The old 107.9 WIFE-FM

[skippertthomas]

I stand corrected... I will inform my broadcast history teacher that KISN and WIFE-AM were more of concern in the fight between Don and Nixon's FCC boys..

Old Vance, most unusual Mayor Evansville ever had... As a Senator...Money and free trips everywhere, but to DC..... ;D

 

[BobOnTheJob]

WZPL aux transmitter is located at the WISH TV analogue site on Post Rode but on the north tower not on the TV tower. As far as I know, the 1000 TV tower is not being used to do anything but hold up the old analogue antenna.

WZPL's main antenna is definitely on the old WISH analog tower...FCC says the height of that tower is 997'--not much doubt there. WZPL's AUx is indeed on the shorter tower which shows a height of 472'. WZPL moved from Greenfield about 30 years ago onto the tower where WIBC and WFMS reside. I don't recall what year they went to the WISH tower but do remember that they suffered a very slight power reduction penalty as they moved a couple thousand feet closer to WDJX 99.7.

 

[flip23]

Also, the $100,000 dream home contest was on WIFE-AM. They'd have never "wasted" a major promotion like that on the FM, although some of the trade for the house & furniture probably also ran on the FM. The AM was the one generating the money though.

 

[skippertthomas]

And, money is what flowed up Meridian....... Impressive days, no less!

 

[media1170]

Hey Botj,

When did ZPL move onto he old WISH TV tower? Thought they were on the WNAP tower.

 

[BobOnTheJob]

Hey Botj,

When did ZPL move onto he old WISH TV tower? Thought they were on the WNAP tower.

I can't pin it down but always heard that the owner of WZPL had some friction with the owner of Emmis, which bought WNAP & the tower in 1994. I left Emmis in early 2002 and they moved away sometime during my tenure there. If I had to pull a number out of my hat,.....1996ish?

 

[cspotrun]

its a shame these call letters are not back in indianapolis, instead they are wasted in Connorsville on a fine station, BUT the calls probably mean nothing to to people in eastern indiana... WOW! how HOT would the calls WIFE-FM be in Indianapolis for a Classic Hits Station?

 

[N_D_Radioguy]

how HOT would the calls WIFE-FM be in Indianapolis for a Classic Hits Station?

About as hot as the North Pole in December.

Calls letters don't matter anymore, especially in the PPM era. "Heritage calls" definitely don't matter to anyone but radio geeks. No one who remembers WIFE in Indy is young enough to matter in the desired demos. Advertisers want people under 55 and prefer them under 35... and those people don't care about any of that.

Nostalgia ain't what it used to be.

 

[Lamont Lester]

how HOT would the calls WIFE-FM be in Indianapolis for a Classic Hits Station?

"Heritage calls" definitely don't matter to anyone but radio geeks. No one who remembers WIFE in Indy is young enough to matter in the desired demos. Advertisers want people under 55 and prefer them under 35... and those people don't care about any of that.

The calls have been off the air in Indianapolis for 30 years. Not sure of a date when they put the WIFE calls on in Connersville, but I'll easily gamble that they've been on the air in Fayette County longer than they were in Indianapolis. And remember that WIFE dumped top-40 in 1979. I listened to WIFE in the early to mid 70s. I turn 54 this year. More than a generation has passed. Great, great memories but sadly no future in the Capitol City.

 

[cspotrun]

you guys are awfully fast to POO-POO this... all i'm saying is IF someone were going to do Classic Hits in Indy again(and you know there isn't one now and the chances for this format to emerge is certainly possible in the future) these call letters would ring with the core of an audience like that, or what the hell "WIFE" is just COOL and easy to remember. and i realize that IF you are a 25-35 year old PD in Indy who might of come from out of state, this all means nothing to you, who dismiss not only the format but people who would listen to it, i think there is ROOM for EVERYONE TO BE SERVED WITH RADIO, even people who want to listen to Classic Hits, its being done all over the country! ever heard of cbs-fm? or Kearth they are doing quite well with it... if you have a cluster of 5 or 6 stations they can't ALL be hip-hop and country... you can bet classic hits will re-emerge in Indy, don't know when but it will and IF i had anything to do with it WIFE-FM would be a no-brainer. IF you could get the calls...

 

[N_D_Radioguy]

you guys are awfully fast to POO-POO this... all i'm saying is IF someone were going to do Classic Hits in Indy again(and you know there isn't one now and the chances for this format to emerge is certainly possible in the future) these call letters would ring with the core of an audience like that, or what the hell "WIFE" is just COOL and easy to remember. and i realize that IF you are a 25-35 year old PD in Indy who might of come from out of state, this all means nothing to you, who dismiss not only the format but people who would listen to it, i think there is ROOM for EVERYONE TO BE SERVED WITH RADIO, even people who want to listen to Classic Hits, its being done all over the country! ever heard of cbs-fm? or Kearth they are doing quite well with it... if you have a cluster of 5 or 6 stations they can't ALL be hip-hop and country... you can bet classic hits will re-emerge in Indy, don't know when but it will and IF i had anything to do with it WIFE-FM would be a no-brainer. IF you could get the calls...

Indy has TWO Classic Hits: WJJK & WNTR.

Before you dismiss them as "not REAL Classic Hits," save us all some time and acknowledge that what you REALLY want is an Oldies station, just hidden under the Classic Hits banner.

The calls have been gone for more than three decades -- in an era when call letters don't matter -- but YOU are convinced that bringing them back will be a hit.

No-brainer indeed.

 

[radiorob2.0]

you guys are awfully fast to POO-POO this... all i'm saying is IF someone were going to do Classic Hits in Indy again(and you know there isn't one now and the chances for this format to emerge is certainly possible in the future) these call letters would ring with the core of an audience like that, or what the hell "WIFE" is just COOL and easy to remember. and i realize that IF you are a 25-35 year old PD in Indy who might of come from out of state, this all means nothing to you, who dismiss not only the format but people who would listen to it, i think there is ROOM for EVERYONE TO BE SERVED WITH RADIO, even people who want to listen to Classic Hits, its being done all over the country! ever heard of cbs-fm? or Kearth they are doing quite well with it... if you have a cluster of 5 or 6 stations they can't ALL be hip-hop and country... you can bet classic hits will re-emerge in Indy, don't know when but it will and IF i had anything to do with it WIFE-FM would be a no-brainer. IF you could get the calls...

As mentioned the call letters of WIFE won't mean much today as its success ended 35 years ago. Plus there was a revival, sort of, with Gold 104.5; remember the Gold Good Guys. But that ended because the agencies had no use for the older audience.

 

[skippertthomas]

Some are so serious... Fun calls, no matter if you are old enough to remember... : "Are YOU, listening to your WIFE?"
;D

 

[cspotrun]

wjjk is still "Jack" and wntr are POOR excuses for anything related to 'Fun' stations to listen to like a cbs-fm or Kearth or several others ACTUALLY doing a "Classic Hits" format CORRECTLY. and i imagine they don't want a real Classic Hits in the market to water them down. i often find it amusing that no one seems to trash the demographics of a wibc-fm or any News Talker who has old white men listening to them, and they seem to make it, YET a Classic Hits station simply CANNOT MAKE IT with the agencies with the SAME DEMOGRAPHICS + Women.. your argument is Tired, and might i say a bit Age Bigoted.

 

[radiorob2.0]

wjjk is still "Jack" and wntr are POOR excuses for anything related to 'Fun' stations to listen to like a cbs-fm or Kearth or several others ACTUALLY doing a "Classic Hits" format CORRECTLY. and i imagine they don't want a real Classic Hits in the market to water them down. i often find it amusing that no one seems to trash the demographics of a wibc-fm or any News Talker who has old white men listening to them, and they seem to make it, YET a Classic Hits station simply CANNOT MAKE IT with the agencies with the SAME DEMOGRAPHICS + Women.. your argument is Tired, and might i say a bit Age Bigoted.

WIBC's move to FM helped with lowering the demo but the format is still heavy on the old end. There isn't a doubt that there folks about the age of 54 have money, but they are set in their ways. An advertising campaign for that demo is strictly reinforcement than swaying opinion so there isn't the benefit of increasing market share.

The argument isn't bigoted but reality.

 

[cspotrun]

so, is it safe to say that in your opinion, no one should do a Classic Hits format such as is being done by a cbs-fm, kearth and hundreds around the country because agencies feel the demographics are set in their ways (a 55 year old today is NOT like a 55 year old of 30 years ago)you are entitled to your opinion, but i've yet to see it backed up in fact. the only fact IS there are hundreds of Classic Hits stations that make Money or they wouldn't be there.

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

you guys are awfully fast to POO-POO this... all i'm saying is IF someone were going to do Classic Hits in Indy again(and you know there isn't one now and the chances for this format to emerge is certainly possible in the future) these call letters would ring with the core of an audience like that, or what the hell "WIFE" is just COOL and easy to remember. and i realize that IF you are a 25-35 year old PD in Indy who might of come from out of state, this all means nothing to you, who dismiss not only the format but people who would listen to it, i think there is ROOM for EVERYONE TO BE SERVED WITH RADIO, even people who want to listen to Classic Hits, its being done all over the country! ever heard of cbs-fm? or Kearth they are doing quite well with it... if you have a cluster of 5 or 6 stations they can't ALL be hip-hop and country... you can bet classic hits will re-emerge in Indy, don't know when but it will and IF i had anything to do with it WIFE-FM would be a no-brainer. IF you could get the calls...

Indy has TWO Classic Hits: WJJK & WNTR.

Before you dismiss them as "not REAL Classic Hits," save us all some time and acknowledge that what you REALLY want is an Oldies station, just hidden under the Classic Hits banner.

The calls have been gone for more than three decades -- in an era when call letters don't matter -- but YOU are convinced that bringing them back will be a hit.

No-brainer indeed.

So True N_D Radio Guy

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

wjjk is still "Jack" and wntr are POOR excuses for anything related to 'Fun' stations to listen to like a cbs-fm or Kearth or several others ACTUALLY doing a "Classic Hits" format CORRECTLY. and i imagine they don't want a real Classic Hits in the market to water them down. i often find it amusing that no one seems to trash the demographics of a wibc-fm or any News Talker who has old white men listening to them, and they seem to make it, YET a Classic Hits station simply CANNOT MAKE IT with the agencies with the SAME DEMOGRAPHICS + Women.. your argument is Tired, and might i say a bit Age Bigoted.

What your wanting is a 50, 60's stations. In this day and time. no advertisers are gonna buy into that audience sector

why do you think there is no adult Standards Stations around anymore. heck in reality is there many smooth Jazz Stations left in the US Radio market.

Advertisers what the youngins to buy stuff. thus you need to at least be focused on Music from the 70's, 80's, 90's, 00's and Now no matter what the format is

 

[Ted Cramer]

Sorry to rain on anyone's parade but the calls are in use...94.3 WIFE, a Country FM and WIFE-AM, a Classic Hits AM....

 

[skippertthomas]

Here is a possible, trend.... Since most folks under 35 think the government owes them their life's existance, we need to insist D.C. buy heavy flights of ads and ROS on all stations who gear to younger demos and demand that half the stations be programmed to such.. Then tax the living crap out of the helpless owners who can't compete with the big "Turnip Squeezing" corps and their five station clusters in those bigger markets.... The money gets recylced and claimed as 'upward progress in the economy' and this is going in a circle... Duh! Ha! YOU WILL LISTEN....YOU WILL LISTEN....YOU WILL LISTEN....Program AM's to people's pets..... HD to space invading ALIENS..... Border stations to illeagal aliens (Oh, we do that, already!).... Can we go back to the Act of 1934? Public Airwaves! Community Standards! (How do we determine that?), blah-blah! ;D