There was a WKCM-FM. Here is the story.
Bud Walters signed on WKCM-FM as a Class A on 102.9 licensed to Hawesville around 1990. It broadcast from Catholic Hill in Cannelton and simulcasted WKCM-AM. All was well until it was decided a couple of years later to upgrade WKCM-FM to a Class C3. Problem, as a Class A WKCM-FM was at the minimum separation to exist with WGBF in Henderson at 103.1. There was no way it could operate from Catholic Hill as a Class C3. Bud moved the transmitter site east to Balltown just barely covering Hawesville with the needed signal on paper. However, reality produced a poor signal over Hawesville, Tell City and Cannelton because of the terrain issues mentioned above.
Meanwhile, 105.7 showed up with the COL of Cannelton. Since this was just before you could own more than one service on the band, Bud couldn't approach the frequency; but his accountant could. Bud's accountant received the CP after monetarily encouraging Jay Brewer (WTCJ) to drop out of the bidding. The accountant put it on the air from Catholic Hill. The call letters WLME were sequentially issued. Once on the air Bud LMA'ed and eventually purchased WLME when the rules allowed. The frequency simulcasted WKCM-AM which was now oldies while WKCM-FM continued with the country format.
Things start to get weird around 1993. The programming, call letters and community of licensed of 102.9 and 105.7 flip flopped. Now it was 102.9 WLME Cannelton with oldies and 105.7 WKCM Hawesville with country. Bud was never content with 3,000 watts on 105.7 and wanted 6,000 watts. However, due to an issue under the existing license he couldn't upgrade because of interference issues with 105.7 in Bicknell. So in 1996, Bud moved WKCM from 105.7 to 97.1 and it was still licensed to Hawesville and broadcasting from Catholic Hill. As this move was being processed a new allocation appeared for 105.7 licensed to Tell City utilizing a directional antenna. Bud and Jay Brewer fought for 105.7 and again Bud bought his way to the allocation and received WTCJ as a bonus. The listed price was $20,000 for the AM. It was also around that time that Bud moved all Hancock and Perry County operations to Owensboro. WTCJ received audio via a sub carrier on the multiple bounce STL from Owensboro to Tell City; it sounded as good as you would imagine. The skirt antenna on the Catholic Hill mast radiated little signal so WTCJ was left to rot and on auto pilot just like WKCM-AM.
But wait, there is more. WKCM-FM dropped country for rock and changed the call letters to WXCM and marketed towards Owensboro. Then WXCM requested a COL move to Whitesville located ten miles southeast of Owensboro. The documentation said this move would give Whitesville a voice to serve the community that it never had before. Plus, Hawesville doesn't need this allocation because WKCM does such a damn fine job of serving the community of Hawesville! Meanwhile, 105.7 signed on the air as WTCJ-FM as a CHR from Catholic Hill and tried to target Owensboro. WKCM, WXCM, WTCJ and WTCJ-FM would mention Hancock and Perry Counties in liners and aired the occasional ball game and PSA but that was where the localism ended.
We ain't done yet. Bud then decided that 105.7 needed to be closer to Owensboro so a sight was purchased on the Daviess County side of the Hancock County Border. Then a few years later Cox wanted to upgrade WRKA so they paid Bud to move 102.9 to 102.7, downgrade the signal to a Class A and move it west with the new COL of Lewisport co-located with 105.7. The station dropped satellite delivered oldies to Hot AC. Then 105.7 replaced the service in Cannelton and by this time was Classic Hits.
It was a crazy trip and I was around for some of it. There will be a quiz later.
