WLWI-FM
Encyclopedia
WLWI-FM is a radio station
licensed
to serve Montgomery, Alabama
, USA. The station is owned by Cumulus Media
and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing, Inc.
format to the Montgomery metropolitan area
. The station has a sister news
/talk
AM
station known as WLWI (AM)
.
Notable on-air personalities associated with the station include Andi Scott, Bill Dollar, Dr. Sam, Jimmy Carter, WSFA
12 Chief Meteorologist Rich Thomas, Bill Roberts, and Miles Long. Syndicated programming includes After Midnite with Blair Garner hosted by Blair Garner
from Premiere Radio Networks
. On July 14, 2010, WLWI-FM added the syndicated Rick and Bubba
morning show, formerly on sister station
WHHY-FM.
). The station was acquired by Griffin Broadcasting Corporation in April 1973 and the callsign was changed to WKLH. This callsign would also prove short-lived as the station was acquired by the Colonial Broadcasting Company in December 1977 and the call letters were changed to WLWI.
The company changed the call letters of newly-acquired AM station WBAM (now WMSP
) to "WLWI" on March 11, 1985, so the FM station was assigned the current WLWI-FM call letters by the FCC on the same day.
In September 1994, Colonial Company, Inc., the holding company that owned WLWI-FM licensee Colonial Broadcasting Company, Inc., reached an agreement to sell control of the licensee corporation to Robert E. Lowder. The deal was approved by the FCC on December 8, 1994, and the transaction was consummated on March 8, 1995.
In January 1998, Robert E. Lowder agreed to sell licensee Colonial Broadcasting Company, Inc., to Cumulus Holdings, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on March 10, 1998. In December 1998, the license for WLWI-FM was transferred to Cumulus Licensing Corp. The deal was approved by the FCC on December 12, 1998, and the transaction was consummated on December 31, 1998.
.
A long-time country music
formatted station, WLWI-FM has seen its on-air personalities nominated for Country Music Association Awards
as Medium Market or Small Market Broadcast Personality of the Year many times over the years. Sam Faulk was nominated in 1981 and won the award in 1989. Warren "Rhubarb" Jones won in 1983. Darlene Dixon was nominated in 1992 and 1999. John Boy was nominated in 1995.
"Rhubarb" Jones won the award for Disc Jockey of the Year in 1983 from the Academy of Country Music.
In 2004, WLWI host Bill Roberts was named Favorite Southern Gospel DJ for a Medium Market at the Singing News Fan Awards
.
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
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
to serve Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
, USA. The station is owned by Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing, Inc.
Programming
WLWI-FM broadcasts a country musicCountry 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 to the Montgomery metropolitan area
Montgomery Metropolitan Area
The Montgomery, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan statistical area in central Alabama...
. The station has a sister news
News Radio
News Radio can refer to:* NewsRadio, the NBC sitcom which aired from 1995–1999.* News radio, the all-news or news/talk radio format....
/talk
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
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 known as WLWI (AM)
WLWI (AM)
WLWI is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the license is held by Cumulus Licensing, LLC.It broadcasts a news/talk radio format to the Montgomery metropolitan area...
.
Notable on-air personalities associated with the station include Andi Scott, Bill Dollar, Dr. Sam, Jimmy Carter, WSFA
WSFA
WSFA is the NBC-affiliated television station for Central Alabama's Black Belt region licensed to Montgomery. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 12 from a transmitter in Grady along the Montgomery and Pike County line. The station can also be seen on Knology and Charter...
12 Chief Meteorologist Rich Thomas, Bill Roberts, and Miles Long. Syndicated programming includes After Midnite with Blair Garner hosted by Blair Garner
Blair Garner
Blair Garner is an American radio personality. According to his After MidNite with Blair Garner show website, he purchased his first car at age 12. He is the host of the syndicated radio programs After MidNite with Blair Garner and The Blair Garner Show...
from Premiere Radio Networks
Premiere Radio Networks
Premiere Networks is an American radio network. It is the largest syndication company in the United States based on popularity of programming...
. On July 14, 2010, WLWI-FM added the syndicated Rick and Bubba
Rick and Bubba
Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey are cohosts of The Rick & Bubba Show—a syndicated comedic radio program based in Birmingham, Alabama...
morning show, formerly on sister station
Sister station
In broadcasting, sister stations or sister channels are radio and/or television stations operated by the same ownership....
WHHY-FM.
History
This station first began broadcasting on July 15, 1969, as WCOV-FM, the FM partner to AM station WCOV (now WACVWACV
WACV is a radio station in the Montgomery, Alabama, market owned by Bluewater Broadcasting Company, LLC. Since July 30, 2010, the station has broadcast a modern rock music format...
). The station was acquired by Griffin Broadcasting Corporation in April 1973 and the callsign was changed to WKLH. This callsign would also prove short-lived as the station was acquired by the Colonial Broadcasting Company in December 1977 and the call letters were changed to WLWI.
The company changed the call letters of newly-acquired AM station WBAM (now WMSP
WMSP
WMSP is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC...
) to "WLWI" on March 11, 1985, so the FM station was assigned the current WLWI-FM call letters by the FCC on the same day.
In September 1994, Colonial Company, Inc., the holding company that owned WLWI-FM licensee Colonial Broadcasting Company, Inc., reached an agreement to sell control of the licensee corporation to Robert E. Lowder. The deal was approved by the FCC on December 8, 1994, and the transaction was consummated on March 8, 1995.
In January 1998, Robert E. Lowder agreed to sell licensee Colonial Broadcasting Company, Inc., to Cumulus Holdings, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on March 10, 1998. In December 1998, the license for WLWI-FM was transferred to Cumulus Licensing Corp. The deal was approved by the FCC on December 12, 1998, and the transaction was consummated on December 31, 1998.
Awards and honors
In 1984, WLWI-FM was named "Radio Station of the Year (Small Market)" by the Academy of Country MusicAcademy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
.
A long-time 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...
formatted station, WLWI-FM has seen its on-air personalities nominated for Country Music Association Awards
Country Music Association Awards
The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards, or the CMAs, and not to be confused with the ACM Awards, are voted on by business members of the Country Music Association. The first CMA awards were presented at an untelevised ceremony in Nashville's Municipal Auditorium in 1967...
as Medium Market or Small Market Broadcast Personality of the Year many times over the years. Sam Faulk was nominated in 1981 and won the award in 1989. Warren "Rhubarb" Jones won in 1983. Darlene Dixon was nominated in 1992 and 1999. John Boy was nominated in 1995.
"Rhubarb" Jones won the award for Disc Jockey of the Year in 1983 from the Academy of Country Music.
In 2004, WLWI host Bill Roberts was named Favorite Southern Gospel DJ for a Medium Market at the Singing News Fan Awards
Singing News Fan Awards
The Singing News Fan Awards is an annual award ceremony held on the Saturday night program of the National Quartet Convention and honors the achievements of professional Southern Gospel artists, songwriters and DJ's.-Award Selection:...
.