in Prichard which currently houses WASG and WAVH. It's scheduled to rebroadcast News Talk 710 WNTM. It's unknown if this a replacement or addition to W262BL on 100.3 MHz, which would broadcast from the WKRG-TV tower in Spanish Fort.
In other news, W286AQ on 105.1 MHz continues its march far away from its original city of license, Northport. It's now most of the way to Alexander City and has just received a permit for a site just outside the city limits. The parent station remains WHHY-FM Montgomery, but an application pending shows that this will eventually settle in Alex City proper and rebroadcast WBNM 1050, with its classic country format.
The last big translator update comes from Birmingham, where W251BG at 98.1 MHz makes a big jump from Cullman to Tarrant, to rebroadcast WAGG's highly successful gospel format from atop Red Mountain. The new facility will have 250 watts and cover as much of the city as Clear Channel's existing translators do.
Showing posts with label mobile. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mobile. Show all posts
Friday, June 29, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Focus on Mobile: WABB leaves, WABD enters, and W262BL surprises
It's 1 March 2012, and WABB is no more. The station hosted a 12 hour loop of clips from the station's history, going all the way back to the late 50s and WABB-AM 1480. The last 5.5 hours, including the flip to K-Love, are available here. At midnight, K-Love faded in, right in the middle of a song. Their first legal ID came shortly after, mention the new calls, WLVM, and also the legal ID for WKPF Navarre, which implies they're being simulcasted off one another. The actual ID reads "WLVM Mobile-Pascagoula, WKPF Navarre-Pensacola".
I contacted EMF yesterday and they said they had no immediate plans for WKPF and that it and WLVM will simulcast K-Love for the time being.
As one CHR leaves Mobile, another makes a stumbling entrance: former WYOK "Jack FM" dropped the variety hits format half an hour before midnight for a tolling bell. At midnight their new CHR format debuted with LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem". The imaging is done by the same person who appears to have done the failed i100 imaging, as well as work on the current Journey 100 format of WJLQ. The music was heavy on currents and repetitive, but it's overnight and work will be done yet to improve the delivery. The station's calls are now WABD, an obvious nod to WABB and/or Bernie Dittman; the station logo is a carbon copy of WABB's logo. One major flub that got through was a promo for a Christ Daughtry concert that mentioned "Q100" — Cumulus' Atlanta CHR station. One technical note: WABD has a pending application to slightly lower antenna height, and re-license to Saraland from Atmore.
Finally, lost amongst all the farewells and goodbyes for WABB is word that Red Mountain Broadcasting has bought a tiny little translator in Gulf Shores — W262BL. The license is for all of one watt from downtown Gulf Shores. An application is pending to move to what appears to be the WKRG-TV tower in Spanish Fort, with a height of 1414 feet and a full 250 watts. That will cover some serious territory, for a translator. The parent station is listed, for now, as WHIL-HD2. There is no HD broadcast on WHIL.
Red Mountain Broadcasting is the name on several central Alabama translators, some of which relay HD-2 channels from various Clear Channel properties in Birmingham. Could WNTM-FM be waiting in the wings?
I contacted EMF yesterday and they said they had no immediate plans for WKPF and that it and WLVM will simulcast K-Love for the time being.
As one CHR leaves Mobile, another makes a stumbling entrance: former WYOK "Jack FM" dropped the variety hits format half an hour before midnight for a tolling bell. At midnight their new CHR format debuted with LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem". The imaging is done by the same person who appears to have done the failed i100 imaging, as well as work on the current Journey 100 format of WJLQ. The music was heavy on currents and repetitive, but it's overnight and work will be done yet to improve the delivery. The station's calls are now WABD, an obvious nod to WABB and/or Bernie Dittman; the station logo is a carbon copy of WABB's logo. One major flub that got through was a promo for a Christ Daughtry concert that mentioned "Q100" — Cumulus' Atlanta CHR station. One technical note: WABD has a pending application to slightly lower antenna height, and re-license to Saraland from Atmore.
Finally, lost amongst all the farewells and goodbyes for WABB is word that Red Mountain Broadcasting has bought a tiny little translator in Gulf Shores — W262BL. The license is for all of one watt from downtown Gulf Shores. An application is pending to move to what appears to be the WKRG-TV tower in Spanish Fort, with a height of 1414 feet and a full 250 watts. That will cover some serious territory, for a translator. The parent station is listed, for now, as WHIL-HD2. There is no HD broadcast on WHIL.
Red Mountain Broadcasting is the name on several central Alabama translators, some of which relay HD-2 channels from various Clear Channel properties in Birmingham. Could WNTM-FM be waiting in the wings?
Friday, February 17, 2012
Mobile's WABB-FM sold to EMF, will flip to religious programming March 1st
In a shocking development in Mobile broadcasting news, Dittman family owned WABB has been sold to Educational Media Foundation, a non-profit religious broadcaster. They will take over programming of the station on 1 March 2012. The station has posted a press release on their website and broken the news to their Facebook fans, who are unsurprisingly upset. Discussion is ongoing on multiple forums including Radio-Talk and Radio-Info. See also this Examiner article on the station.
Bernie Dittman acquired WABB-AM from the Mobile Press-Register in 1959 and took the little station to top 40 and ratings domination in the Mobile market. In 1984 WABB-FM abandoned its AOR format for CHR and the transition from AM to FM started for listeners. The FM eventually became the legendary hit music powerhouse we know today. Bernie Dittman was the driving force behind WABB's musical success, but after his passing in 2006 the remaining family members lost their passion for the day to day operations of the organization. When the station flips to religious programming, it will mark the end of over 25 years of pop music on WABB and over 50 years of Dittman ownership.
EMF operates two Christian religious music formats, the contemporary K-Love and modern/youth oriented Air1. Although K-Love is on the air out of Navarre, it is expected that it will migrate to or simulcast on WABB. Air1 is not currently heard in any of the coastal markets covered by ABMP.
Speculation abounds as to "what happens next" for the competition, which at this point is only Clear Channel's Hit Music Now at 107.3. Is a swap with The Rocket in the cards? Will Cumulus try one more time to get a toe-hold in the world of CHR? One thing's for certain, this shake-up has just begun to be felt across the Mobile and Pensacola markets.
Bernie Dittman acquired WABB-AM from the Mobile Press-Register in 1959 and took the little station to top 40 and ratings domination in the Mobile market. In 1984 WABB-FM abandoned its AOR format for CHR and the transition from AM to FM started for listeners. The FM eventually became the legendary hit music powerhouse we know today. Bernie Dittman was the driving force behind WABB's musical success, but after his passing in 2006 the remaining family members lost their passion for the day to day operations of the organization. When the station flips to religious programming, it will mark the end of over 25 years of pop music on WABB and over 50 years of Dittman ownership.
EMF operates two Christian religious music formats, the contemporary K-Love and modern/youth oriented Air1. Although K-Love is on the air out of Navarre, it is expected that it will migrate to or simulcast on WABB. Air1 is not currently heard in any of the coastal markets covered by ABMP.
Speculation abounds as to "what happens next" for the competition, which at this point is only Clear Channel's Hit Music Now at 107.3. Is a swap with The Rocket in the cards? Will Cumulus try one more time to get a toe-hold in the world of CHR? One thing's for certain, this shake-up has just begun to be felt across the Mobile and Pensacola markets.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Mobile-Pensacola TV station WHBR dark due to technical issue
WHBR, affiliated with the CTN religious network, has gone dark for viewers in Mobile and Pensacola due to a failure in the transmitter system. There is no date set for it to return to air. WHBR also airs an international version of CTN on 33.2, and the Florida-centric BLAB TV infomercial channel on 33.4.
More information can be found at Alvin Williams' Mobile TV Examiner page.
More information can be found at Alvin Williams' Mobile TV Examiner page.
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