WTTS
Encyclopedia
WTTS is an FM
radio station
serving Indianapolis
and Bloomington, Indiana
, in the United States
, broadcasting at 92.3 FM. The station's format is classified as Adult Album Alternative
or "Triple A." WTTS uses the slogan "World Class Rock" to describe its music mix. The station plays a variety of music genres from the mid-1960s to the present, including acoustic
, reggae
, classic rock
, blues
and alternative rock
. In 2001, WTTS was one of the first American radio stations to play music by the artists John Mayer
and Norah Jones
, both of whom later went on to become Grammy Award
winners.
format in 1960. In the mid-70s, the call letters were changed to WGTC-FM, which stood for Good Time Country to reflect its new country music
format. In 1986, WGTC-FM, became WTTS-FM and in 1988, changed to an AOR
format. Four years later, in 1992, WTTS adopted its present format.
WTTS has twice been named "Best Local Radio Station" by Indianapolis alternative newspaper Nuvo. It was also nominated for "Triple A Station of the Year" honors four times (2005-2008) by 'Radio & Records
magazine, a radio and music industry trade publication.
The station broadcasts from the 1,000 ft WTTV Channel 4 Television tower, located in Trafalgar, Indiana
.
Specialty programs on WTTS include OverEasy, Sunday mornings and nights (laid-back "World Class Rock"); The Groove Show, Saturday nights (jam bands, funk and reggae); Little Steven's Underground Garage, Etown and House of Blues Radio Hour
, Sunday nights; and Indy Underground, Monday and Saturday nights (local, indie, and underground music).
of live recordings featuring established and emerging artists from the genres it plays. For the past eight years, the station has hosted a series of "Private Concerts" and "Emerging Artist Concerts" that have headlined performances by artists such as KT Tunstall
, John Mayer
, Buddy Guy
, Big Head Todd & The Monsters, Bob Schneider
, Sonia Dada
, Five for Fighting
and others. In 2005, the station opened Studio 92, a performance and recording venue in downtown Indianapolis. Artists who have played in Studio 92 include Marc Broussard
, David Gray
, Los Lonely Boys
, Goo Goo Dolls
, Widespread Panic
, Jet
, John Butler Trio
, Umphrey's McGee
and Amos Lee
, among others.
Twice a year, WTTS releases the New Music Sampler CD, which it distributes to listeners for free. In 1996, WTTS began releasing the Collectors Edition CD each December, highlighting live rock and acoustic performances recorded at WTTS and Studio 92. Through these promotions, the station has raised tens of thousands of dollars for charities throughout central and south-central Indiana.
On July 15, 2007, WTTS celebrated the 15th anniversary of its format with the "WTTS 15th Birthday Bash Starring Bob Dylan
." The concert, which was sold out, was held at the Lawn at White River State Park
in downtown Indianapolis. In 2008, WTTS, in conjunction with A&E Television
, presented an exclusive private concert with John Mellencamp
. The event, attended by 400 listeners, was later featured in an A&E Biography
special.
, Myspace
, Twitter
and YouTube
campaigns.
Frequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
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...
serving Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
and Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, broadcasting at 92.3 FM. The station's format is classified as Adult Album Alternative
Adult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
or "Triple A." WTTS uses the slogan "World Class Rock" to describe its music mix. The station plays a variety of music genres from the mid-1960s to the present, including acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
, reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
. In 2001, WTTS was one of the first American radio stations to play music by the artists John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
and Norah Jones
Norah Jones
Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...
, both of whom later went on to become Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
winners.
History
WTTS remains locally and independently owned by Sarkes Tarzian, Inc. The company is named for its founder, an Armenian immigrant who came from an engineering background. Tarzian put his first station, WTTS-AM, on the air in 1949. WTTV-FM (now WTTS) began broadcasting a Big BandBig band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
format in 1960. In the mid-70s, the call letters were changed to WGTC-FM, which stood for Good Time Country to reflect its new 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 1986, WGTC-FM, became WTTS-FM and in 1988, changed to an AOR
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
format. Four years later, in 1992, WTTS adopted its present format.
WTTS has twice been named "Best Local Radio Station" by Indianapolis alternative newspaper Nuvo. It was also nominated for "Triple A Station of the Year" honors four times (2005-2008) by 'Radio & Records
Radio & Records
Radio & Records was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It originally started out as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006, up until its final issue in 2009.-History:The company was founded in 1973 and...
magazine, a radio and music industry trade publication.
The station broadcasts from the 1,000 ft WTTV Channel 4 Television tower, located in Trafalgar, Indiana
Trafalgar, Indiana
Trafalgar is a town in Nineveh and Hensley townships, Johnson County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,101 at the 2010 census.This town is twenty miles south of Indianapolis.It is the home of the transmitter for WTTV-TV, WTTS-FM, and WFCI-FM....
.
On-air staff and programming
WTTS program hosts include Paul Mendenhall, early mornings; Todd Berryman, late mornings; Brad Holtz, middays; Laura Duncan, assistant program director/music director, afternoon drives. In 2004, WTTS introduced the Phil the Listener Show, hosted by longtime listener Phil Stoerck. The show featured an eclectic mix of rock that aired monthly. Phil died at the age of 54 on March 9, 2008.Specialty programs on WTTS include OverEasy, Sunday mornings and nights (laid-back "World Class Rock"); The Groove Show, Saturday nights (jam bands, funk and reggae); Little Steven's Underground Garage, Etown and House of Blues Radio Hour
House of Blues
House of Blues is a chain of 13 live music concert halls and restaurants in major markets throughout the United States. House of Blues first location was in Cambridge's Harvard Square. It was opened in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, star of The Blues Brothers...
, Sunday nights; and Indy Underground, Monday and Saturday nights (local, indie, and underground music).
Music-related promotions
WTTS sponsors various promotions focused on the station's Triple-A format, staging performances and producing CDsCompact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
of live recordings featuring established and emerging artists from the genres it plays. For the past eight years, the station has hosted a series of "Private Concerts" and "Emerging Artist Concerts" that have headlined performances by artists such as KT Tunstall
KT Tunstall
Kate Victoria "KT" Tunstall is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist from St Andrews, Scotland. She broke into the public eye with a 2004 live solo performance of her song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on Later... with Jools Holland...
, John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
, Buddy Guy
Buddy Guy
George "Buddy" Guy is an American blues and jazz guitarist and singer. He is a critically acclaimed artist who has established himself as a pioneer of the Chicago blues sound, and has served as an influence to some of the most notable musicians of his generation...
, Big Head Todd & The Monsters, Bob Schneider
Bob Schneider
Bob Schneider is an Austin, Texas-based musician and artist. He currently resides in Bee Cave, Texas.- Early career :...
, Sonia Dada
Sonia Dada
Sonia Dada is a Chicago-based rock/soul/rhythm and blues band, which tours with anywhere from six to eight members. The band formed in 1990, when founding member Daniel Pritzker heard three future members singing in a subway station...
, Five for Fighting
Five for Fighting
Five for Fighting is the stage name of American singer-songwriter John Ondrasik. He is best known for his piano-based rock, such as the Top 40 songs "Superman " , "100 Years" , and "The Riddle" .-Early years:...
and others. In 2005, the station opened Studio 92, a performance and recording venue in downtown Indianapolis. Artists who have played in Studio 92 include Marc Broussard
Marc Broussard
Marc Broussard is an American singer/songwriter. His style is best described as "Bayou Soul," a mix of funk, blues, R&B, rock, and pop, matched with distinct Southern roots...
, David Gray
David Gray (musician)
David Gray is an English singer-songwriter. He released his first studio album in 1993 and received worldwide attention after the release of White Ladder six years later...
, Los Lonely Boys
Los Lonely Boys
Los Lonely Boys is a Chicano rock power trio from San Angelo, Texas. They play a style of music they call "Texican Rock n' Roll," combining elements of rock and roll, Texas blues, brown eyed soul, country, and Tejano....
, Goo Goo Dolls
Goo Goo Dolls
The Goo Goo Dolls are a Grammy-nominated American rock band formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York, by vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik and vocalist and bass guitarist Robby Takac. Since the end of 1994, Mike Malinin has been the band's drummer, a position previously held by George Tutuska...
, Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
, Jet
Jet (band)
Jet are an Australian rock band formed in 2001 while attending St Bede's College Mentone in Melbourne, . The band consists of lead guitarist Cameron Muncey, bassist Mark Wilson, and brothers Nic and Chris Cester on vocals/rhythm guitar and drums respectively...
, John Butler Trio
John Butler Trio
The John Butler Trio are an eclectic roots and jam band from Australia led by guitarist and vocalist John Butler. They formed in Fremantle in 1998 with Jason McGann on drums and Gavin Shoesmith on bass guitar...
, Umphrey's McGee
Umphrey's McGee
Umphrey's McGee is an American progressive rock jam band based in Chicago whose music is often referred to as "progressive improvisation", or "improg" ....
and Amos Lee
Amos Lee
Amos Lee is an American singer-songwriter whose musical style encompasses folk, rock and soul. Lee has four albums on Blue Note Records and has toured as an opening act for Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Norah Jones, Paul Simon, Merle Haggard, Van Morrison, John Prine, Dave Matthews Band and Adele. In...
, among others.
Twice a year, WTTS releases the New Music Sampler CD, which it distributes to listeners for free. In 1996, WTTS began releasing the Collectors Edition CD each December, highlighting live rock and acoustic performances recorded at WTTS and Studio 92. Through these promotions, the station has raised tens of thousands of dollars for charities throughout central and south-central Indiana.
On July 15, 2007, WTTS celebrated the 15th anniversary of its format with the "WTTS 15th Birthday Bash Starring Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
." The concert, which was sold out, was held at the Lawn at White River State Park
White River State Park
White River State ParkDesignationState ParkLocationIndianapolis, Indiana USANearest CityIndianapolis, IndianaArea Date of Establishment1979Governing Body...
in downtown Indianapolis. In 2008, WTTS, in conjunction with A&E Television
A&E Television Networks
A&E Television Networks is a U.S. media company that owns a group of television channels available via cable & satellite in the US and abroad...
, presented an exclusive private concert with John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp
John Mellencamp, previously known by the stage names Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American rock singer-songwriter, musician, painter and occasional actor known for his catchy, populist brand of heartland rock that eschews synthesizers and other artificial sounds...
. The event, attended by 400 listeners, was later featured in an A&E Biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
special.
New media
WTTS offers two streams through its website, both a live stream and a "New Music Channel." The website also features a service dubbed "On-Demand", with downloads and podcasts of interviews and related programming. The In addition, the station maintains a "92.3 VIP" database, enabling listeners to register for access to promotions not offered on-air. WTTS is also actively involved in text messaging, as well as FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, Myspace
Myspace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
and YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
campaigns.