WTTS
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| City of license | Bloomington |
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| Broadcast area | Indianapolis/Bloomington |
| Branding | WTTS |
| Slogan | World Class Rock |
| Frequency | 92.3 MHz |
| First air date | 1960 |
| Format | Adult Album Alternative |
| ERP | 37,000 watts |
| HAAT | 332 m |
| Class | Grandfathered Class B |
| Owner | Sarkes Tarzian, Inc. |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | wttsfm.com |
WTTS is an FM radio station serving Indianapolis and Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States, broadcasting at 92.3 FM. The station's format is classified as Adult Album Alternative or "Triple A." WTTS uses the slogan "World Class Rock" to describe its music mix. The station plays a variety of music genres from the mid-1960s to the present, including acoustic, reggae, classic rock, blues and alternative rock. In 2001, WTTS was one of the first American radio stations to play music by the artists John Mayer and Norah Jones, both of whom later went on to become Grammy Award winners.
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[edit] History
WTTS remains locally and independently owned by Sarkes Tarzian, Inc. The company is named for its founder, an Armenian immigrant who came from an engineering background. Tarzian put his first station, WTTS-AM, on the air in 1949. WTTV-FM (now WTTS) began broadcasting a Big Band format in 1960. In the mid-70s, the call letters were changed to WGTC-FM, which stood for Good Time Country to reflect its new country music format. In 1986, WGTC-FM, became WTTS-FM and in 1988, changed to an AOR format. Four years later, in 1992, WTTS adopted its present format.
WTTS has twice been named "Best Local Radio Station" by Indianapolis alternative newspaper Nuvo. It was also nominated for "Triple A Station of the Year" honors four times (2005-2008) by ''Radio & Records magazine, a radio and music industry trade publication.
The station broadcasts from the 1,000 ft WTTV Channel 4 Television tower, located in Trafalgar, Indiana.
[edit] On-air staff and programming
WTTS program hosts include Paul Mendenhall, early mornings; Todd Berryman, late mornings; Brad Holtz, middays; Laura Duncan, assistant program director/music director, afternoon drives. In 2004, WTTS introduced the Phil the Listener Show, hosted by longtime listener Phil Stoerck. The show featured an eclectic mix of rock that aired monthly. Phil died at the age of 54 on March 9, 2008.
Specialty programs on WTTS include OverEasy, Sunday mornings and nights (laid-back "World Class Rock"); The Groove Show, Saturday nights (jam bands, funk and reggae); Little Steven's Underground Garage, Etown and House of Blues Radio Hour, Sunday nights; and Indy Underground, Monday and Saturday nights (local, indie, and underground music).
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WTTS sponsors various promotions focused on the station's Triple-A format, staging performances and producing CDs of live recordings featuring established and emerging artists from the genres it plays. For the past eight years, the station has hosted a series of "Private Concerts" and "Emerging Artist Concerts" that have headlined performances by artists such as KT Tunstall, John Mayer, Buddy Guy, Big Head Todd & The Monsters, Bob Schneider, Sonia Dada, Five for Fighting and others. In 2005, the station opened Studio 92, a performance and recording venue in downtown Indianapolis. Artists who have played in Studio 92 include Marc Broussard, David Gray, Los Lonely Boys, Goo Goo Dolls, Widespread Panic, Jet, John Butler Trio, Umphrey's McGee and Amos Lee, among others.
Twice a year, WTTS releases the New Music Sampler CD, which it distributes to listeners for free. In 1996, WTTS began releasing the Collectors Edition CD each December, highlighting live rock and acoustic performances recorded at WTTS and Studio 92. Through these promotions, the station has raised tens of thousands of dollars for charities throughout central and south-central Indiana.
On July 15, 2007, WTTS celebrated the 15th anniversary of its format with the "WTTS 15th Birthday Bash Starring Bob Dylan." The concert, which was sold out, was held at the Lawn at White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis. In 2008, WTTS, in conjunction with A&E Television, presented an exclusive private concert with John Mellencamp. The event, attended by 400 listeners, was later featured in an A&E Biography special.
[edit] New media
WTTS offers two streams through its website, both a live stream and a "New Music Channel." The website also features a service dubbed "On-Demand", with downloads and podcasts of interviews and related programming. The In addition, the station maintains a "92.3 VIP" database, enabling listeners to register for access to promotions not offered on-air. WTTS is also actively involved in text messaging, as well as Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and YouTube campaigns.
[edit] External links
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