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WTVN
Broadcast areaColumbus, Ohio
Frequency610 (kHz)
BrandingNews Talk 610 WTVN
Programming
FormatNews/Talk
AffiliationsFox News Radio
WBNS-TV
Ownership
OwnerClear Channel Communications
History
First air date
April 29, 1922 (as WBAV 640-AM)
Call sign meaning
The Voice of News
Technical information
ClassB
Power5,000 watts
Links
WebsiteWTVN.com

WTVN is a full-service AM radio station in Columbus, Ohio located at 610 kHz. It has news, talk, and sports programs, is the dominant AM station in the Columbus market and is consistently rated either #1 or #2 (to WNCI's #1) by Arbitron. WTVN is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications.

Although WTVN only uses 5kW of power during the day, the station can be heard as far away as Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Detroit, and Cleveland. At night, the signal is directionalized to protect co-channel stations in Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Miami, etc. The extra power is radiated over central Columbus -- however outlying suburbs in the direction of the nulls will experience a degraded signal.

There were plans to improve WTVN's signal by adding a new antenna array and increasing power to 50 kW, but these plans fell through when zoning problems could not be resolved. Ultimately, WTVN tried to claim the right to build new towers as a "public utility" but lost in court on May 12 2002 [1].

At one time, when WTVN still aired music programming, the station broadcast using C-QUAM AM Stereo. The stereo equipment was installed in 1988 but it was not until 1992 that the station operated in full stereo. Analog stereo transmissions ended many years ago. WTVN began broadcasting in HD-Radio in June 2005.

The former WTVN-TV now operates as WSYX. The former WTVN-FM now operates as WLVQ. Neither is owned by Clear Channel.

History

WTVN originally started as WBAV 640[citation needed] on April 29, 1922. The call letters were later changed to WAIU, which stood for American Insurance Union. The call letters were again changed in the late 1930s, this time to WHKC (to go with those of then commonly owned station WHK in Cleveland). IN THE MIDDLE-1940'S, WHKC (still at 640 kHz) swapped frequencies with WHKK in Akron which was operating at 610 kHz, forming 610 WHKC. THIS ALLOWED WHKC TO GO TO FULL-TIME OPERATION. (PREVIOUS OPERATION ON 640 KC WAS LIMITED TO SANFRANCISCO SUNSET BECAUSE OF THE SUPERIOR PROPPAGATION AT LOW AM FREQUENCIES.) The station adopted its current call letters in the EARLY 1950s.

Trivia

American Insurance Union owned the AIU Building (now the LeVeque Tower) in Columbus, which at the time was the tallest building in the city. Various radio facilities were located at the top of the skyscraper. American Insurance Union later became part of Nationwide Insurance, owner of Nationwide Communications - former parent company of WNCI, which is a current sister station to WTVN.

Despite being only 5kW, the flat terrain of Northern Ohio and Southern Michigan makes it possible for WTVN to be heard as far as the metro Detroit area, which is approximately 200 miles north of Columbus.

Programming

WTVN features highly successful stars of talk radio in the U.S., with conservative syndicated talk hosts Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. The local talk radio hosts are Bob Conners in the early morning, Joel Riley in the late morning, and John Corby in the afternoon. The format of the local shows usually consists of simple day-to-day "topics" in which listeners are encouraged to call to discuss their viewpoints or experiences.

The station also airs other syndicated programming, including Mark Levin, Mike McConnell and Coast to Coast AM with George Noory.

Notes and Asides

  • On days when Ohio State is hosting a football game, WTVN usually airs the "Hineygate Party" at Holiday Inn on the Lane about three to four hours before the game starts. It was formerly hosted by Mark "Munch" Bishop, the former sports director and evening host at WTVN (who at the time was with Cleveland sister stations WMMS and WMJI), who would return to Columbus to host his "Munch on Sports" show before Ohio State games. It has been discontinued when Munch left Clear Channel Cleveland to become the afternoon host at crosstown sports station WKNR.
  • Rush Limbaugh has aired on WTVN since December 1993 when his show moved from WCOL-AM, but was on a one-hour delay (to accommodate WTVN's long-running noon newshour) until January 2006.
  • WTVN aired Dr. Laura beginning in 1994, but she was replaced with Glenn Beck shortly after 9/11. Beck was replaced by local host Joel Riley stating 1/9/07.
  • On the Glenn Beck Program of January 2, 2007, Beck openly discussed contractual issues with WTVN, citing longstanding disagreements with a former WTVN program director, an unwillingness to meet WTVN's monetary demands, and an unwillingness to move to sister station WTPG. He complained that the latter station's small audience base and move to a new "right wing" lineup would be inconsistent with his show's objectives. The opening page of his web site, glennbeck.com, simultaneously displayed a message to "Fans from Columbus, OH." The message, in part, read: "As you may have heard, the Glenn Beck Program will be removed from 610 WTVN AM. Since 2004, the Glenn Beck Program has ranked amongst the top three shows in our time period in Columbus."[2]
  • Sterling Scheissler hosted the show following John Corby until October 2004, at which time his contract ended and was not renewed.
  • "The Steve "Boom Boom" Cannon Late-Night Radio Rampage" left the airwaves on November 4, 2005.
  • Curt Boster quit in early January 2006.
  • 11/30/06 pink slips went to news editor George Zonders, production director Scott Kahler, and midday producer Lindsay Guhl.
  • Glenn Beck was picked up by WTDA 103.9 on 1/8/07.[citation needed]
  • The station also replaced Pat Pagano and the meteorologists at Metro Weather Service with weather talent from WBNS (Channel 10).[3],[4] Metro Weather, based out of Valley Stream, New York, provided weather reports 24 hours, including Pagano during Bob Conners' morning show. Despite his remote location, Pagano interacted with Connors frequently, often sharing experiences from family dinners and opinions on various "reality" TV shows. Pagano and Metro Weather now provide on-air weather forecasts in Columbus for WODB 107.9 FM. [5]

References

  1. ^ WTVN loses bid to relocate towers - Business First of Columbus:
  2. ^ Accessed on January 2, 2007, from http://www.glennbeck.com
  3. ^ Tim Feran, "Station's Format Turns Right," The Columbus Dispatch, Life section, p. 6B, Saturday, December 23, 2006
  4. ^ Tim Feran, "Channel 10 to do Radio Weather," The Columbus Dispatch, Features section, 7B, Friday, December 22, 2006
  5. ^ WODB shelters forecaster after storm, Ann Fisher, Columbus Dispatch, Wednesday, January 17, 2007
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