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Word Broadcasting to LMA Salem's Louisville stations

From one standpoint, both have pretty much the same mission. So, programming should remain pretty much the same. However, I can't imagine Word will operate the River in addition to its existing station, which has the same format. It also has little incentive to run Salem's conservative talk on 970, though Salem might cut it enough of a break to keep running that programming that it will still make money.

I'd have to think WFIA 94.7 will remain much the same, though, again, it may not be the exact same programs. A good portion of the programming on WFIA is Salem's network Christian programming. Unless Salem pays it to air its programming, it won't likely be able to sell enough ads to make its expenses. The local programs pay for their airtime in advance and seem likely to continue.
 
The thing about Word Broadcasting is that while they mostly are a Christian programmer, their TV station (WBNA) isn't just all-on Christianity 24/7. In fact, almost all of 21 and their sub-channels is secular stuff, and they even have some stuff on that channel that is decisively anti-Christian (that questionably tasteful Deadbeats show they do in the Jefferson County court stands out above the rest). In fact, looking at WBNA and all of their sub-channels, the main one (21.1) airs almost all secular stuff with an exception of religious programming later in the evening, and four others air nothing but secular stuff. Only one of their sub-channels (21.3) is religious programming all day, every day.

None of that means they'll do the same thing with their radio stations they're running, of course, but I could see them playing around with nonsecular stuff a little bit more than some other religious broadcasters would. Much like Salem does, with their conservative talk station. Of course that may just mean they'll leave the conservative talk on 970.
 
I just remembered that this is not the first time that Word Broadcasting has branched out.In 1998 WJIE 88.5 added a translator at 93.9 FM (93.9 was just a translator then and this was after the pirate radio station was operating at 93.9 if anyone remembers that) Then in 1999 they bought WNAI 680 AM and changed it to Christian Talk.WJIE 680 was sold in 2002 and became Radio Disney.At the time I remember that they said that ABC / Disney made an offer for AM 680 that they couldn't refuse.I think it was around 2 million dollars.
 
WFIA AM 900 will be changing call letters to WJIE following Word Broadcasting taking control of the Louisville Salem stations.What is interesting to me is that it will be the first call letter change for AM 900 since 1965 when they changed from WKYW.The WFIA call letters were chosen to mean "With Faith In America". WKYW AM 900 went on the air in 1947 and those call letters are now on "Passport Radio" AM 1490 in Frankfort.
 
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