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Upon the demise of "Radio Now" on 93.1, [[Radio One (company)|Radio One]] purchased the [[intellectual property]] of the station from Emmis Communications. The "Radio Now" branding, format and logo were installed on the new [[WNOU]] (formerly WYJZ 100.9 FM). Local Radio One management claimed that they will offer the displaced staffers of WNOU the first chance of joining the station's lineup, and will use the same [[voice-over|imaging]] as the former WNOU. Emmis also claimed that they would release displaced RadioNow staffers from their "non-compete" contracts. <ref>http://radioinsight.com/broadcast-buzz/radionow-returns-to-indianapolis/#more-91</ref>
Upon the demise of "Radio Now" on 93.1, [[Radio One (company)|Radio One]] purchased the [[intellectual property]] of the station from Emmis Communications. The "Radio Now" branding, format and logo were installed on the new [[WNOU]] (formerly WYJZ 100.9 FM). Local Radio One management claimed that they will offer the displaced staffers of WNOU the first chance of joining the station's lineup, and will use the same [[voice-over|imaging]] as the former WNOU. Emmis also claimed that they would release displaced RadioNow staffers from their "non-compete" contracts. <ref>http://radioinsight.com/broadcast-buzz/radionow-returns-to-indianapolis/#more-91</ref>

During the interim period between the demise of the Radio Now format and the debut of WIBC on 93.1 FM, the frequency was known as '''WEXM''' and was programmed with the stunting format the "93 Days of Christmas", in which Christmas music was heard for nearly 3 months.


The [[WNAP]] calls are now used at a gospel-formatted AM station licensed in Norristown,PA serving the Philadelphia market area.
The [[WNAP]] calls are now used at a gospel-formatted AM station licensed in Norristown,PA serving the Philadelphia market area.

Revision as of 13:46, 26 December 2007

WIBC
Frequency93.1 (MHz) (HD Radio)
Programming
Formattalk)
HD2: Dance Top 40
Ownership
OwnerEmmis Communications
History
First air date
October 30, 1938
Technical information
ClassB
ERP13,500 watts
HAAT302 m
Links
Websitehttp://www.wibc.com

WIBC could also refer to the Women's International Bowling Congress.

WIBC is a radio station owned by Emmis Communications in Indianapolis, Indiana. The station currently operates on the FM radio frequency of 93.1 MHz. The studios are located at 40 Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis. The transmitter and antenna are located, according to the FCC, near Post Road and Burk Road on the far eastside of Indianapolis. The station currently airs a news/talk format.

For over sixty-nine years, WIBC broadcast on the AM radio frequency of 1070 kHz. On December 26, 2007, WIBC's call letters and news/talk programming moved to 93.1 FM, a station which has had various call letters and formats since its sign-on in 1961. Also on that date, the 1070 AM frequency assumed the call letters WFNI and the nickname "1070 The Fan", and began stunting with a selection of classic Indianapolis sports broadcasts. On 7 January, 2008, the station will adopt an all-sports format with ESPN Radio programming joining the local sports broadcasts previously heard on WIBC. [1]

WIBC History

Offices of WIBC

WIBC went on the air on October 30, 1938, the last of the big four in Indianapolis. The other big four were WFBM (now WNDE), WIRE (now WXNT), and WISH/WIFE (now WTLC). In its early days, it was the Indianapolis home of the Mutual Broadcasting System. During the late 1980s and into the early 1990s, WIBC became a talk radio station.

A longtime fixture was former News Director Fred Heckman, who began with WIBC in 1957, abruptly resigning in 1993 under a dispute with its then-owners. He returned in 1994 after the station was purchased by Emmis, and remained until his 2000 retirement. His daily "My Town Indy" radio essays, which ran for thirty years, were among the station's most enduring favorites.

93.1 FM history

The Indianapolis station at 93.1 FM began life, coincidentally enough, as WIBC-FM in 1961 under a classical music format. On July 1, 1968, WIBC-FM was re-launched as WNAP. It was the first FM station in the Indianapolis market to broadcast album-oriented rock music, and was in direct competition with WIFE-AM. Later, in the '70s and early '80s, the station was nicknamed as "the Buzzard".

On March 4, 1986, the format changed to a more rock-driven adult contemporary sound, and the call letters became WEAG using the name "Eagle 93." The format changed to classic hits with the call letters WKLR on August 14, 1987. A year later WKLR changed from classic hits to oldies. Among WKLR's disc jockeys was current WIBC news director Steve Simpson.

WNAP returned at 5 p.m. on Friday September 9, 1994, when WKLR changed back to a classic hits station with a strong focus on the "greatest hits of the 70s." WNAP later moved in a more classic rock direction playing "classic rock that really rocks" with Howard Stern in the morning. Despite on the air boasts that WNAP was going to "kick (competitor) Q-95's ass," the classic rock format was a failure.

After weeks of stunting, WNAP changed to contemporary hits in early March 2000 with the call letters WNOU and the name "Radio Now." The station received some national notice in December 2004, when their morning show conducted the first interview with Indiana Pacers player Ron Artest following the infamous Pacers-Pistons brawl. The interview was simulcast on NBC's Today Show.

Upon the demise of "Radio Now" on 93.1, Radio One purchased the intellectual property of the station from Emmis Communications. The "Radio Now" branding, format and logo were installed on the new WNOU (formerly WYJZ 100.9 FM). Local Radio One management claimed that they will offer the displaced staffers of WNOU the first chance of joining the station's lineup, and will use the same imaging as the former WNOU. Emmis also claimed that they would release displaced RadioNow staffers from their "non-compete" contracts. [2]

During the interim period between the demise of the Radio Now format and the debut of WIBC on 93.1 FM, the frequency was known as WEXM and was programmed with the stunting format the "93 Days of Christmas", in which Christmas music was heard for nearly 3 months.

The WNAP calls are now used at a gospel-formatted AM station licensed in Norristown,PA serving the Philadelphia market area.

Programming

Currently, WIBC broadcasts both local and nationally syndicated shows, primarily with a conservative slant (including Rush Limbaugh and local lawyer Greg Garrison). WIBC programs The Morning News weekdays with Jake Query and Terri Stacy; an afternoon-drive program hosted by local comedian Dave "The King" Wilson and former Indianapolis Colts player Joe Staysniak; a weeknight news discussion, Live from the NewsCenter, with News Director Steve Simpson; and Coast to Coast AM in the overnight.

Query replaced longtime WIBC fixture Jeff Pigeon (referred to as "Pidge" by the staff and listeners), who announced on September 28, 2007, that he would be leaving the station effective October 1st. He had been WIBC's morning host since taking over for Gary Todd in 1988. Pigeon had hosted the 7:00 p.m.-midnight shift before moving to mornings.

WIBC was the AM flagship station of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, simulcasting the games with sister station WLHK. In addition, WIBC was the flagship for the NBA's Indiana Pacers and the WNBA's Indiana Fever, and for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network, carrying the Indianapolis 500 since the network's creation in 1952, and the NASCAR Brickyard 400 since its 1994 inception. WIBC also aired Indiana University football, while WLHK airs that school's basketball games.

Classic radio broadcasts from many of the above events will be heard on WFNI in the period after WIBC's news and talk programming moved to 93.1 and the launch of "ESPN 1070 The Fan" on January 7th, and all those sports will continue on the new station.

Upon the move to FM, Mike McConnell was added to the daily schedule (replacing the former WIBC Sports Talk program), while Paul Harvey, who had been heard on WIBC since 1995, was dropped [2].

References