WKJG
Encyclopedia
WKJG is a radio station
located in Fort Wayne, Indiana
. The station, owned by Federated Media, is Fort Wayne's ESPN Radio
affiliate.
affiliate, WKJG joined NBC Radio
in 1956, after WOWO
dropped NBC to go independent; this brought the station in line with sister station WKJG-TV (channel 33), which had been an NBC-TV
affiliate since going on the air in 1953. The WKJG stations were sold to the Truth Publishing Company of Elkhart
in 1957; in 1963, the stations came under the Communicana banner.
After WKJG-TV was sold in 1971 (albeit to an entity controlled by the Dille family, which also controlled Communicana), it was decided to change the call letters of the radio stations, citing the perceived difficulty in saying "WKJG". As a result, on October 1, WKJG, by then a top 40 station, became WMEE, with sister beautiful music
station WKJG-FM (97.3 FM) becoming WMEF. The following year, WMEE ceased its NBC Radio affiliation. The station's owner became Federated Media in 1977.
The station changed its call letters to WQHK and adopted a country music
format in 1979, with WMEE
and the top 40 format being moved to WMEF's former 97.3 FM facility (where it remains to this day as a hot adult contemporary station). It became adult standards
station WHWD (reflecting its branding, "Radio Hollywood") in 1996, with most programming being provided by the Stardust
service from ABC Radio (now Citadel Media).
WHWD adopted the current sports format, initially provided by One on One Sports
, in September 1998. To reflect the One on One affiliation, the call letters were changed to WONO in November 1999; however, the following August, the station switched to ESPN Radio. The WONO call letters were nonetheless retained until November 3, 2003, when the WKJG call letters, which had been dropped by channel 33 (now WISE-TV
) a few months earlier, were restored.
, and Purdue University
sports. Local game broadcast time is purchased by local sports team. Outside of the game broadcasts, the station has very limited local programming of note.
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...
located in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
. The station, owned by Federated Media, is Fort Wayne's ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
affiliate.
History
WKJG began broadcasting November 15, 1947 under the ownership of Northeastern Indiana Broadcasting, itself controlled by William Kunkel. Kunkel was also the publisher of The Journal Gazette; the call letters are derived from both entities. Initially a MutualMutual Broadcasting System
The Mutual Broadcasting System was an American radio network, in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the golden age of U.S. radio drama, MBS was best known as the original network home of The Lone Ranger and The Adventures of Superman and as the long-time radio residence of The Shadow...
affiliate, WKJG joined NBC Radio
NBC Red Network
The NBC Red Network was one of the two original radio networks of the National Broadcasting Company. After NBC was required to divest itself of its Blue Network , the Red Network continued as the NBC Radio Network.It, along with the Blue Network, were the first two commercial radio networks in the...
in 1956, after WOWO
WOWO
Located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, WOWO is an independent news/talk radio station transmitting on 1190 kHz at 50,000 watts during the daylight hours and 9,800 watts during the nighttime hours. An application is on file with the Federal Communications Commission to add a fourth tower to the three...
dropped NBC to go independent; this brought the station in line with sister station WKJG-TV (channel 33), which had been an NBC-TV
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate since going on the air in 1953. The WKJG stations were sold to the Truth Publishing Company of Elkhart
Elkhart, Indiana
Elkhart is a city in Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. The city is located east of South Bend, northwest of Fort Wayne, east of Chicago, and north of Indianapolis...
in 1957; in 1963, the stations came under the Communicana banner.
After WKJG-TV was sold in 1971 (albeit to an entity controlled by the Dille family, which also controlled Communicana), it was decided to change the call letters of the radio stations, citing the perceived difficulty in saying "WKJG". As a result, on October 1, WKJG, by then a top 40 station, became WMEE, with sister beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
station WKJG-FM (97.3 FM) becoming WMEF. The following year, WMEE ceased its NBC Radio affiliation. The station's owner became Federated Media in 1977.
The station changed its call letters to WQHK and adopted 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 in 1979, with WMEE
WMEE
WMEE is a radio station broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary format. The station serves the Fort Wayne, Indiana area. The station is currently owned by Federated Media.-History:...
and the top 40 format being moved to WMEF's former 97.3 FM facility (where it remains to this day as a hot adult contemporary station). It became adult standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
station WHWD (reflecting its branding, "Radio Hollywood") in 1996, with most programming being provided by the Stardust
Timeless (radio network)
Timeless was a 24-hour satellite music service of Citadel Media . It has distributed a mix of soft oldies and adult standards to radio stations around the USA...
service from ABC Radio (now Citadel Media).
WHWD adopted the current sports format, initially provided by One on One Sports
Sporting News Radio
Yahoo! Sports Radio, formerly Sporting News Radio is a United States sports radio network that broadcasts sports news, talk, scores, and highlights 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. On August 1, 2011, it was announced the network would change its name to Yahoo! Sports Radio, effective...
, in September 1998. To reflect the One on One affiliation, the call letters were changed to WONO in November 1999; however, the following August, the station switched to ESPN Radio. The WONO call letters were nonetheless retained until November 3, 2003, when the WKJG call letters, which had been dropped by channel 33 (now WISE-TV
WISE-TV
WISE-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for Northeastern Indiana licensed to Fort Wayne. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 18 from a transmitter at its studios on Butler Road in Northwest Fort Wayne. The station can also be seen on Frontier FiOS channel 4 and...
) a few months earlier, were restored.
Programming
Most programming on WKJG is provided by ESPN Radio; the station also carries Fort Wayne TinCaps baseball games, as well as IPFW, Ball State UniversityBall State University
Ball State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State or simply BSU.Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans and includes 106 buildings...
, and Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
sports. Local game broadcast time is purchased by local sports team. Outside of the game broadcasts, the station has very limited local programming of note.