WOAP: Difference between revisions
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| frequency = 1080 [[kHz]] |
| frequency = 1080 [[kHz]] |
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| format = [[oldies]] |
| format = [[oldies]] |
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| power = 1,000 [[watt]]s (Daytime) |
| power = 1,000 [[watt]]s (Daytime)<br>500 watts (presunrise) |
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| erp = |
| erp = |
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| class = D |
| class = D |
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Revision as of 19:30, 17 August 2009
| File:Woap.jpg | |
| Broadcast area | [1] (Daytime) |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1080 kHz |
| Branding | The Big 1080 |
| Programming | |
| Format | oldies |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Birach Broadcasting |
| History | |
First air date | January 1, 1948 |
Call sign meaning | Owosso Argus Press (original owner) |
| Technical information | |
| Class | D |
| Power | 1,000 watts (Daytime) 500 watts (presunrise) |
| Links | |
| Website | [2] |
WOAP (1080 AM, "The Big 1080") is a radio station broadcasting an oldies format. Licensed to Owosso, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1948.
History
WOAP was founded as an AM/FM combo station by the local Argus-Press newspaper. The call letters stand for Owosso Argus-Press. As the AM station was, and still is, a daytime-only station, the FM station was intended to provide full-time service to the Owosso area. But at that time, there were very few FM radios so WOAP-FM went silent by 1953. A decade later, there were enough FM radios in circulation to allow WOAP-FM to return to the air on December 2, 1965.[1]
Because the Argus-Press monopolized media in the Owosso area at that time with its daily newspaper and two radio stations, the Federal Communications Commission forced the Argus-Press to sell the radio stations in 1987.[2]
The FM station was later known as WMZX and is known today as WRSR. In the late 1990s, the Michigan Radio Group sold both stations. Connoiseur Communications then assumed ownership of both, turning WMZX into a more regional station serving the Flint area. The weaker WOAP, with its daytime-only signal, was then sold the following year to Hartman Broadcasting, which continued to operate WOAP as a local service, with an Adult Standards/Oldies music format branded as Great American Classics.
Less than two years later, Hartman Broadcasting sold WOAP to 1090 Investments (d.b.a. Michigan Catholic Radio), which immediately applied to the FCC for a construction permit to move the station's operations to Waverly, located in Lansing's suburbs. The move would allow WOAP to increase its daytime power to 50,000 watts and add nighttime power authorization at 4500 watts. Three years after the application was received, the FCC chose to dismiss the application, presumably under the likelihood that granting the station nighttime power would cause interference to WTIC in Hartford, Connecticut; also broadcasting on this same frequency.
In January 2006, WOAP dropped its full-service news/talk format and adopted Catholic-based Religious programming. Three months later, 1090 Investments requested an STA for silent station from the FCC, citing financial difficulties. The station remained off the air for almost a year. Four months after going dark, the station applied for reinstatement to move its facilities to Waverly and increase its daytime power, but withdrew its application for nighttime power. However, 1090 Investments pleaded for the FCC in its engineering presentation to be considered for nighttime power again, citing that denying Waverly local radio service in favor of a Connecticut station that had no local presence in Michigan would hurt its attempts to serve its community in an adequate fashion. As of this writing, the FCC has not made any further response to the request.
In March 2007, WOAP was granted permission to move from Owosso to Waverly and increase its power with a six-tower directional antenna system to be built in Ingham County, about 20 miles south of Lansing. The station also returned to the air with a simulcast of affiliate station WCAR in Livonia. Despite the good news, WOAP again applied for a silent STA, going dark again on July 20, 2007.
WOAP applied for an extension to their silent STA on January 8, 2008, citing ongoing financial difficulties. The request was granted on February 25, 2008. The STA extension expired on July 21st, 2008. The station returned to the air in mid-July 2008 simulcasting co-owned WCAR, but fell silent once again on August 18th, 2008.
On July 21st, 2008 (the day that WOAP's STA extension was set to expire), local webcaster Mint City Radio launched WOAP Online, an internet-only radio station patterned after the old WOAP, but not associated with Michigan Catholic Radio. WOAP Online was programmed as a local radio station, featured music from the 1970s-90's, agricultural features, local announcements and old-time radio shows. WOAP Online has also featured coverage of local events, such as the Clinton County 4-H Youth Fair and Saint Johns Mint Festival (including coverage of the annual Mint Festival Parade).
In September 2008, the station again applied for permission to remain silent due to "ongoing financial problems". As of December 19, 2008, the FCC had not yet granted the STA permission. As a matter of general FCC policy, financial causes are not sufficient reason to remain silent and still retain the license - the reason must be something "beyond the control" of the licensee.[3]
In May 2009, Michigan Catholic Radio sold its radio stations, including WOAP, to Birach Broadcasting.[3] At that point, Mint City Radio dropped the WOAP moniker for its webcasts effective June 1.[4]
The station returned to the air branded as The Big 1080 on August 14, 2009 with an oldies format from its Owosso studio location. As the station returned to the air, the studio equipment was receiving upgrades and the neon WOAP sign, which had not worked for several years, was being repaired. WOAP announced on the air that Birach Broadcasting abandoned plans to move the station to the Lansing area.
Sources
- Michiguide.com - WOAP History
- WOAP Online - Lansing State Journal
- FCC Memorandum Opinion And Order granting WOAP night time operation