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WBLL (AM)
Encyclopedia
WBLL is an American
radio station
in Bellefontaine
, Ohio
. It currently broadcasts with Talk programming, along with certain sporting events (Cleveland Indians
baseball, local high school sports). The station is owned by V-Teck Communications, and is the sister station of WPKO
.
. The call letters became WBLL on May 12, 1989.
Joe Rockhold was a disk jockey at WOHP in the 1950s where he launched his broadcasting career. Shortly before the decade was over he became a staff announcer (and eventually became best known as children's show host "Uncle Orrie")at Dayton's WHIO-TV
where he remained until his retirement in 1969. Rockhold however remained active in broadcasting throughout his retirement at WSRW (AM)
in Hillsboro, Ohio
before his death in 1981.
On January 28, 2004, V-Teck Communications applied for a construction permit
for a transmitter in Grandview Heights, Ohio
. This transmitter would be well within the Columbus
metropolitan area. The FCC
acknowledged the CP request on November 17, 2004, and further acknowledged an application for a major modification to a licensed facility on January 21, 2005. This may indicate plans by V-Teck to effectively move the station from Bellefontaine to the Grandview Heights-Columbus area.
While the license location for the newest application is in Grandview Heights, the major modification request is for
39°53′39"N 83°05′30"W, placing the new transmitter (if built) near Grove City, Ohio
. This is southwest of Columbus; Bellefontaine and the present transmitter are to the northwest of Columbus.
For a brief time in the mid-1970s, WTOO set trends by breaking several songs before the major stations in Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland. This was under the management of Program and Music Director David Mark early in his career. Mark eventually became one of the country's major voice-over announcers and, beginning in the 1990s and well into the 2000's, was the promotional voice of Fox TV network stations and many UPN TV network stations across the country.
The WOHP callsign is now used at an FM station in Portsmouth, Ohio
as a repeater of WKCD in Cedarville, Ohio
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
in Bellefontaine
Bellefontaine, Ohio
Bellefontaine is a city in and the county seat of Logan County, Ohio, United States. The population was 13,069 at the 2000 census. It is the center of the Bellefontaine Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau in 2003...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. It currently broadcasts with Talk programming, along with certain sporting events (Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
baseball, local high school sports). The station is owned by V-Teck Communications, and is the sister station of WPKO
WPKO-FM
WPKO-FM is an American radio station in Bellefontaine, Ohio. It is programmed in a Hot AC radio format, and is almost entirely locally produced...
.
History
WBLL originally signed on the air in 1951 with the call letters WOHP(for "Ohio's Highest Point") until the late 1960s when it changed to WTOO(for "Top of Ohio")yet again briefly in 1981 to WTCY(for "Top (of Ohio) Country") and later switching back to the WOHP calls on February 14, 1983. On February 19, 1988, the station became WPKO, in recognition of its sister station, WPKO-FMWPKO-FM
WPKO-FM is an American radio station in Bellefontaine, Ohio. It is programmed in a Hot AC radio format, and is almost entirely locally produced...
. The call letters became WBLL on May 12, 1989.
Joe Rockhold was a disk jockey at WOHP in the 1950s where he launched his broadcasting career. Shortly before the decade was over he became a staff announcer (and eventually became best known as children's show host "Uncle Orrie")at Dayton's WHIO-TV
WHIO-TV
WHIO-TV, virtual channel 7, is the CBS-affiliated television station licensed to Dayton, Ohio, serving that state's Miami Valley area. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 41 from its transmitter on Germantown Street in western Dayton....
where he remained until his retirement in 1969. Rockhold however remained active in broadcasting throughout his retirement at WSRW (AM)
WSRW (AM)
WSRW is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Hillsboro, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications and features programming from Premiere Radio Networks....
in Hillsboro, Ohio
Hillsboro, Ohio
Hillsboro is a city in and the county seat of Highland County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,605 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hillsboro is located at ....
before his death in 1981.
On January 28, 2004, V-Teck Communications applied for a construction permit
Construction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
for a transmitter in Grandview Heights, Ohio
Grandview Heights, Ohio
Grandview Heights is a city in Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,695 at the 2000 census.The city was originally part of Marble Cliff, one of the first suburbs of Columbus, which settled as a community in 1890 and incorporated as the "Hamlet of Marble Cliff" in 1901...
. This transmitter would be well within the Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
metropolitan area. The FCC
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
acknowledged the CP request on November 17, 2004, and further acknowledged an application for a major modification to a licensed facility on January 21, 2005. This may indicate plans by V-Teck to effectively move the station from Bellefontaine to the Grandview Heights-Columbus area.
While the license location for the newest application is in Grandview Heights, the major modification request is for
39°53′39"N 83°05′30"W, placing the new transmitter (if built) near Grove City, Ohio
Grove City, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 27,075 people, 10,265 households, and 7,544 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,941.2 people per square mile . There were 10,712 housing units at an average density of 768.0 per square mile...
. This is southwest of Columbus; Bellefontaine and the present transmitter are to the northwest of Columbus.
For a brief time in the mid-1970s, WTOO set trends by breaking several songs before the major stations in Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland. This was under the management of Program and Music Director David Mark early in his career. Mark eventually became one of the country's major voice-over announcers and, beginning in the 1990s and well into the 2000's, was the promotional voice of Fox TV network stations and many UPN TV network stations across the country.
The WOHP callsign is now used at an FM station in Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
as a repeater of WKCD in Cedarville, Ohio
Cedarville, Ohio
Cedarville is a village in Greene County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,828 at the 2000 census. It is the home of Cedarville University and Cedarville High School.Cedarville is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.