WCTM
Encyclopedia
WCTM were the call letters assigned to an FM
radio station
, and later an AM
station, both licensed to Eaton, Preble County, Ohio, U.S.A.
) was originally a station built by Stan Coning and three partners in 1959. The first tower for the FM station was purchased from 700 WLW, and was 150 ft. tall. The tower was originally three separate 50 ft AM tower/antennas, used to keep the 500 kilowatt signal of WLW, allowed only during the 1930's and 1940's, out of Canada. The station aired an "easy listening/beautiful music
" format. The original FM station's studios, transmitter and tower were located at 505 North Barron Street in Eaton where Coning beforehand originally owned an appliance service business. For a time in the early-to-mid-1960s, WCTM was on the Cincinnati Reds Baseball Network and also aired play-by-play of area high school football and basketball games. In the 1960's, the station provided news and features from Eaton, Preble County and the surrounding area and also aired news and programming from the Mutual Radio Network. WCTM-FM was sold in the early 1970s to Great Trails Broadcasting, which was then the owner of WING
in Dayton, WIZE
in Springfield and WCOL-AM/FM in Columbus. Great Trails spent a great deal of time and money moving the station's tower to better serve the Dayton market. It became WJAI, continuing the easy-listening format until 1979, when it switched to a country music
format. The station then changed to Big Band/Nostalgia/Adult Standards in 1982 before becoming WGTZ
("Z-93"), a Top 40 station, in 1984. That format switched in November of 2007 to variety hits "Fly 92.9" (a local version of the "Jack FM
" musical potpourri format which usually uses no air personalities).
) went on the air in 1981 as a daytime-only station and picked up where the FM left off a decade earlier, playing beautiful music. The studios and transmitter were located east of Eaton in an open field behind an abandoned drive-in theater (since razed) in the rural Preble County community of Glenwood (near West Alexandria, which was the station's mailing address).
Coning ran the operation by himself, using a home-built reel-to-reel automation system (a little box called a "Tel-Timer" gave the time and temperature in a computerized voice), while freelance voice-over announcers Darrel Studebaker,John Bauman(engineer) and Jim Linthicum voiced commercials,liners and announcements. While the station's call letters were often said on the air to mean "We Cherish This Music," in reality "WCTM" stood for the initials of the four partners who had put the original FM station on the air.
In addition to its beautiful music format, WCTM aired farm and agricultural programming from Ed Johnson's
Agri Broadcast Network
(for western Ohio farmers) and Derry Brownfield's Brownfield Network (for eastern Indiana farmers), helping to earn the station its nickname, "Radio Ranch 1130." This nickname was probably inspired by Ohio country music artist Donnie Bowser and the Radio Ranch Boys, and by KWKH
, a country music station in Shreveport, Louisiana which also broadcast at 1130 kHz and used the "Radio Ranch" nickname.
WCTM aired local sports for a time, along with NASCAR coverage on weekends and the syndicated "Waxworks" nostalgia/big band program hosted by Gary Hannes. WCTM was also the first Ohio radio station to affiliate with Ted Turner's CNN Radio in 1983. Later, the station aired USA Radio Network news and sports. In its final years, the "beautiful music" format was often peppered with Stan Coning's soft-spoken recollections of his early life in Eaton and people he had known.
Due to his failing health, which had taken the station off the air for extended periods of time, Stan Coning finally sold his little station to Town & Country Broadcasting, owner of WBZI
in Xenia. WCTM signed off for the last time on June 24, 2004, an event which was covered by two Dayton TV stations. As a one-man operation with an easy-listening format, WCTM was widely regarded as the last of its kind. According to industry observer Scott Fybush
, the loss of WCTM and its format marked "(the end of) the era of commercial beautiful music on American radio."
Today, the station lives on as WEDI, simulcasting WBZI
's programming. The old WCTM-FM tower, topped with the original call letters, still stands atop a building on North Barron in downtown Eaton. After several years of deteriorating health following the sale of WCTM, Stan Corning died on December 24, 2010,at approximately 86 years old at his residence and is interred next to his wife Helen (who preceded him in death in 1989) at Sugar Grove Cemetery in West Alexandria, Ohio.
Tapes of WCTM, including its final day on the air, are known to exist in the aircheck collection of Clarke Ingram
, a Pittsburgh radio executive who befriended Coning and was a fan of the station.
Source: Fybush.com Tower Site of the Week 6/25-7/5/04 by Scott Fybush
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
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...
, and later an AM
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
station, both licensed to Eaton, Preble County, Ohio, U.S.A.
WCTM-FM
WCTM (92.9 FMFM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
) was originally a station built by Stan Coning and three partners in 1959. The first tower for the FM station was purchased from 700 WLW, and was 150 ft. tall. The tower was originally three separate 50 ft AM tower/antennas, used to keep the 500 kilowatt signal of WLW, allowed only during the 1930's and 1940's, out of Canada. The station aired an "easy listening/beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
" format. The original FM station's studios, transmitter and tower were located at 505 North Barron Street in Eaton where Coning beforehand originally owned an appliance service business. For a time in the early-to-mid-1960s, WCTM was on the Cincinnati Reds Baseball Network and also aired play-by-play of area high school football and basketball games. In the 1960's, the station provided news and features from Eaton, Preble County and the surrounding area and also aired news and programming from the Mutual Radio Network. WCTM-FM was sold in the early 1970s to Great Trails Broadcasting, which was then the owner of WING
WING
WING "ESPN 1410" is a commercial AM radio station in Dayton, Ohio operating with 5,000 watts at 1410 kHz with studios, offices and transmitter located on David Road in Kettering. It is the first full-time commercial radio station in Dayton...
in Dayton, WIZE
WIZE
WIZE — branded WIZE AM 1340 — is a commercial radio station in Springfield, Ohio owned by Clear Channel Communications as part of their Dayton cluster...
in Springfield and WCOL-AM/FM in Columbus. Great Trails spent a great deal of time and money moving the station's tower to better serve the Dayton market. It became WJAI, continuing the easy-listening format until 1979, when it switched to a country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format. The station then changed to Big Band/Nostalgia/Adult Standards in 1982 before becoming WGTZ
WGTZ
WGTZ "Fly 92.9" is a commercial FM station licensed in Eaton, Ohio at 92.9 MHz serving the Dayton and Springfield market area with an Adult Hits format. The previous CHR/Pop format commenced Sunday, March 15, 1984 at Noon when Dayton-based Great Trails Broadcasting owned the station at the time...
("Z-93"), a Top 40 station, in 1984. That format switched in November of 2007 to variety hits "Fly 92.9" (a local version of the "Jack FM
Jack FM
JACK FM is the alternative name and on-air brand of 60 radio stations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Jack stations play a mix of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles. Jack's slogan "playing what we want" can also be...
" musical potpourri format which usually uses no air personalities).
WCTM-AM
After the FM station was sold, Coning focused on acquiring an AM license (he had originally wanted to build an AM station, but the lack of available frequencies led him to build the FM station first). After a 12-year struggle to obtain a frequency, WCTM (1130 AMAM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
) went on the air in 1981 as a daytime-only station and picked up where the FM left off a decade earlier, playing beautiful music. The studios and transmitter were located east of Eaton in an open field behind an abandoned drive-in theater (since razed) in the rural Preble County community of Glenwood (near West Alexandria, which was the station's mailing address).
Coning ran the operation by himself, using a home-built reel-to-reel automation system (a little box called a "Tel-Timer" gave the time and temperature in a computerized voice), while freelance voice-over announcers Darrel Studebaker,John Bauman(engineer) and Jim Linthicum voiced commercials,liners and announcements. While the station's call letters were often said on the air to mean "We Cherish This Music," in reality "WCTM" stood for the initials of the four partners who had put the original FM station on the air.
In addition to its beautiful music format, WCTM aired farm and agricultural programming from Ed Johnson's
Ed Johnson (broadcaster)
Ed Johnson was the founder of Agri Communicators, Inc., the parent company of the Agri Broadcast Network .-The ABN:...
Agri Broadcast Network
Agri Broadcast Network
The Agri Broadcasting Network was a radio news network in the U.S. state of Ohio. ABN programming was heard on more than 60 radio stations statewide, including the major markets of Canton, Toledo, and Columbus....
(for western Ohio farmers) and Derry Brownfield's Brownfield Network (for eastern Indiana farmers), helping to earn the station its nickname, "Radio Ranch 1130." This nickname was probably inspired by Ohio country music artist Donnie Bowser and the Radio Ranch Boys, and by KWKH
KWKH
KWKH is a classic country music radio station serving Shreveport, Louisiana. The 50-kilowatt station broadcasts at 1130 kHz. Formerly owned by Clear Channel Communications and Gap Central Broadcasting, it is now owned by Townsquare Media....
, a country music station in Shreveport, Louisiana which also broadcast at 1130 kHz and used the "Radio Ranch" nickname.
WCTM aired local sports for a time, along with NASCAR coverage on weekends and the syndicated "Waxworks" nostalgia/big band program hosted by Gary Hannes. WCTM was also the first Ohio radio station to affiliate with Ted Turner's CNN Radio in 1983. Later, the station aired USA Radio Network news and sports. In its final years, the "beautiful music" format was often peppered with Stan Coning's soft-spoken recollections of his early life in Eaton and people he had known.
The end of WCTM
In its last few years, WCTM operated almost as a public service. Few commercials were heard, donations were accepted to help keep the station on the air, and sign-on/sign-off times were almost entirely dependent on how long Coning could remain at the station (a typical daily sign-off was around 5 P.M., with no broadcasts at all on Sundays). During this period, a friend of Coning's with the on-air name of "John Grant" hosted weekly programs and assisted with station maintenance and operations.Due to his failing health, which had taken the station off the air for extended periods of time, Stan Coning finally sold his little station to Town & Country Broadcasting, owner of WBZI
WBZI
WBZI "Classic Country Radio" is a AM broadcasting station in Xenia, Ohio, United States, at 1500 kHz operating with 500 watts. Its current owner Town and Country Broadcasting operates it with a country oldies format serving Greene, Clark, eastern Montgomery and surrounding counties...
in Xenia. WCTM signed off for the last time on June 24, 2004, an event which was covered by two Dayton TV stations. As a one-man operation with an easy-listening format, WCTM was widely regarded as the last of its kind. According to industry observer Scott Fybush
Scott Fybush
Scott Fybush is an American radio industry observer, writer and consultant. He is based in Rochester, New York.Fybush is the editor of NorthEast Radio Watch, a long-running and widely read weekly summary of news about the radio and television industries in the Northeastern United States and...
, the loss of WCTM and its format marked "(the end of) the era of commercial beautiful music on American radio."
Today, the station lives on as WEDI, simulcasting WBZI
WBZI
WBZI "Classic Country Radio" is a AM broadcasting station in Xenia, Ohio, United States, at 1500 kHz operating with 500 watts. Its current owner Town and Country Broadcasting operates it with a country oldies format serving Greene, Clark, eastern Montgomery and surrounding counties...
's programming. The old WCTM-FM tower, topped with the original call letters, still stands atop a building on North Barron in downtown Eaton. After several years of deteriorating health following the sale of WCTM, Stan Corning died on December 24, 2010,at approximately 86 years old at his residence and is interred next to his wife Helen (who preceded him in death in 1989) at Sugar Grove Cemetery in West Alexandria, Ohio.
Tapes of WCTM, including its final day on the air, are known to exist in the aircheck collection of Clarke Ingram
Clarke Ingram
Clarke Ingram is a United States radio personality and programming executive.Ingram is best known in his home market and hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Most recently, he was employed at Pittsburgh-area stations WKHB and WKFB , which program a mixture of talk shows and oldies...
, a Pittsburgh radio executive who befriended Coning and was a fan of the station.
Source: Fybush.com Tower Site of the Week 6/25-7/5/04 by Scott Fybush
See also
- WGTZWGTZWGTZ "Fly 92.9" is a commercial FM station licensed in Eaton, Ohio at 92.9 MHz serving the Dayton and Springfield market area with an Adult Hits format. The previous CHR/Pop format commenced Sunday, March 15, 1984 at Noon when Dayton-based Great Trails Broadcasting owned the station at the time...
(originally WCTM-FM) - WEDI (the current incarnation of AM-1130)
- Eaton, OhioEaton, OhioEaton is a city in and the county seat of Preble County, Ohio, United States. The population was 8,407 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- List of radio stations in Ohio
External links
- Scott Fybush's WCTM tribute page
- Stanley Coning obituary from Dayton Daily News and Legacy.com
- Stanley Coning full obit at Girton,Schmidt and Boucher Gard website
- Stanley Coning at Find A Grave.com
- Official site of Classic Country WBZI,WKFI and WEDI.(with streaming audio)
- Query the FCC's AM station database for WEDI
- WEDI technical information from Radio-Locator website