WXLW

[ChiefEngineer]

Hood bought the land from Shirk. What a great thing to own when the new owners don't understand they need the land and as renters the landlord holds the leash on their future.

Rev. Hood personally told me that he inherited WXLW from someone named Eddie Sears. Rev. Hood said that in Eddie Sears' will, Sears bequeathed the station to Rev. Hood at no cost.

You must have misunderstood what Rev Hood said. I think the price for the station only (not the land) was $750,000 wehn Shirk sold it. Land sold to Hood when the Byrd's bought WXLW for 1.5 mil.

Ed Sears (God rest his soul) worked for Shirk and turned WXLW from a contemporary station to Christian after he put WXIR on the air. Worked for Shirk and later had a part of WXLW (small part) prior to his valiant fight against an aggresive cancer which he fought for many years.

 

[ChiefEngineer]

Bill Shirk from when ever i remember ran WXLW prior to the SIgnon's of WHHH in the early 90's and WGGR in 94/95 range and the Purchase of WIRE Leabonon in 2000 prior to selling off WHHH/WGGR which by then was WBKS/WIRE by then was WYJZ off to Radio one but kept WXLW and then sold WXLW off to Hood. then i remember Hood selling off WXLW to Jonathon Byrd

Money Bill and Bill owned WHHH, WTLC (aka WGGR WBKS), WYJZ (aka WIRE), WXLW, TV53 (aka I-65), and WIRE Lebanon.

WXLW sold first then all stations but WIRE sold to Radio One. WIRE and WSPM (William Shirk Poor Man), and WSPV were owned by HBC (With Shirk and Mays). WIKL sold to K-Love.

 

[brian_stevens]

Did Shirk build it from a CP he purchased, or did he aquire it later?

The original licensee was Mary Hotopp, a lawyer and judge from Greenwood. Mary was a country fan and wanted to program country from the start. As I recall, she had trouble building out the CP and Dennis Garrity helped her shop it around town. Didn't Bill first LMA, help her build it, and then buy it from Mary?

 

[brian_stevens]

If you recall the station was supposed to be "The Bear" before Sesquehanna bought Butler's 104.5.

Mary always intended to do country. The Bear had launched at 104.5 while 106.7 was still a CP. I remember talking with Cris Connor about the LMA with Bill. Country was part of the deal and Cris didn't seem happy about having to launch as the market's 3rd country FM. I'd guess country lasted less than a year before 106.7 jumped to oldies.

 

[Apollo7979]

Money Bill and Bill owned WHHH, WTLC (aka WGGR WBKS), WYJZ (aka WIRE), WXLW, TV53 (aka I-65), and WIRE Lebanon.

WXLW sold first then all stations but WIRE sold to Radio One. WIRE and WSPM (William Shirk Poor Man), and WSPV were owned by HBC (With Shirk and Mays). WIKL sold to K-Love.

Wow! I had no idea that XL was part of the Shirk stations in the 90s. I always thought he owned WHHH, WBKS/WGGR, and WYJZ during that period with XL being sold sometime in the 80s.

Does HBC still have any stake in WSPM?

 

[hipporadio]

Did Shirk build it from a CP he purchased, or did he aquire it later?

The original licensee was Mary Hotopp, a lawyer and judge from Greenwood. Mary was a country fan and wanted to program country from the start. As I recall, she had trouble building out the CP and Dennis Garrity helped her shop it around town. Didn't Bill first LMA, help her build it, and then buy it from Mary?

THANKS BRIAN... I have a better picture of 106.7 now. I was out-of-state then, and wasn't following that freq.

950 - WXLW was "for sale" (by Shirk) since 1982 (listed with the Blackburn Company)... I still have the offering in my files... ONE Mega Bucks (but NOT the land) in 1982--we LAUGHED (so should have J Byrd)... BTW... As a buyer "on the hunt"--I would have NEVER believed that 95.9 could have ever moved to downtown Indy... Common--were all informed radio men here! 'Can't we read simple FCC 2nd-adjacent spacing requirements-- 'n figure this stuff out--SIMPLE newbie stuff--I managed and delt with it in a far more difficult arena then Indy!

In my early pursuit of a station (dumb me)--the primary requirement was that I OWN MY TOWER SIDE (smart me)--despite a move on my FMs--I maintained that--and benifited at the resale. PROPERTY is a VERY important thing on a lower-tier station. Maybe not so much for a 93.1 (Indy)--but BIG TIME for a lower-powered "shoe-horn". BOTH my AM sites were owned, also... 'How come "businessmen" make such ????? decisions in larger cities... 'Seems the "larger city" should be more of a reason to "lock in" their antenna site!

Today, 'XL is in a crunch--big question... Is the site worth more than the ESPN ratings?

Honestly... I don't know!

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

WGGR was but another example of Bill Shirk's "humor"... They often referred to themselves as "Greater Greenwood Radio".

Didn't Bill inherit those calls with the LMA from Mary Hotopp?

WGGR was Owned by Mary HoTopp with an LMA To Bill who then bought WGGR. WGGR Started as a Country Station Rebel 106.7. then When Emmis flipped then WKLR to WNAP. Bill Shirk one week later took the WKLR Calls and Oldies format till Emmis filed a Cease and Desist on the WKLR Calls. Bill Kept the oldies format reverting back to the WGGR calls till Shirk finally ditched Oldies in early 97 before Gold came on the air when he flipped 106.7 to Urban AC/Jammin Oldies as Kiss 106.7 WBKS. Then sold off WHHH, WBKS and WYJZ a couple years later if i recall right to Radio One. In Fact i remember hearing Brian Do Traffic when he was working for Metro on 106.7 filling in for now WXIN's Joni Michaels

 

[hipporadio]

WGGR was but another example of Bill Shirk's "humor"... They often referred to themselves as "Greater Greenwood Radio".

Didn't Bill inherit those calls with the LMA from Mary Hotopp?

WGGR was Owned by Mary HoTopp with an LMA To Bill who then bought WGGR. WGGR Started as a Country Station Rebel 106.7. then When Emmis flipped then WKLR to WNAP. Bill Shirk one week later took the WKLR Calls and Oldies format till Emmis filed a Cease and Desist on the WKLR Calls. Bill Kept the oldies format reverting back to the WGGR calls till Shirk finally ditched Oldies in early 97 before Gold came on the air when he flipped 106.7 to Urban AC/Jammin Oldies as Kiss 106.7 WBKS. Then sold off WHHH, WBKS and WYJZ a couple years later if i recall right to Radio One. In Fact i remember hearing Brian Do Traffic when he was working for Metro on 106.7 filling in for now WXIN's Joni Michaels

THANKS Mike--you brought back my experience on 106.7. I remember many times driving on 465-south listening to WGGR as an oldies station (Greater Greenwood Radio), and hearing Shirk liners in the 90s at the same time he operated "Hoosier 96-3". Then WNAP came back on 93.1 (GOD--that was wonderful--but they blew it)... Didn't last long [SAD]. I was in Indy later in the '00s and 106.7 was a classic soul station later replaced by the flip with 105.7 WTLC.

I do remember the "flack" over the WKLS calls (my father mailed me the Indy Star report on it)... Didn't 'KLS try Howard Stern for a short time?

Of course we love WIBC and it's heritage, but my favorites were WNAP, WIFE, WXLW (giving away toilet paper), and later WNDE (Ron Jorden and "Marvelous" Mark Zentel nights in the mid-70s)... I have talked myself "blue in the face" promoting those stations as the VERY BEST in their time to out-of-towners. MANY OTHERS from far away have agreed (but the Louisville radio geeks WON'T conceed) that Indy "had it goin on in the 70s". WNAP especially--considering its FM first status--that "fast add" Top-40 format with those awesome Heller jingles in the late 60s-'70. MUCH discussion has occured on this board in other areas of the country regarding 'NAP's "pioneer" status... Indy has SOOOO much to be prould of! It WAS a great radio town!

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

WGGR was but another example of Bill Shirk's "humor"... They often referred to themselves as "Greater Greenwood Radio".

Didn't Bill inherit those calls with the LMA from Mary Hotopp?

WGGR was Owned by Mary HoTopp with an LMA To Bill who then bought WGGR. WGGR Started as a Country Station Rebel 106.7. then When Emmis flipped then WKLR to WNAP. Bill Shirk one week later took the WKLR Calls and Oldies format till Emmis filed a Cease and Desist on the WKLR Calls. Bill Kept the oldies format reverting back to the WGGR calls till Shirk finally ditched Oldies in early 97 before Gold came on the air when he flipped 106.7 to Urban AC/Jammin Oldies as Kiss 106.7 WBKS. Then sold off WHHH, WBKS and WYJZ a couple years later if i recall right to Radio One. In Fact i remember hearing Brian Do Traffic when he was working for Metro on 106.7 filling in for now WXIN's Joni Michaels

THANKS Mike--you brought back my experience on 106.7. I remember many times driving on 465-south listening to WGGR as an oldies station (Greater Greenwood Radio), and hearing Shirk liners in the 90s at the same time he operated "Hoosier 96-3". Then WNAP came back on 93.1 (GOD--that was wonderful--but they blew it)... Didn't last long [SAD]. I was in Indy later in the '00s and 106.7 was a classic soul station later replaced by the flip with 105.7 WTLC.

I do remember the "flack" over the WKLS calls (my father mailed me the Indy Star report on it)... Didn't 'KLS try Howard Stern for a short time?

Of course we love WIBC and it's heritage, but my favorites were WNAP, WIFE, WXLW (giving away toilet paper), and later WNDE (Ron Jorden and "Marvelous" Mark Zentel nights in the mid-70s)... I have talked myself "blue in the face" promoting those stations as the VERY BEST in their time to out-of-towners. MANY OTHERS from far away have agreed (but the Louisville radio geeks WON'T conceed) that Indy "had it goin on in the 70s". WNAP especially--considering its FM first status--that "fast add" Top-40 format with those awesome Heller jingles in the late 60s-'70. MUCH discussion has occured on this board in other areas of the country regarding 'NAP's "pioneer" status... Indy has SOOOO much to be prould of! It WAS a great radio town!

WNAP before its flip to WNOU had howard stern trying to compete against Bob and Tom. to this date i still have the Star and news articles of the flips of WKLR to WNAP and The WGGR to WKLR and back situation

 

[ten_four]

The WGGR/WKLR flip lasted about a weekend. They ran KLR's original oldies jingle package but still had the GGR legal ID. I think Emmis MIGHT have left them alone if they hadn't used the old jingle package, but having the calls AND the sound didn't sit well with Emmis brass.

 

[ChiefEngineer]

(Ron Jorden and "Marvelous" Mark Zentel nights in the mid-70s)...


[/quote]

Who was the man with the most elastic skin in the Bible? Jordan's humor stayed in the WENS public file for years. Never saw so many letters about a joke....

He didn't actually tie a donkey to a tree and walk miles but it was similar to a donkey.

If I laughed at the joke I confessed my sins later. I also laughed at the management at WENS when the letters came, and came, and came. Letters from the public are retained during the license period.

My favorite 60's jock was Barry Kent and the PD at WNDE who's name escapes me.

My least favorite jock started when WIFE changed format and WNDE did the same.

Hans, ryhmes with Fonz.

WXLW thread relevance. Saw Shirk today. He held a piece of fruitcake in his mouth for 20 minutes and spit it out his nose. billshirk.com!

 

[brian_stevens]

Memories

Jordan's humor stayed in the WENS public file for years. Never saw so many letters about a joke....

Don't forget Tim McKee's comment about John Wayne Gacy. WENS was still getting letters about that five years after Tim's death.

My favorite 60's jock was Barry Kent and the PD at WNDE who's name escapes me.

Chris Bailey?

And my added WXLW comment...for relevance. Who else remembers Space Station Shirk?

I should write a book.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

My favorite 60's jock was Barry Kent and the PD at WNDE who's name escapes me.

Surely not the same Barry Kent who is OM today at WTHI-FM?

 

[Kobayashi_Maru]

>> Don't forget Tim McKee's comment about John Wayne Gacy.
>> WENS was still getting letters about that five years after Tim's death.

Ok:
Exactly what did Tim say about Gacy?

 

[brian_stevens]

>> Don't forget Tim McKee's comment about John Wayne Gacy.
>> WENS was still getting letters about that five years after Tim's death.

Ok:
Exactly what did Tim say about Gacy?

Oh no. You'll have to wait until I write the book.

 

[MightyFrenchman]

In 1976 when I told some of my Chicago friends that I had sent a resumé & audition tape to a station in Indianapolis they said, "You mean Indian-no-place?".

[/quote]

Of course we love WIBC and it's heritage, but my favorites were WNAP, WIFE, WXLW (giving away toilet paper), and later WNDE (Ron Jorden and "Marvelous" Mark Zentel nights in the mid-70s)... I have talked myself "blue in the face" promoting those stations as the VERY BEST in their time to out-of-towners. MANY OTHERS from far away have agreed (but the Louisville radio geeks WON'T conceed) that Indy "had it goin on in the 70s".

[/quote]

 

[Kobayashi_Maru]

>>> Don't forget Tim McKee's comment about John Wayne Gacy.
>>> WENS was still getting letters about that five years after Tim's death.

>> Ok:
>> Exactly what did Tim say about Gacy?

> Oh no. You'll have to wait until I write the book.

Not fair Brian. Tim is gone (RIP) and you may never get that book written.
Please, don't make me beg....

 

[ChiefEngineer]

Tim McKee - ouch. I was on the phone (cause she called the station to let us know he died) with his girlfirend the night he died. He worked at Tri-W-Y, then WFBQ and then WENS. Significance of 3 and Tim's death? Tim was great, hope he's resting in peace in that big radio ranch in the sky.

Took me some time to figure out why I could hear Space station Shirk so well then it went away at dark....

Station had an old RCA until SHirk put the SX-5 online. Still had the stacks for the RCA venting but the transmitter is in South America. Space Station Shirk was a Jam Productions sonovox.

Not Chris Bailey it was

CHRIS BAILEY HOW YA DOIN TONIGHT WINDY 1260

Same Barry Kent at WTHI. That would be brother Barry Kent.

 

[ChiefEngineer]

By the way : WXLW has balls. Shirk used the same promotion on Radio Mom. Mom has..well I can't even say it.

 

[ten_four]

Shirk has been doing it his way since the WERK days in Muncie. His dad owned 990 and turned Muncie/Anderson radio on it's ear. The family bought XLW in the early 70s. Somewhere I have on old WERK survey with a "Win a date with Bill Shirk" promotion on the back. They also ran commercials for the Blackford
County Drive-in when the place ran "adult" films.