WABD

Last updated

WABD
975WABD-FM.jpg
Broadcast area Mobile, Alabama
Pensacola, Florida
Biloxi, Mississippi
Frequency 97.5 MHz
Branding97-5 WABD
Programming
Language(s) English
Format Top 40 (CHR)
Affiliations Westwood One
Ownership
Owner
WBLX-FM, WDLT-FM, WGOK, WXQW
History
First air date
February 5, 1973 (as WABB-FM)
Former call signs
WABB-FM (1973–2012)
WLVM (2012) [1]
Call sign meaning
Tribute to WABB-FM; BD also can refer to WABB-FM's former owner Bernie Dittman
Technical information [2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID 70657
Class C
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 473 meters (1,552 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
30°41′20″N87°49′49″W / 30.68889°N 87.83028°W / 30.68889; -87.83028
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website 975wabd.com

WABD (97.5 FM) is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Mobile, Alabama. The station, established in 1973 as WABB-FM, is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. Its studios are on Dauphin Street in Midtown Mobile, and its transmitter is near Spanish Fort, Alabama.

Contents

This station began broadcasting a contemporary hit radio music branded as "97-5 WABD" on July 15, 2012. The shift from the previous "K-LOVE" branded Christian radio format was a result of a multi-station deal that saw the programming formerly on WLVM move to WDLT-FM (98.3 FM), urban adult contemporary programming on WDLT-FM move to WABD (now WLVM, 104.1 FM), the contemporary hit radio format on WABD move to WLVM (now WABD, 97.5 FM). [3] On July 16, 2012, this station's legal call sign was changed by the FCC from WLVM to WABD. [1]

History

Early years

The station originally had its roots in WABB (1480 AM). WABB began broadcasting on June 19, 1948, when it was owned by the Mobile Register under call letters meaning "We are Alabama's Best Broadcasters". WABB had an FM simulcast from the very beginning, starting with 107.9 MHz and later 102.1 MHz until it was discontinued in the 1950s. Shortly after owner Bernie Dittman moved to Mobile from his native Ohio to join his father J.W. at the station in 1959, Top-40 music became the new format. [4]

97.5 WABB (1973–2012)

Former branding WABB-FM radio logo.jpg
Former branding

The modern WABB-FM (97.5 FM) signed on for the first time on February 5, 1973, with the song "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" by Bob Dylan (which was also the final song played on February 29, 2012). [5] WABB-FM was originally a simulcast of its sister station before moving toward its long-running Top 40 format in 1984. Notable alumni of WABB include radio personalities Michael Scott Shannon and Leslie Fram. [6]

WABB's longtime owner, president, and general manager Bernie Dittman died on October 25, 2006, after suffering from a stroke the previous week. [7] Dittman's daughter Betsey succeeded him after relocating to Mobile from Chicago, Illinois. [8]

Final WABB to "K-Love" (2012)

Final branding before flip to WLVM WABB-FM 2012 radio logo.png
Final branding before flip to WLVM

On February 17, 2012, the Dittman family announced on its website that it has decided to sell WABB-FM to Educational Media Foundation for $3.1 million. [9] Following a day-long retrospective on the history of WABB, including its history on 1480 AM, on February 29, at Midnight, after bookending the station with the same song that launched 97.5, "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" by Bob Dylan, the station flipped to the K-LOVE Christian Contemporary format, thus ending WABB-FM's 39-year run as a Top 40/CHR. The format would not be lost in the area, as Cumulus relaunched the format at 104.1, with similar calls as WABD, at almost exactly the same time as WABB became K-Love. [10] [11] The station changed its call letters to WLVM on March 2, [1] after EMF transferred the call sign from WKIW, the K-LOVE station in Ironwood, Michigan. The Dittman family chose to retain WABB (1480 AM) and the rights to the "WABB" callsign; however, they would later sell WABB AM to Omni Broadcasting on October 24, 2012, with the new owners changing its call sign to WTKD, following the flip to sports talk. Another broadcaster, Big Fish Broadcasting, reserved the "WABB" call letters for their silent AM radio station in Belton, South Carolina. [12]

97.5 WABD (2012–present)

On July 9, 2012, the Educational Media Foundation announced that WLVM had been sold to Cumulus Broadcasting holding company Cumulus Licensing, LLC, as part of a multi-station deal and that several format shifts would take place simultaneously at noon on July 15, 2012. [13] The Christian programming on WLVM moved to WDLT (98.3 FM), the urban AC format on WDLT moved to WABD (104.1 FM), and the CHR format on WABD moved to WLVM (97.5 FM). [3] The FCC accepted the WLVM license transfer application on July 10, 2012, and changed that station's call sign from WLVM to WABD on July 16, 2012, with the first song on the new frequency being "Starships" by Nicki Minaj. The sale of the station was finalized the following week. [13] [1] WLVM and WDLT operated under local marketing agreements until the sales were approved and the transactions consummated. [14]

Air Staff

The station has gone through many personalities through the years. Currently WABD has two full-time local personalities. Jimmy Steele (Program Director) hosts mid days and Twiggins hosts afternoons. Twiggins has been with WABD since 2015 but got his start at the original WABB. Mornings became syndicated from Melbourne, Florida in late 2016 by Tony Zazza and Cheree. The show is called "Zazza mornings with Cheree," and is broadcast in 3 markets (Melbourne, Florida; Fort Walton Beach, Florida; and Mobile, Alabama).

Related Research Articles

WABB is a radio station licensed to Belton, South Carolina, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBLX-FM</span> Radio station in Mobile, Alabama

WBLX-FM is an American urban contemporary music-formatted radio station that serves Mobile, Lower Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida. The station has served the Gulf Coast for more than 50 years. Owned by Cumulus Media, its studios are on Dauphin Avenue in Midtown Mobile, and its transmitter is near Robertsdale, Alabama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLVM</span> K-Love radio station in Chickasaw-Mobile, Alabama

WLVM is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Chickasaw, Alabama, and broadcasting to the Mobile metropolitan area. The station is owned by the Educational Media Foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KKWD</span> Radio station in Bethany–Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

KKWD is an adult hits radio station serving the Oklahoma City area. The Cumulus Media outlet broadcasts at 104.9 MHz with an effective radiated power of 6 kW and is licensed to Bethany, Oklahoma. Its studios are in Northwest Oklahoma City, and the transmitter is on the Westside.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJOX-FM</span> Radio station in Birmingham, Alabama

WJOX-FM is a radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama. The station airs a sports format. WJOX-FM is owned by Cumulus Media. The station was assigned the WJOX-FM call sign by the Federal Communications Commission on February 8, 2010. The station has studios in Homewood and its transmitter is in West Birmingham along the west ridge of Red Mountain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLVU (FM)</span> Radio station in Belle Meade, Tennessee

WLVU is an FM radio station licensed to the city of Belle Meade, Tennessee, but serving the Nashville market as a whole. It is currently branded as K-LOVE, repeating a satellite-delivered contemporary Christian format. The station is owned by Educational Media Foundation and is the flagship of the K-Love and Air1 brands based in nearby Franklin, Tennessee. It is Nashville's most recent full-power FM station to take the air.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WVNN-FM</span> Radio station in Trinity, Alabama

WVNN-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Trinity, Alabama. Owned by Cumulus Media, it airs a news/talk radio format. WVNN-FM simulcasts WVNN 770 AM, which is licensed to Athens, Alabama. The stations are branded as "NewsTalk 770 AM/92.5 FM WVNN". The studios and offices are in Athens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WZYP</span> Radio station in Athens, Alabama

WZYP is a top 40 (CHR) music-formatted radio station licensed to serve Athens, Alabama, and broadcasting in the Huntsville, Alabama, area. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and formerly broadcast in HD. The broadcast signal can be heard throughout northern Alabama and much of southern central Tennessee. Its studios are in Athens and its transmitter is in Madison, Alabama.

Bernard Sidney Dittman was the longtime owner, president, and general manager of radio stations WABB and WABB-FM in Mobile, Alabama. Since Dittman assumed ownership in 1959, WABB has been one of the longest running Top-40 radio stations in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KLVP</span> Radio station in Aloha, Oregon

KLVP is a non-profit radio station licensed to Aloha, Oregon, and serving the Portland metropolitan area. The station is owned, and the broadcast license held, by the Educational Media Foundation. It airs the national contemporary Christian radio format known as "K-Love."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJTQ</span> Radio station in Florida, United States

WJTQ is an American commercial radio station serving the Pensacola, Florida, and Mobile, Alabama, markets. The station, established in 1965, is owned by Cumulus Media and its broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing, LLC. Its studios are in Pensacola and its transmitter is near Robertsdale, Alabama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRRX</span> Radio station in Gulf Breeze, Florida

WRRX is an urban adult contemporary music formatted radio station in the Pensacola, Florida, market owned by Cumulus Media. Its studios and transmitter are separately located in Pensacola.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WXQW</span> Radio station in Fairhope, Alabama

WXQW is a news/talk radio station licensed to Fairhope, Alabama, and serving the Mobile metropolitan area. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC. The radio studios and offices are on Dauphin Street in Midtown Mobile.

WABB is an American radio station located in Belton, South Carolina, The station is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to broadcast on 1390 AM with a transmitter power of 1,000 watts during the day and 17 watts at night under a non-directional pattern. The station airs a Christian format with Southern gospel music as an affiliate of The Life FM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WABF (AM)</span> Radio station in Mobile, Alabama, United States

WABF is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Mobile, Alabama. It is owned by Donald Pugh, through licensee Eternity Record Company LLC, broadcasting an oldies and adult standards radio format. WABF's radio studios are on North Church Street in Fairhope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WAVH</span> Radio station in Daphne, Alabama

WAVH is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Daphne, Alabama, and serving the Mobile metropolitan area. The station airs a talk radio format and is owned by Bigler Broadcasting, LLC. The studios and offices are located at 900 Western America Circle Suite #106 Interstate 65/Airport Boulevard interchange in Mobile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WDLT-FM</span> Radio station in Saraland, Alabama

WDLT-FM is an American radio station licensed to the community of Saraland, Alabama. The station, founded in 1966, broadcasts to the greater Mobile metropolitan area. The station is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. The WDLT broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC.

WLAY-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Littleville, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by Mike Self and Parker Griffith, through licensee Singing River Media Group, LLC

WTUG-FM is a radio station serving the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, vicinity with an urban adult contemporary format. Licensed to Northport, Alabama, United States. The station is currently owned by Townsquare Media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWFF-FM</span> Radio station in New Market, Alabama

WWFF-FM is an American radio station licensed to New Market, Alabama, and serving the Huntsville, Alabama, market. Owned by Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts a oldies-leaning country music format branded as 93.3 Nash Icon. Studios are located in Athens, Alabama while its transmitter is located in Huntsville.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Call Sign History". CDBS Public Access Database. FCC Media Bureau. July 16, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  2. "Facility Technical Data for WABD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. 1 2 Venta, Lance (July 9, 2012). "WABD Returning Home To 97.5". Radio Insight. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  4. "People: Radio". Media Life. October 30, 2006. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved August 2, 2008. Dittman owned WABB-AM since 1959, adding WABB-FM in 1973.
  5. "Bernie Dittman Passes Away". Radio Monitor. October 26, 2006.
  6. Farber, Erica (April 11, 2003). "Publisher's Profile: Scott Shannon". Radio & Records. Archived from the original on May 8, 2006. Retrieved August 2, 2008.
  7. "WABB's Dittman Dead At 79". Radio Ink. October 31, 2006. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved January 4, 2008.
  8. Holbert, Rob (November 8, 2006). "Media Frenzy". Lagniappe Mobile. Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  9. Licensing document FCC [ dead link ]
  10. "WABB-FM Agrees to be Purchased by Educational Media Foundation" from WABB (February 17, 2012)
  11. "104.1 Mobile To Fill WABB Void - RadioInsight". radioinsight.com. March 1, 2012. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  12. Williams, Alvin (November 16, 2012). "New call letters adopted for WABB-AM". Examiner.com.
  13. 1 2 "Application Search Details (BALH-20120709AFX)". FCC Media Bureau. July 10, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  14. "WABD is Heading To The Old WABB 97.5 Frequency". All Access. July 9, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2012.