WBDG

Last updated
WBDG
WBDG Giant90.9FM logo.jpg
Broadcast area Indianapolis area
Frequency 90.9 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingGiant 90.9 FM
Programming
Format Variety
Ownership
OwnerMetropolitan School District of Wayne Township
History
First air date
February 14, 1966
Technical information
Facility ID 41317
Class A
ERP 400 watts
HAAT 24.0 meters (78.7 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
 39°47′5.00″N86°17′27.00″W / 39.7847222°N 86.2908333°W / 39.7847222; -86.2908333
Links
Website WBDG Website

WBDG (90.9 FM) is a high school radio station broadcasting a Variety format from Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The station is currently owned by Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township. [1]

Contents

WBDG broadcasts in the HD Radio format. [2]

History

WBDG is one of the first radio stations in Marion County to be owned by a school system and operated by the students of that system. A construction permit was obtained to build a tower on top of the newly constructed "new" Ben Davis High School in September 1965, and, on February 14, 1966, WBDG came to life with its first regular broadcasting day. The station had a radiated power of just 10 watts.

Early programming on WBDG consisted of a modest schedule of educational programs aimed at the township elementary schools, community news and a lunch-time dance party. The station broadcast only during school hours and on athletic event nights. Competition for the handful of disc jockey slots each week was very fierce.

In the early 1970s, station management applied for and was granted a power increase. The station's radiated power was upped to 320 watts. Channel six (WRTV) insisted that WBDG move its antenna and transmitter to the tower farm near St. Vincent Hospital on Indy's Northside. The new transmission location proved undesirable as the station could barely be received in its own control room. In 1979, the FCC granted the petition to move the station back to Ben Davis. Part of the FCC's construction permit was to increase WBDG's radiated power to 400 watts. A 78-foot (24 m) tower was built on the school roof, and the transmitter was moved to a fan room on the second floor of the building.

As the 1970s waned, WBDG began to add after school radio shows. Pop music and rock started to air. By 1979, WBDG was broadcasting 15 hours per day, five days per week and from 9:00 AM-Midnight on Saturday and Sunday. Student operators even kept the station on the air on holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas with no automation system.

During the days of disco, WBDG earned a few ratings points in one of the books. WBDG was the only disco station in Indianapolis. A few of WBDG's staff members had also gotten an advertising agency to donate to WBDG 35 billboard advertisements. “Disco 91” billboards were across the city. When disco died, WBDG adopted a popular music and rock format. In 1986, the station was granted its current stereo license after raising the money for stereo broadcast equipment in a first-ever WBDG Radio Marathon.

In the early 1990s, popular music was shifting toward an increasingly esoteric and unconventional bent. In emphasis of this expanding scope of sound in the mainstream, WBDG adopted the moniker "The Radio Spectrum". Some of the most dynamic set lists of this era came from a show entitled "Whatnot", an innovative modern rock show pioneered by student Jennifer Collins. In 1995, WBDG expanded to 24 hours a day, every day. On June 1, 2002, WBDG re-launched as Giant 90.9.

In July 2020, the FCC granted an eight-year license renewal that will not expire until 2028. WBDG began broadcasting in both analog and HD Radio in January 2018.

Station broadcasting information

The station broadcasts with 0.4 kilowatts of both vertical and horizontal power at 78 feet (24 m) of height above average terrain serving primarily Western Marion and Eastern Hendricks Counties. The station is licensed to Indianapolis. More information can be found on the FCC's search page for WBDG-FM

Programming

WBDG is a student radio station playing a wide range of musical artists and genres. WBDG plays national and local artists. During the school year, the station's student broadcasters host radio shows with different themes. Station management determines the rest of the automated and daily live programming following a variety format concentrating on music of the last 10 years to today. WBDG airs a program called Radio Goethe on Sundays at 7:00 p.m. The station also broadcasts up to eight hours of dance and techno music on its Giant Mix program. The show airs until 4:00 a.m. nightly. Sundays are reserved for music from the 1970s through the late 1990s on Retro Sunday.

Emerson Allen hosts School Talk with Emerson. This is a weekly 30-minute talk show that is broadcast August–May on WBDG at 7:00 a.m. on Friday mornings. The program also highlights school functions, clubs, and activities. Local politicians also frequently appear on the show It is produced by WBDG students and replays on Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

Each spring, WBDG celebrates its history on the airwaves with a marathon broadcast. This is a major fundraiser for the non-commercial station.

WBDG also broadcasts a variety of Ben Davis High School and area sporting events.

Famous alumni

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRTI</span> Public radio station in Philadelphia

WRTI is a non-commercial, listener-supported radio station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is a service of Temple University, with the university's board of trustees holding the station's license. The studios are on Cecil B. Moore Avenue in Philadelphia. WRTI plays classical music from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and jazz all night. It broadcasts using HD Radio technology, using its digital subchannel to reverse this schedule. On WRTI-HD2, jazz is heard by day, classical music at night. News updates are provided by National Public Radio. The station holds periodic fundraisers on the air and on line.

KSCA is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Glendale, California and broadcasting to the Greater Los Angeles area. KSCA is owned by TelevisaUnivision, and it airs a regional Mexican radio format. The station has studios and offices on Center Drive in West Los Angeles. KSCA's transmitter is on Mount Wilson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJJK</span> Radio station in Noblesville–Indianapolis, Indiana

WJJK is a commercial radio station licensed to Noblesville, Indiana, and broadcasting to the Indianapolis metropolitan area. It is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts a classic hits radio format. Its studios and offices are on North Shadeland Avenue on the east side of Indianapolis.

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

WBOS is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Brookline, Massachusetts, and serving Greater Boston. WBOS is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group, with studios and offices in Waltham. WBOS airs a financial news radio format from Bloomberg Radio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRTV</span> ABC affiliate in Indianapolis

WRTV is a television station in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, affiliated with ABC and owned by the E. W. Scripps Company. The station's studios are located on Meridian Street north of downtown Indianapolis, and its transmitter is located on the city's northwest side near Meridian Hills, Indiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WKYS</span> Urban contemporary radio station in Washington, D.C.

WKYS is a commercial radio station licensed to Washington, D.C. The station is owned by Urban One through licensee Radio One Licenses, LLC, and broadcasts an urban contemporary radio format. It is co-owned with WMMJ, WOL, WPRS-FM, and WYCB, with studios and offices in Silver Spring, Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNDE</span> Radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana

WNDE is a commercial radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is owned by iHeartMedia with the broadcast license held by iHM Licenses, LLC. WNDE broadcasts a sports radio format, with some afternoon talk programs, including The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFBQ</span> Radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana

WFBQ is a radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, owned by iHeartMedia. The studios are located at 6161 Fall Creek Road on the northeast side of Indianapolis. The transmitter and antenna are located on the northwest side of Indianapolis. It is the flagship station of the popular nationally syndicated program The Bob & Tom Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNTR</span> Adult contemporary radio station in Indianapolis

WNTR is a commercial radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana. WNTR is owned by Cumulus Media and it airs an adult contemporary radio format. Its studios and offices are on North Shadeland Avenue, off Interstate 465.

WXLW is a commercial radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is owned by Pilgrim Communications LLC. Along with sister station 95.9 WFDM-FM, it simulcasts a talk radio format, known as "Freedom 95." The radio studios and offices are on Industrial Road off U.S. Route 31 in Franklin, Indiana. After a local morning news and information show hosted by Todd Huff, the rest of the schedule is nationally syndicated talk hosts: Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, "The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey," Mark Levin, Joe Pags, Ben Shapiro, "Our American Stories with Lee Habeeb" and "This Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRAL (FM)</span> Adult contemporary radio station in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

WRAL is a commercial radio station licensed to Raleigh, North Carolina, and serving the Research Triangle. It is owned by the Capitol Broadcasting Company and broadcasts an adult contemporary radio format, switching to Christmas music for part of November and December. Capitol Broadcasting also owns NBC network affiliate WRAL-TV, Fox affiliate WRAZ-TV, and the Durham Bulls minor-league baseball team, along with several other radio stations. WRAL carries the audio of the Six O'Clock News broadcast from sister station WRAL-TV. During tornado warnings, WRAL-FM also simulcasts WRAL-TV's audio of their tornado coverage.

WUFT-FM is an NPR member radio station owned by the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, broadcasting news and public media programming from NPR along with other distributors including APM, PRX, WNYC Studios and the BBC. The station also operates a full-time satellite, WJUF in Inverness at 90.1 FM.

WKLU is a radio station licensed to Brownsburg, Indiana, and serving the Indianapolis metropolitan area. The station is owned by the Educational Media Foundation and carries its K-LOVE network, playing Contemporary Christian music.

WOLT is a commercial radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana. It broadcasts a classic alternative radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. WOLT carries the nationally syndicated "Woody Show" in morning drive time from co-owned KYSR Los Angeles. The studios are at 6161 Fall Creek Road on the northeast side of Indianapolis.

WZRL is a commercial radio station licensed to Plainfield, Indiana, serving the Indianapolis metropolitan area. It broadcasts a mainstream urban radio format and is owned and operated by iHeartMedia The WZRL broadcast license is held by iHM Licenses, LLC. WZRL carries The Breakfast Club morning drive time show from co-owned WWPR-FM in New York City. The studios are located on Fall Creek Road on the northeast side of Indianapolis.

WONU is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Kankakee, Illinois, United States, and serving the region south of the Chicago metropolitan area. It is a non-profit, listener-supported station owned and operated by Olivet Nazarene University, which is located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. It airs a Christian Adult Contemporary radio format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WICR</span> Radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana

WICR is a public radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is owned by the University of Indianapolis and broadcasts a non-commercial jazz and classical music radio format. The license is held by the University of Indianapolis Board of Trustees. On weekdays, classical music is heard from midnight to noon, while jazz is heard afternoons and evenings. On weekends, the station programs a mix of jazz, classical and other musical genres. The radio studios and offices are in Esch Hall on East Hanna Avenue.

WVUD is a non-commercial educational FM radio station owned by University of Delaware and licensed to serve Newark, Delaware. The station is student-run and broadcasts a freeform format. Studios are located in the Perkins student center at the University of Delaware and the transmitting antenna is located on the top of the Christiana East Tower residence building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFYI-FM</span> Public radio station in Indianapolis, IN, USA

WFYI-FM is a public radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is operated by Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Broadcasting, a public broadcasting community licensee which also operates the area's Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member station, WFYI Public Television via on-air digital channels 20.1, 20.2 and 20.3. WFYI-FM is a member of National Public Radio (NPR) and carries news and information programming, plus weekly shows featuring the Indianapolis Symphony the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Harmonia, and the possible return of Classics by Request, Evening Concert, and Opera Hour.

WSOM is a radio station in Franklin, Indiana, United States. Owned by Inter Mirifica, Inc., the station is part of its regional Catholic Radio Indy network.

References

  1. ↑ "WBDG Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  2. ↑ https://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?latitude=39.8646455&longitude=-86.1039189 HD Radio Guide for Indianapolis
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.