WIFM-FM
Encyclopedia
WIFM-FM is a radio station
licensed to Elkin, North Carolina
, USA. The station is currently owned by Yadkin Valley Broadcasting Corporation and broadcasts an Adult Contemporary format.
, but Hinshaw's brother owned a radio repair shop and they both believed FM was the future. WIFM was also different from other radio stations because it played pre-recorded music, while other stations aired Burns and Allen
, Jack Benny
and Amos 'n' Andy
. Still, few people had FM radios, so the station had almost no listeners. An AM
station added in 1953 did not perform much better.
Jim Childress bought WIFM in 1954 and used block programming
, with pop music
, country music
, and gospel music
. A lot of music was performed live, and there was preaching
on Sunday mornings.
The AM and FM stations aired the same programming (the AM went off the air at night) until FCC
rules prohibited this more than a few hours a day. By this time, enough people had FM radios that separate programming became possible.
In the mid-60s, WIFM began airing local news, which became one of the station's greatest strengths. Alan Combs was the first person tasked with this duty. In 1972 Ralph Shaw was hired. Ralph became perhaps WIFM's best-known News Director, and won many awards for his outstanding news coverage, bringing the station statewide, and even national attention...especially during the tragic Siloam Bridge collapse in the mid 70s, when Ralph's reports were heard on ABC Radio.
In the mid-70s, Leon Reece's "Good Morning Show" and "Open Mike" aired on both stations. These became perhaps the best known shows ever on WIFM, and continued until 1995, when Tri County Broadcasting sold the station to FSA Broadcasting. In the 1970s the FM played pre-recorded country music
on reel-to-reel tape
during the morning and late afternoon, and gospel music
in the early afternoon. Pop
/rock music
aired in the evening.
During the 1970s WIFM would do remote broadcasts, where a DJ actually brought 45s
and played them from the location.
In the early '90s, Mike Walker was named Program Director. In 1994 Alan Combs, WIFM's Station Manager, John Wishon, WJOS's Station Manager, and Ken Byrd, an announcer on WJOS left WIFM, taking over the reins at WWWC in Wilkesboro, which they purchased jointly.
In 1995, Tri-County Broadcasting sold WIFM to F.S.A. Broadcasting, and the offices moved to a new location on North Bridge Street, though the studios remained on Elk Spur Street for a while. Chris Newman was named General Manager. Mike Walker was promoted to Operations Manager, and transitioned the format from oldies
to adult contemporary. Mike assumed the morning show "officially" after the departure of Leon Reece, although he had actually hosted it for several months previous. Cathy Smith returned to the station as Sales Manager. Ray McCrary was named News Director.
In its heyday, WIFM was a beacon of what local radio should be...deeply committed to public service, active in the community, provocative and thoughtful in content, and taking on all comers with an award-winning local news department.
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...
licensed to Elkin, North Carolina
Elkin, North Carolina
Elkin is a town in Surry and Wilkes counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina, along the Yadkin River. Elkin shares its name with the surrounding township of Elkin Township...
, USA. The station is currently owned by Yadkin Valley Broadcasting Corporation and broadcasts an Adult Contemporary format.
History
Al Hinshaw signed on WIFM in 1949. Most FM stations were paired with an 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...
, but Hinshaw's brother owned a radio repair shop and they both believed FM was the future. WIFM was also different from other radio stations because it played pre-recorded music, while other stations aired Burns and Allen
Burns and Allen
Burns and Allen, an American comedy duo consisting of George Burns and his wife, Gracie Allen, worked together as a comedy team in vaudeville, films, radio and television and achieved great success over four decades.-Vaudeville:...
, Jack Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
and Amos 'n' Andy
Amos 'n' Andy
Amos 'n' Andy is a situation comedy set in the African-American community. It was very popular in the United States from the 1920s through the 1950s on both radio and television....
. Still, few people had FM radios, so the station had almost no listeners. An AM
WJOS (AM)
WJOS was a radio station broadcasting a Southern gospel format, licensed to Elkin, North Carolina.-History:Al Hinshaw signed on WIFM-FM in Elkin in 1949, and added an AM station several years later. Both stations had difficulties but they survived. James Childress bought the stations in 1954...
station added in 1953 did not perform much better.
Jim Childress bought WIFM in 1954 and used block programming
Block programming
Block programming or television block is a strategy of broadcast programming and radio programmers. Block programming occurs when the television network schedules similar television programs back-to-back. The concept is to provide similar programming to keep the viewers. Radio stations use it...
, with pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, 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...
, and gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
. A lot of music was performed live, and there was preaching
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
on Sunday mornings.
The AM and FM stations aired the same programming (the AM went off the air at night) until 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...
rules prohibited this more than a few hours a day. By this time, enough people had FM radios that separate programming became possible.
In the mid-60s, WIFM began airing local news, which became one of the station's greatest strengths. Alan Combs was the first person tasked with this duty. In 1972 Ralph Shaw was hired. Ralph became perhaps WIFM's best-known News Director, and won many awards for his outstanding news coverage, bringing the station statewide, and even national attention...especially during the tragic Siloam Bridge collapse in the mid 70s, when Ralph's reports were heard on ABC Radio.
In the mid-70s, Leon Reece's "Good Morning Show" and "Open Mike" aired on both stations. These became perhaps the best known shows ever on WIFM, and continued until 1995, when Tri County Broadcasting sold the station to FSA Broadcasting. In the 1970s the FM played pre-recorded 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...
on reel-to-reel tape
Reel-to-reel audio tape recording
Reel-to-reel, open reel tape recording is the form of magnetic tape audio recording in which the recording medium is held on a reel, rather than being securely contained within a cassette....
during the morning and late afternoon, and gospel music
Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
in the early afternoon. Pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
/rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
aired in the evening.
During the 1970s WIFM would do remote broadcasts, where a DJ actually brought 45s
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
and played them from the location.
In the early '90s, Mike Walker was named Program Director. In 1994 Alan Combs, WIFM's Station Manager, John Wishon, WJOS's Station Manager, and Ken Byrd, an announcer on WJOS left WIFM, taking over the reins at WWWC in Wilkesboro, which they purchased jointly.
In 1995, Tri-County Broadcasting sold WIFM to F.S.A. Broadcasting, and the offices moved to a new location on North Bridge Street, though the studios remained on Elk Spur Street for a while. Chris Newman was named General Manager. Mike Walker was promoted to Operations Manager, and transitioned the format from oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
to adult contemporary. Mike assumed the morning show "officially" after the departure of Leon Reece, although he had actually hosted it for several months previous. Cathy Smith returned to the station as Sales Manager. Ray McCrary was named News Director.
In its heyday, WIFM was a beacon of what local radio should be...deeply committed to public service, active in the community, provocative and thoughtful in content, and taking on all comers with an award-winning local news department.