Relevant Radio
| File:Relevant Radio logo.PNG | |
| Type | Radio network |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Availability | United States |
| Owner | Starboard Media Foundation |
Key people | Trish Leurck |
Launch date | December 12, 2000 |
Official website | www.relevantradio.com |
Relevant Radio is a trademark of Starboard Media Foundation, and is the largest Catholic talk radio network in the United States, with 20 stations and 18 affiliates in 15 states. The network's National Headquarters and network studios are in Green Bay Wisconsin, with additional studios in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Chicago, IL.
The network airs a a variety of programming aimed at practicing Catholics, mostly in a listener-interactive talk format. "Morning Air", which the network describes as "a classic drive-time format that combines inspiration & entertainment" was the first program developed by Relevant Radio in 2003. The network now airs almost exclusively programming developed internally. It is the only Catholic radio network in the country to be recognized by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as a national media outlet.
History
The network was founded by a group of dedicated Roman Catholic business men, including Mark Follett of Allouez, Wisconsin, who had been the owner of Anchor Foods, an Appleton-based distributor of frozen appetizers. Starboard bought the license to a radio station in Kaukauna, Wisconsin (WJOK) that had been carrying all-sports programming, and turned it into an all-Catholic station, saying the call letters stood for "Jesus Our King." The station received its license from the FCC on December 12. 2000, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who is the patron saint of Relevant Radio.
The network has rapidly grown to 17 stations, including five in the top 25 radio markets, and 18 affiliated stations that carry some or all of Relevant Radio programming. It also offers live streaming from its website and podcasts of favorite show segments.
The network's current chief executive officer is Trish Leurck. Leurck had been the Chief Development Officer until her appointment as CEO on September 12th, 2006.
Former CEO's include: Mark Follett (One of the founders of Relevant Radio), Richard L. Lyles (Host of Networks Saturday Show Lifeworks until its discontinuation in September 2006)
In July of 2006, the network began the first of two layoffs due to limited financial resources. The company reduced its force by nearly 30 people.
On October 18, 2006, the network announced it was laying off 28 additional employees, 14 of them at its Wisconsin headquarters. A staff of nearly 140 had been reduced significantly. In a release, the network said planned revenues for 2007 would not support the previous level of staffing. The network will not sell any stations or change its programming, the release said.
Affiliation Changes
On November 25, 2007, Relevant Radio's affiliate station in Chicago switched from 820 AM WAIT to 950 AM WNTD. WNTD now airs Relevant Radio from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Relevant Radio's lease agreement with WAIT, set to expire at the end of November, was not renewed. According to the Relevant Radio website, Relevant Radio wishes to finalize a lease with an option to purchase WNTD in the future. 1
Relevant Radio also lost its Appleton, Wisconsin station, 91.1 FM WOVM, in November. WOVM, which is being sold to Music That Matters, Inc., began stunting with Christmas music immediately and was set to begin beta testing a new hybrid adult hits (mixture of adult contemporary, classic rock and country) music format being developed by Music That Matters' sister company, Sovereign City Radio Group, in January of 2008 2. Relevant Radio will still be heard in the Appleton area on WJOK 1050 AM in Kaukauna.
Station list
- All of these stations are O&O, unless noted as "affiliate".
Sources
- "Catholic network calls Green Bay home", Green Bay News-Chronicle, date uncertain, 2004. (Newspaper now defunct)