Radio Training Network

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Radio Training Network, Inc. is an American non-profit broadcasting organization that operates several networks of Christian radio-formatted stations, mostly in the Southeast. The network's footprint includes stations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, North Carolina and South Carolina. The network is based in Port Richey, Florida. Some stations are programmed as "The Joy FM", and several are known as "His Radio".

Contents

History

In May 1976, Jim and Ruth Campbell took over the management and programming of WCIE 91.3 FM, a non-commercial station in Lakeland, Florida, which was owned by the Evangel Christian School. The station quickly became a financial success, raising more than enough listener support to keep it on the air. [1] (The station later moved to 91.1 MHz and is now WKES, owned by the Moody Bible Institute.)

The ministry expanded outside of Lakeland with the construction of its second and third stations, WLFJ-FM in Greenville, South Carolina, and WJIS in Bradenton, Florida, which began in 1983 [2] and 1986. [3] Radio Training Network was formed in 1989 to purchase these stations from the Evangel Christian School amidst strife within the involved church, [4] with the aid of Bill Watkins, who underwrote the transaction. [5]

The 1990s saw several new stations join RTN. In 1991, RTN acquired the former WSRX of Fort Myers, [6] and relaunched it as WJYO. However, the Fort Myers station was sold two years later to Toccoa Falls College. [7] It was essentially traded for a frequency held by the college in Belvedere, near Augusta, Georgia.

A return to the Tampa Bay area was foreshadowed in 1995 with the purchase of WLPJ in New Port Richey. [8] That station is now known as WCIE and considered the company flagship. [9] In the 2010s, RTN acquisitions included an upgrade from a translator to a full-power station in the Columbia, South Carolina area; [10] a station in Gainesville, Florida; [11] and a lease agreement that allowed RTN to enter the Jacksonville market. [12]

In 1995, RTN made its first expansion outside of the Southeast when it purchased and relaunched KWND "The Wind" in Springfield, Missouri. [13] The network would double its holdings in the market when it acquired KWFC (89.1 FM) in 2014. [14]

RTN has expanded in several of its longtime markets with the addition of further Christian formats beyond Christian adult contemporary. In 2019, the former WTOB-FM in the Greenville area was purchased and became WSHP-FM "His Radio Praise", airing contemporary worship music. [15]

RTN entered Orlando on April 19, 2021, with the launch of The Joy FM on WNUE-FM 98.1, which the organization concurrently filed to buy from Entravision Communications for $4 million. [9] The next month, RTN reached a deal to purchase stations serving Tallahassee (WTSM) and Port St. Lucie (WHLG) from Horizon Broadcasting Company for $1.3 million. [16]

Stations

RTN groups its stations by region. For more information on the relevant stations, see the main article page and the supplemental pages for applicable individual stations.

The Joy FM

The Joy FM banner covers RTN's stations in Florida, most of Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. The Joy FM stations maintain studios in Sarasota, Gainesville and Port Richey, Florida; Tyrone, Georgia; and Dothan, Alabama.

Florida

Georgia

Alabama

Tennessee

His Radio

His Radio stations are found in the Carolinas and in eastern Georgia, with the exception of the Augusta area.

South Carolina

North Carolina

Georgia

Augusta, Georgia

Springfield, Missouri

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WSHP-FM is an FM radio station licensed to Easley, South Carolina and serving the Greenville radio market. Owned by Radio Training Network, it broadcasts a contemporary worship music radio format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJXL-FM</span> Radio station in Jacksonville Beach, Florida

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WHGV is a Christian hip hop radio station licensed to LaCrosse, Florida, broadcasting to the Gainesville, Florida area. WCYZ is a Contemporary Christian music radio station licensed to Ocala, Florida, broadcasting to the Ocala area. The stations are owned by Ricardo Arroyo, and operated by Central Florida Educational Association, Inc. An acquisition of the stations by Central Florida Educational Association is pending.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WESC (AM)</span> Radio station in Greenville, South Carolina

WESC is a commercial daytime-only classic country AM radio station licensed to Greenville, South Carolina. Owned by iHeartMedia, it serves the Upstate South Carolina region as a simulcast of WESC-FM. The WESC studios are located in Greenville, while the station transmitter resides in nearby Berea.

WBCN, branded as "ESPN Southwest Florida", is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a sports radio format. Licensed to North Fort Myers, Florida, the station is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc., through licensee Beasley Media Group, LLC.

WLFJ-FM is a non-commercial radio station, licensed to Greenville, South Carolina, and serving the Upstate, including Spartanburg, Anderson and Clemson. Owned by the Radio Training Network, it broadcasts a Contemporary Christian music format, known as "His Radio 89.3." Several Christian talk and teaching shows are also included in the weekday schedule, hosted by Jim Daly, David Jeremiah and Charles Stanley.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJIS</span> Radio station in Bradenton, Florida

WJIS, known on air as The JOY FM, is a Christian adult contemporary station serving North, Central and Southwest Florida, including the Sarasota/Bradenton and Tampa Bay areas, and is owned by the Radio Training Network. The JOY FM is not only local to Bradenton, but it has many stations and translators across Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCRJ</span> Radio station in Jacksonville, Florida

WCRJ is a Christian radio station in Jacksonville, Florida. Owned by Radio Training Network, it broadcasts a Christian AC format as part of its The JOY FM network, which broadcasts in multiple different cities throughout the southeast United States.

WFAS is a commercial digital-only radio station licensed to serve White Plains, New York. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts with 1,000 watts from its transmitter site on Secor Road, in Hartsdale, New York. WFAS airs a conservative talk radio format with programming from Westwood One, which is itself owned by Cumulus Media. News updates are supplied by USA Radio News.

WFTI-FM was a radio station broadcasting a Christian AC format. Licensed to St. Petersburg, Florida, United States, it served the Tampa Bay area. The station was owned by the Radio Training Network, repeating the signal of Bradenton-based WJIS 88.1 MHz.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">WHLG</span> Radio station in Port St. Lucie, Florida

WHLG is a radio station broadcasting a Contemporary Christian format, licensed to Port St. Lucie, Florida. The station serves the Treasure Coast from Vero Beach to North Palm Beach and is Radio Training Network, Inc.

W258CB is a radio station translator in Greenville, South Carolina. Owned by Tower Above Media, the station simulcasts an urban contemporary music format branded as Streetz 99.5 from an HD Radio subchannel of SummitMedia's WJMZ-FM.

WTSM is a radio station on 97.9 FM licensed to Woodville, Florida, United States, serving Tallahassee. It is owned by Radio Training Network, Inc., and broadcasts a Contemporary Christian format branded as "The Joy FM".

WVRX is a Southern Gospel formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Strasburg, Virginia, serving the Northern Shenandoah Valley. WVRX is owned by Point FM Ministries. WVRX simulcasts sister station WVRS.

Calvary Radio Network is a network of Christian radio stations in the Midwestern United States, broadcasting Christian talk and teaching programs as well as contemporary Christian music. The network is based in Valparaiso, Indiana.

References

  1. ↑ Delaney, Mathew (February 9, 1980). "WCIE Depends—Successfully—On Listeners' Help". The Tampa Tribune. p. Heartland 9. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Judge Johnson to speak at 'Pretty Place' Sunday". The Greenville News. July 30, 1983. p. 6B. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  3. ↑ Andelman, Bob (July 11, 1986). "WMNF says new station interferes". The Tampa Tribune. p. 3-D. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  4. ↑ Reardon, Doug; Power, Lisa (August 28, 1989). "Polk church will discuss possible split". The Tampa Tribune. p. 4-B. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  5. ↑ Radio Training Network (June 6, 2018). Jim & Ruth – The Story of The JOY FM (Video).
  6. ↑ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. December 2, 1991. p. 63. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Transactions" (PDF). Radio & Records. December 17, 1993. p. 6. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. August 7, 1995. p. 43. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  9. 1 2 Venta, Lance (April 19, 2021). "The Joy FM Debuts In Orlando". RadioInsight. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  10. ↑ Venta, Lance (August 3, 2016). "WWNU Makes Flip To His Radio". RadioInsight. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  11. ↑ Venta, Lance (August 15, 2017). "MARC Radio Begins Gainesville Shuffle". RadioInsight. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  12. ↑ Venta, Lance (August 1, 2018). "Joy FM Comes To Jacksonville". RadioInsight. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  13. ↑ Peterson, Dawn (July 25, 1995). "KWND breathes fresh air into Christian radio". News-Leader. p. 1D. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  14. ↑ Venta, Lance (October 22, 2014). "Radio Training Network Acquires KWFC Springfield, MO". RadioInsight. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  15. ↑ Venta, Lance (March 26, 2020). "His Radio Praise Debuts On 103.9 WSHP-FM". RadioInsight. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  16. ↑ Venta, Lance (May 12, 2021). "The Joy FM Expands Into Tallahassee & Port St. Lucie". RadioInsight. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
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