WERM

Last updated
WERM
Broadcast area Mobile, Alabama
Frequency 1220 kHz
BrandingGospel 1220
Programming
Format Urban Gospel
Ownership
Owner
  • Donald H. Pugh, Sr.
  • (Eternity Media Group WERM, LLC)
WABF
History
First air date
August 12, 1961
Former call signs
WABF (1961–2017)
Call sign meaning
Eternity Records Mobile
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID 32848
Class D
Power 1,000 watts day
30 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
30°30′39″N87°54′13″W / 30.51083°N 87.90361°W / 30.51083; -87.90361
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website wermradio.com/wp/

WERM (1220 AM) is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Fairhope, Alabama, since 1961. The station's broadcast license is currently held by Donald H. Pugh Sr., through licensee Eternity Media Group WERM, LLC.

Contents

WERM broadcasts an Urban Gospel music format to the greater Mobile metropolitan area, including Mobile County and Baldwin County, Alabama. This station formerly broadcast a tradio show called The Gulf Coast Swap Shop, local news, and select programming from the CBS Radio Network. [2]

History

This station began regular operations as WABF on August 12, 1961. Licensed to Eastern Shore Broadcasters, Inc., the station was originally part of the J. Dige Bishop Stations Group. [3] It broadcast with 1,000 watts of power, daytime-only, to protect WGAR (now WHKW) in Cleveland, Ohio, from skywave interference. [4]

Almost two decades later, Eastern Shore Broadcasters, Inc., sold WABF to Bee Cee Broadcasting, Inc., in a deal that closed on July 1, 1978. [5] In March 1992, Bee Cee Broadcasting, Inc., reached a deal to sell WABF to Jubilee Broadcasting Company, Inc., for $350,000. The deal was approved by the FCC on April 20, 1992, and consummated on May 11, 1992. [6] In February 1999, Jubilee Broadcasting Company, Inc., contracted to transfer the broadcast license for WABF to Gulf Coast Broadcasting Company, Inc. The deal gained FCC approval on May 5, 1999, and the transaction was formally consummated on May 20, 1999. [7]

In June 2001, the station applied to increase its nighttime signal strength from 4 to 30 watts while eliminating the directional array in use both day and night to reduce skywave interference. The FCC granted a construction permit for these changes on October 1, 2001, with a scheduled expiration date of October 1, 2004. [8] With construction and testing complete in January 2002, the station applied for a new broadcast license to cover these changes. The FCC granted the new license on March 11, 2002. [9]

Effective August 10, 2016, Gulf Coast sold WABF to Donald H. Pugh, Sr.'s Eternity Media Group, LLC for $105,000.

The station was granted special temporary authority in April 2016 to operate daytime only with 1 kW from one of the WERM towers in Mobile, and it began using that facility as of September 2016. The tower at the WABF studios on Section Street in Fairhope was later taken down. Although the new ownership moved the studios and transmitter, the format remained more or less the same, with a mix of softer oldies and standards. Within a month of beginning operation from the STA site at the WERM tower in Mobile, coverage issues in Fairhope became apparent and the station moved the temporary broadcast back to Fairhope, first from a location near their new studio in downtown and later from a longwire off Twin Beech Road, just a half mile from the old transmitter site. In early February 2017, the format and programming moved to WERM 1480 in Mobile, while that station's gospel programming moved to this frequency. This change was reported to be permanent. On December 6, 2017, the stations swapped call signs, with this station assuming the WERM calls.

Related Research Articles

KMMQ is a radio station licensed to serve Plattsmouth, Nebraska, United States. The station is owned by NRG Media and the license is held by NRG License Sub, LLC, headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Its studios are located at Dodge Street and 50th Avenue in Midtown Omaha, while its transmitter site is located near Glenwood, Iowa.

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

WMXC is a commercial radio station licensed to Mobile, Alabama, and serving the Mobile and Pensacola metropolitan areas. The station broadcasts an adult contemporary radio format, switching to Christmas music for much of November and December. It is owned by iHeartMedia, with the broadcast license held by iHM Licenses, LLC. The studios are co-located with former sister television station WKRG-TV on Broadcast Drive in Mobile. WMXC carries several syndicated shows from co-owned Premiere Networks: Murphy, Sam & Jodi in morning drive time, Delilah in the evening and Ellen K on Saturday mornings.

WARB is a radio station licensed to serve Dothan, Alabama, United States. The station, which began licensed operation in 1996, is currently owned by Brian Baker and Anthony Donelson, through licensee good Guys Broadcasting, LLC. The station is licensed to broadcast only during daylight hours.

WJHX was an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Lexington, Alabama. The station was last owned by Bar Broadcasting, Inc.

WZKD is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, United States. The station, originally launched in 1953, is currently owned by Roscoe Miller and the broadcast license is held by Autaugaville Radio, Inc. The WZKD studios are located on the 3rd floor of The Colonial Financial Center in downtown Montgomery, and the transmitter tower is in Montgomery's northeast side.

<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.

<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.

WKSJ-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Mobile, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by San Antonio–based iHeartMedia and the broadcast license is held by iHM Licenses, LLC. Its studios are located inside the building of unrelated television station WKRG-TV on Broadcast Drive in Mobile, and the transmitter is near Robertsdale, Alabama.

WZGX is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Bessemer, Alabama. The station, founded in 1950 as WBCO, is owned by Lyle Reynolds, through licensee Red Mountain Ventures, LLC. It ceased broadcasting on July 15, 2013, but resumed broadcasting in December 2014, then fell silent again since March 25, 2019 and has since resumed broadcasting.

WQCR is a radio station licensed to serve Alabaster, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by Rivera Communications, LLC.

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

WZEW is an adult album alternative-formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Fairhope, Alabama, serving Mobile, Alabama metropolitan area. WZEW and sister station WNSP broadcast from the former Smith Bakery building in Mobile, Alabama, and WZEW's transmitter is south of Theodore, Alabama.

WNGL is a radio station licensed to serve Mobile, Alabama, United States. Since September 2009, the station has been owned by Fairhope-based Archangel Communications, Inc.

WBZR-FM is an American radio station licensed to serve Atmore, Alabama. The station, which began regular broadcast operations in 1991, is currently owned and operated by Larry and Earnest White, through licensee Tri-County Broadcasting Inc.

WMCJ is a radio station licensed to serve Cullman, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by Walton E. Williams III but a sale to Jimmy Dale Media was approved by the FCC in October 2008 and is, as of January 30, 2009, pending consummation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJNZ (AM)</span> Radio station in Robertsdale, Alabama

WJNZ is a daytime-only American radio station licensed to serve the community of Robertsdale, Alabama. The station, launched in 1985, is owned and operated by Noah Britt, through licensee Tri City Radio, LLC.

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

WOPP is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Opp, Alabama. The station is owned by E & R Broadcasting, Inc. It airs a variety format with a mix of country music and oldies during the week and Southern Gospel music on Sundays.

WNWF is a radio station licensed to serve Evergreen, Alabama, United States. The station, established in 1957, is currently owned by John G. Ralls, Jr., through licensee Andala Enterprises, Inc.

WTOF is an American radio station licensed to serve Bay Minette, Alabama. The station is owned by Dave Minard, through licensee UM Enterprise, LLC. It previously aired a Christian radio format including syndicated Christian talk and Christian ministry plus Southern Gospel music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KMRN</span> Radio station in Cameron, Missouri

KMRN is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Cameron, Missouri. The station, founded in 1971, is owned by Alpha Media and the broadcast license is held by Alpha Media Licensee LLC.

WDXR, along with FM translator W242CX at 96.3, is a radio station licensed to serve Paducah, Kentucky, United States. The station, established in 1957, is currently owned by Virginia-based Bristol Broadcasting Company, Inc. and airs a classic hits format, supplied via satellite from Cumulus Media.

References

  1. "Facility Technical Data for WERM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. "Station Information Profile". Arbitron . Retrieved December 31, 2011.
  3. "Directory of AM and FM Radio Stations in the U.S.". 1963 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1963. p. B-5.
  4. "AM Station Classes: Clear, Regional, and Local Channels". Federal Communications Commission, Audio Division. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  5. "Directory of Radio Stations in the United States and Canada". Broadcasting/Cable Yearbook 1982. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1982. p. C-4.
  6. "Application Search Details (BAL-19920309EB)". FCC Media Bureau. April 20, 1992. Retrieved December 31, 2011.
  7. "Application Search Details (BAL-19990219ED)". FCC Media Bureau. May 20, 1999. Retrieved December 31, 2011.
  8. "Application Search Details (BP-20010621AAG)". FCC Media Bureau. October 1, 2001. Retrieved December 31, 2011.
  9. "Application Search Details (BL-20020114ABF)". FCC Media Bureau. March 11, 2002. Retrieved December 31, 2011.