WEDI (AM)
Encyclopedia
WEDI "Classic Country Radio" (for Eaton,Dayton and Indiana) is a daytime-only commercial AM radio broadcasting station at 1130 KHz, licensed to Eaton, Ohio
.
-AM, a continuation of a beautiful music
format which aired originally at 92.9 FM (the present-day WGTZ
) where the WCTM calls originated in 1959. In June 2004 while battling with heath problems and age, Stanley Coning, the owner, operator, chief engineer and announcer of "Radio Ranch 1130 WCTM", announced his official retirement from radio broadcasting and bid farewell to his many listeners. Stanley Coning died on Christmas Eve December 24, 2010 at his Eaton residence and is buried with his wife Helen in neighboring West Alexandria.
The transmitter site and three towers (home built by Coning himself) remain located in the Preble County rural community of Glenwood, just east of Eaton. Its "figure 8" east to west directional pattern allows the station to be heard as far west as Greenfield in Central Indiana, as well as in London, Ohio.
The Brownfield Network was carried by the former WCTM throughout the 1980s and 90s. Since the purchase of the Eaton AM outlet,WEDI (through originator WBZI) revived the WCTM tradition serving its eastern Indiana listeners airing Brownfield Network programming in addition to the Ohio Ag Net (the direct decendant of the original ABN
) for Ohio farmers.
and country gospel
music. The station is the Western Ohio/Eastern Indiana repeater of WBZI
(AM) 1500 in Xenia, Ohio
, which serves Xenia, Springfield, eastern Dayton and surrounding areas. WKFI
(AM) 1090 in Wilmington, Ohio
is the other repeater, serving southwestern Ohio and portions of Northern Kentucky as well as metropolitan Cincinnati.
As a point of interest, the call sign WEDI had once been assigned to the passenger liner SS America of the United States Lines.
Eaton, Ohio
Eaton 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:...
.
History
WEDI began in 1981 as WCTMWCTM
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.-WCTM-FM:...
-AM, a continuation of a 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 which aired originally at 92.9 FM (the present-day 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...
) where the WCTM calls originated in 1959. In June 2004 while battling with heath problems and age, Stanley Coning, the owner, operator, chief engineer and announcer of "Radio Ranch 1130 WCTM", announced his official retirement from radio broadcasting and bid farewell to his many listeners. Stanley Coning died on Christmas Eve December 24, 2010 at his Eaton residence and is buried with his wife Helen in neighboring West Alexandria.
The transmitter site and three towers (home built by Coning himself) remain located in the Preble County rural community of Glenwood, just east of Eaton. Its "figure 8" east to west directional pattern allows the station to be heard as far west as Greenfield in Central Indiana, as well as in London, Ohio.
The Brownfield Network was carried by the former WCTM throughout the 1980s and 90s. Since the purchase of the Eaton AM outlet,WEDI (through originator WBZI) revived the WCTM tradition serving its eastern Indiana listeners airing Brownfield Network programming in addition to the Ohio Ag Net (the direct decendant of the original ABN
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 Ohio farmers.
Classic Country Radio
The station returned to the air in July 2004 as WEDI, now owned by Town and Country Broadcasting. Its current format, "Classic Country Radio", consists of country oldies from the 1950s up to the 1980s as well as bluegrassBluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
and country gospel
Country gospel
Christian country music is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
music. The station is the Western Ohio/Eastern Indiana repeater 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...
(AM) 1500 in Xenia, Ohio
Xenia, Ohio
Xenia is a city in and the county seat of Greene County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio 21 miles from Dayton and is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, which serves Xenia, Springfield, eastern Dayton and surrounding areas. WKFI
WKFI
WKFI is a radio station broadcasting a Classic Country format. Licensed to Wilmington, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Town And Country Broadcasting, Inc. and features programing from Fox News Radio.-Brief history:...
(AM) 1090 in Wilmington, Ohio
Wilmington, Ohio
Wilmington is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 12,520 at the 2010 census. At city entrances from state routes, county roads, and U.S. highways, the city slogan of "We Honor Our Champions" is seen, accompanied by signs that highlight various...
is the other repeater, serving southwestern Ohio and portions of Northern Kentucky as well as metropolitan Cincinnati.
As a point of interest, the call sign WEDI had once been assigned to the passenger liner SS America of the United States Lines.