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WNOX call letters

100.3 owns the call letters. Anyone with basic FCC knowledge realizes the calls remain with the frequency upon transfer of ownership UNLESS both parties agree to and make arrangements to transfer them with the sale. Apparently, this has not happened.

If Citadel uses the WNOX calls on 98.7 without FCC authorization/approval, they are guilty of broadcasting false indentifiers. The FCC seriously frowns on such actions.
 
MN Maniac said:
100.3 owns the call letters. Anyone with basic FCC knowledge realizes the calls remain with the frequency upon transfer of ownership UNLESS both parties agree to and make arrangements to transfer them with the sale. Apparently, this has not happened.

If Citadel uses the WNOX calls on 98.7 without FCC authorization/approval, they are guilty of broadcasting false indentifiers. The FCC seriously frowns on such actions.
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Correct, and since ownership of the station/signal hasn't changed it is even more clear cut.
 
Like I've said before, if Citadel wanted to keep the call letters they would have or at least should have either moved them prior to giving back 100.3 or made arrangements for them to retain them after the cord is cut.

They didn't. The call signs will stay where they are. There are reams of case law to support Oak Ridge's case.
 
The following example maybe what several posters have been saying here and I'm just not understanding the terminology. Back in the late 80s, a longtime Charlotte radio station changed from a lite AC to a more mainstream AC format and wanted to distance itself from a name which too closely resembled its beautiful music days - EZ 104, WEZC. The station changed its name to "Mix 104.7" and even often called itself "Mix 104.7 WMIX". Howver, "WMIX" was not the legal ID. The legal ID was "WMXC, Charlotte". As was becoming the trend in the late 80s, a voice delivered a lightning-strike-quick "WMXC Charlotte" legal ID crammed between two spots with a bit of overlap from the previous spot and the next spot. Additionally, the audio level of the ID was lower than the spots. It was barely intelligible -- obviously intentional. THEREFORE, is it not possible for Citadel to do the same? Keep the "brand" WNOX, but do a legal ID as, oh, WKNX. You know, if this situation was in Memphis it would be easy. Change COL to some little town west of the Mississippi and call it KNOX.
 
eacalhoun1 said:
Back in the late 80s, a longtime Charlotte radio station changed from a lite AC to a more mainstream AC format and wanted to distance itself from a name which too closely resembled its beautiful music days - EZ 104, WEZC. The station changed its name to "Mix 104.7" and even often called itself "Mix 104.7 WMIX". Howver, "WMIX" was not the legal ID. The legal ID was "WMXC, Charlotte". As was becoming the trend in the late 80s, a voice delivered a lightning-strike-quick "WMXC Charlotte" legal ID crammed between two spots with a bit of overlap from the previous spot and the next spot. Additionally, the audio level of the ID was lower than the spots. It was barely intelligible -- obviously intentional. THEREFORE, is it not possible for Citadel to do the same? Keep the "brand" WNOX, but do a legal ID as, oh, WKNX. You know, if this situation was in Memphis it would be easy. Change COL to some little town west of the Mississippi and call it KNOX.
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This is a slippery slope. The FCC not only prohibits false indentifers, they also prohibit those which are "intentionally deceptive."

When I was working in Orlando, there was a station near Daytona Beach using the "KISS-FM" moniker. The station was licensed to the small town of Palatka, Florida, but ran a full 100kW at 1,400 feet. Needless to say, it covered a lot of ground.

The Legal ID was buried in the :50 stopset. It was a very quick "WFKS, Palatka", dry-voiced. Then, at :00, a fully-produced sweeper aired which proudly proclaimed "WFKS Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, Gainesville, Orlando...Florida's 99.9 KISS-FM!"

The FCC cited and fined them for using false and intentionally deceptive identifiers. Although in this case, it was blatant because you had the actual call letters at :00, followed immediately by a NON city-of-license.


On the other hand, you have the case of WGTZ in Eaton, Ohio. The target market is Dayton. Back in the 1990s, they ran a produced Legal ID sweeper as follows: "WGTZ...Eatin' Dayton alive with the hottest hits...Z-93!" A complaint was filed against WGTZ with the FCC. However, the FCC ruled this WAS a Legal ID because it was actual call letters followed immediately by city-of-license. Though the play on words with Eaton/Eatin' was cute, it was not false nor deliberately deceptive.
 
I wasn't aware of a complaint filed against WGTZ. That identifier was legendary. I can remember "KBTL" in Houston, which was actually KYST when they ran an all-Beatles format. It was "KBTL" except at the TOH. Another situation in Ohio was in Findlay, where WHMQ dropped its long-time call letters and country format, and a rimshot competitor filed for and got the WHMQ calls. The station that dropped the calls (now WKXA), filed suit over confusion, advertiser goodwill, etc. Not sure how that was resolved.

Citadel, as far as I can tell, has zero leg to stand on. Citadel was never the licensee of 100.3, and that service mark filing was way late in the game. Once this goes to court, I can see Citadel giving up the news-talk ghost.
 
If I know Pirkle, the WNOX call letters will be staying with his station 100.3. As Charles Heston once said..."From my cold dead hands!" You have got to remember Johnny Pirkle was arguably the best known WNOX personality ever to use those call letters. Well maybe second to Scott Sams.
 
Noticing that mentions of WNOX are conspiculously absent this morning. Mostly "News Talk 98-7, the News and Talk of East Tennessee"
 
I noticed that too. They are going to have to do legal ID's for both WNOX and WOKI if they intend to comply with FCC rules etc during the similcast. I guess the lawyers have told Mike Hammond that they are not going to be able to keep WNOX on 98.7.
 
The long awaited improvements to 98.7 signal has also happened. Tim Berry and the crack engineering staff at Citadel has turned off the stereo pilot on 98.7 and TURNED the stereo pilot ON 100.3. That will even up the two signals now? I don't think that will make up for 92,000 watts and 1,500 feet of height disparity between 100.3 and 98.7.
 
BillBattle said:
I noticed that too. They are going to have to do legal ID's for both WNOX and WOKI if they intend to comply with FCC rules etc during the similcast. I guess the lawyers have told Mike Hammond that they are not going to be able to keep WNOX on 98.7.
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Did anyone else catch the news piece on "WNOX 100.3" on WATE two nights ago? The quote Hammond gave was "We've been told to use the call letters until we hear otherwise (from our lawyers.)"

I can only guess their lawyers told them they can use them until 7/31 on 100.3 and then no more. And not at all on 98.7.
 
Looks like the WNOX call letter issue maybe over. Today is the first day of Citadel’s simulcast of their News Talk format on both 98.7 and 100.3. The branding to date has been “News Talk 98-7, the News and Talk of East Tennessee.” No mention of WNOX or call signs. Right before time of legal ID, Hallerin H. Hill went into explanation that we are informing of the change to 98.7 and yes you are hearing us too on 100.3. We would like you to switch to 98.7 and then goes on to explain the programs that will be on 98.7. Then the legal ID comes up “WNOX 100.3 Oak Ridge, Knoxville and WOKI 98.7 Oliver Springs, Knoxville The News and Talk of East Tennessee
 
That's a fact. Glenn Beck in on the air now.

I guess Boortz is getting ready for his rebirth on the 100,000 watt monster in 551 hours.
 
BillBattle said:
The long awaited improvements to 98.7 signal has also happened. Tim Berry and the crack engineering staff at Citadel has turned off the stereo pilot on 98.7 and TURNED the stereo pilot ON 100.3. That will even up the two signals now? I don't think that will make up for 92,000 watts and 1,500 feet of height disparity between 100.3 and 98.7.
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A cute trick to be sure, and yes, sending a mono signal out on 98.7 will help get it out a little further. But Citadel has more than this up its sleeve...
 
gr8oldies said:
Yeah, with the stereo generator on 100.3 both signals are noisy and sound like crap in Sevier Co.
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I can imagine. 100.3 has horrible multi-path issues in Sevier county. Last year over Christmas, we tried to listen to the Christmas music on WNOX while driving through Sevierville and Pigeon Forge and after awhile it was just unlistenable! Switched over to B-97.5 and it was fine.

I'm wondering who gets the WNOX translator in Gatlinburg? I'm assuming Citadel keeps it and simulcasts 98.7 now?
 
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