WSEV (AM)

Last updated
WSEV
Frequency 930 kHz
BrandingWatson 104.1
Programming
Format Adult hits
Ownership
Owner
  • Lisa Nininger Bouldin
  • (Bristol Broadcasting Company, Inc.)
History
First air date
April 23, 1955
Call sign meaning
WSEVierville
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 17058
Class D
Power 5,000 watts day
148 watts night
Translator(s) 104.1 W281BQ (Sevierville)
Links
Public license information

WSEV (930 kHz) operates as Sevierville, Tennessee's first and only local AM radio station. While other stations are licensed to Sevierville, their studios are based in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Contents

History

WSEV is the heritage station in Sevierville. It has aired the talents of future country singers, including Dolly Parton. In 1990 the station was purchased, along with its FM sister station WSEV-FM 105.5, by the Dollywood Broadcasting Company, a privately owned corporation whose shareholders included Parton; managing partner Orr & Earls Broadcasting, Inc., of Branson, Missouri; and other investors. The AM station's call letters remained WSEV, but the FM's call letters were changed to WDLY 105.5 to reflect the connection with Parton. In 1992 a remote broadcast booth was built on the Dollywood theme park, similar to the WSM (AM) broadcast booth located at the Opryland USA theme park in Nashville, Tennessee.

WSEV's format fluctuated during the 1990s. Its programming mostly consisted of classic country during the day, with mornings featuring "Swap and Shop," a locally produced call-in show for buyers and sellers of household items, local news throughout the day, and a simulcast of the WDLY-FM modern country signal at night. Locally produced sports-talk programming continued to be added to the schedule.

In 2000, the East Tennessee Radio Group purchased WSEV-AM and sister WDLY-FM from the Dollywood Broadcasting Company and later moved the studios from their old location on Middle Creek Road in Sevierville, Tennessee, to their current location on Dumplin Valley Road in Kodak, Tennessee. Prior to adopting the current sports-talk format, WSEV simulcasted WSEV-FM's "Mix 105.5" adult contemporary format.

East Tennessee Radio Group sold WSEV (AM) to Grand Crowne Resorts with application filed on April 21, 2008. [2]

Some snippets of the station’s former country format are heard in Dollywood’s Lightning Rod attraction.

Recent history (circa 2010)

WSEV is a "barker" station: It broadcasts continuous advertisements for the Pigeon Forge area attractions, interspersed with Tennessee Trivia and comedy routines by "Milton Crabapple, Sheriff of Crabapple County". Billboards on approaching highways tout the station to incoming travelers.

Milton Crabapple explains life in Crabapple County, telling the exploits of himself and the other citizens, all of whom seem to have "Crabapple" as either their surnames or parts of their names (such as a "cousin in show business", P.T. Crabapple).

In 2012, WSEV changed its imaging from Pigeon Forge Radio to Smoky Mountain Radio.

On August 19, 2015, owner Grand Crowne Resorts took WSEV silent for financial reasons and applied to the FCC for authority to remain silent for 180 days. [3]

On November 9, 2015, AllAccess.com reported that Grand Crowne was selling WSEV to Bristol Broadcasting Co. for $25,000. Bristol owns stations in the Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia area, and the Paducah KY and Charleston WV broadcast markets. [4] The sale was consummated on January 14, 2016.

Since 2017, WSEV has been airing a variety hits format as "Watson 104.1", referencing co-owned FM translator W281BQ. The slogan used in its liners is "Watson 104.1, We Play Anything".

Related Research Articles

WLVG is a Christian radio station licensed to Clermont, Georgia, and owned by Educational Media Foundation The current format is Christian Contemporary and identifies itself as "Positive & Encouraging K-Love".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WQXK</span> Country radio station in Salem-Youngstown, Ohio

WQXK is a commercial radio station, licensed to Salem, Ohio, and serving the Youngstown metropolitan area and the Mahoning Valley. It is one of eight radio stations in the Youngstown radio market owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts a country music radio format. The studios and offices are in "The Radio Center" in Youngstown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WIVK-FM</span> Radio station in Knoxville, Tennessee

WIVK-FM is a commercial radio station in Knoxville, Tennessee. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts a country music radio format known as "107.7 WIVK {wih-vik}" The studios and offices are on Old Kingston Pike in the Sequoyah Hills section of West Knoxville. On weekends, it carries the nationally syndicated American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks, along with University of Tennessee Volunteers football games in the fall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WOLD-FM</span> American radio station

WOLD-FM is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Marion, Virginia. The station broadcasts a classic rock music format to Southwest Virginia. WOLD-FM is owned and operated by Bristol Broadcasting Company, Inc.

WFSX-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Estero, Florida, and serving the Fort Myers-Naples area of Southwest Florida. It is owned by Sun Broadcasting and it airs a talk radio format. The radio studios and offices are on Bonita Beach Road in Bonita Springs.

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

WLEW is a radio station licensed to Bad Axe, Michigan, United States. with a power output of 1,000 watts, covering much of Huron County, Michigan. The station is owned by Thumb Broadcasting and broadcasts from studios on South Van Dyke Road in Bad Axe. Its country music format simulcast on the FM band by WHST, licensed to Pigeon, Michigan, at 94.1 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 15,000 watts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WQSN</span> Radio station in Norton, Virginia

WQSN is an Alternative Rock formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Norton, Virginia, serving Big Stone Gap, Pennington Gap, and Clintwood in Virginia, Whitesburg, Cumberland, and Jenkins in Kentucky, and Kingsport in Tennessee. WQSN is owned and operated by Bristol Broadcasting Company, Inc. WQSN simulcasts the programming of sister-station WEXX.

WUKZ is a broadcast radio station licensed to serve the community of Marion, Virginia, United States. The station broadcasts a classic hits format to Marion and Smyth County, Virginia. WUKZ is owned and operated by Lisa Nininger Bouldin, through licensee Bristol Broadcasting Company, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WDEN-FM</span> Radio station in Macon, Georgia

WDEN-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Macon, Georgia. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing, LLC. WDEN airs a country music radio format. The studios and offices are on Mulberry Street.

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

WOPI is a sports formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Bristol, Tennessee, United States. WOPI is owned and operated by Glenwood Communications Corporation though subsidiary Holston Valley Broadcasting Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCBL (AM)</span> Radio station in Benton, Kentucky

WCBL is an oldies-formatted radio station licensed to Benton. Kentucky, United States, and serving the broader Jackson Purchase region of western Kentucky, including Paducah. The station is owned by Jim Freeland in conjunction with Calvert City, Kentucky–licensed classic country station WCCK The station's studios and transmitter are located on Eggner's Ferry Road in Benton.

WUMY is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format. It is licensed to Memphis, Tennessee, and is owned by the Ministry Outreach Foundation, through licensee MOF-Christian Media I, LLC.

WABN is a talk-formatted non-commercial radio station licensed to Abingdon, Virginia. The station's signal serves the towns of Abingdon, Lebanon, both in Virginia, and the twin cities of Bristol in Virginia and in Tennessee. WABN is owned and operated by Appalachian Educational Communication Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WQAK</span> Radio station in Union City, Tennessee

WQAK is a radio station broadcasting an Active Rock format. Licensed to Union City, Tennessee, United States, the station serves the Jackson TN area and Ken Tenn area. The station is owned by Thunderbolt Broadcasting Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WHNY (AM)</span> Radio station in Paris, Tennessee

WHNY is an American AM radio station broadcasting a country music format, simulcasting WHNY-FM 104.7 Henry, Tennessee. Licensed to Paris, Tennessee, United States, it serves the Jackson, Tennessee, area. The station is owned by Forever Media, through licensee Forever South Licenses, LLC, and features programming from Westwood One.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSEV-FM</span> Radio station in Gatlinburg, Tennessee

WSEV-FM operates as Sevier County's only local FM radio station. While other stations are licensed to Sevierville, their studios are based in Knoxville, Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSRW (AM)</span> Radio station in Hillsboro, Ohio

WSRW is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format. Licensed to Hillsboro, Ohio, United States, WSRW is branded as "WSRW 101.5," utilizing the frequency of their FM translator, W268CC, also licensed to Hillsboro. WSRW, also known as The Highland Broadcasting Company, was owned and operated by Thomas and Susan Archibald for over 43 years, and eventually sold in 2000. The station is currently owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and features programming from their Premium Choice network and Premiere Radio Networks.

WKCE is a commercial AM radio station in Knoxville, Tennessee. It is owned by Loud Media and it airs an oldies radio format. The station is branded as 105.1 WKCE, referring to its FM translator's dial position. The studios and offices are on the fifth floor of the Sunsphere in Knoxville.

WJPJ is a Spanish radio station licensed to serve Humboldt, Tennessee. The station's broadcast license is held by Palmer Johnson, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJZM</span> Classic country radio station in Waverly, Tennessee

WJZM, branded as "105.1 The Train", is a radio station licensed to serve Waverly, the county seat of Humphreys County, Tennessee, United States. The station, established in 1972, is owned by Mike Parchman, through licensee Consolidated Media LLC, with primary studios in Dickson, Tennessee and secondary studios and sales offices in Clarksville, Tennessee.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WSEV". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ "Application Search Details".
  3. ↑ "CDBS Print".
  4. ↑ "Bristol Broadcasting Acquires Heritage Country Station WSEV/Sevierville, TN".

35°52′42″N83°33′18″W / 35.87833°N 83.55500°W / 35.87833; -83.55500

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.