WVKO (AM)
Encyclopedia
WVKO is an American AM radio station licensed to broadcast in Columbus, Ohio
.
WVKO changed from a progressive talk format to Catholic radio
programming, provided by Columbus-based St. Gabriel Radio.
The station is no longer operating in simulcast
with WQTT in Marysville which was sold to ICS Holdings Inc in January of 2010. ICS Holdings also owns WDLR
1550-AM in Delaware
. WQTT's new owners have moved the station's base back to Marysville which in 2010 employed an oldies format (which briefly aired Spanish language programming) but has since reverted back to being an affilliate of The True Oldies Channel
.
St. Gabriel Radio also owns and operates WFOT-FM 89.5 mHz licensed to Lexington
serving the Mansfield
area as a near-simulcast of WVKO.
A major fundraising drive "Leave a Legacy" was intended to purchase WVKO-AM before Ohio State University
put WOSU (AM)
up for sale... It's stronger signal was a major infuence for St. Gabriel to purchase WOSU-AM instead of WVKO-AM. Saint Gabriel Radio is still leasing the station from Bernard Ohio LLC until approval of the sale of the current WOSU-AM is made. The switchover to Catholic programming (with local airing of Masses and teaching programs...mostly from EWTN Radio) took place on December 23, 2008. It is hoped St. Gabriel will move its programming from 1580 AM to 820 AM in late 2011 or early 2012.
and local talk and information programs aimed at the African-American community. It was also the broadcast outlet for the Columbus Clippers
minor league baseball
team. Prior to that WVKO was Columbus' R&B/Soul music station in the 1960s and 70s. FM sister station WSPO picked up WVKO programing into the evening hours, since the AM station held a daytime-only license at the time. WSPO later became WSNY
"Sunny 95" in the 1980s playing light adult contemporary.
It was during the R&B/Soul years that WVKO employed Ted Williams as an overnight disc jockey. Williams gained fame in 2011 when, while homeless
in Columbus, he was discovered by a videographer for the Columbus Dispatch and a video featuring his "golden radio voice" went viral on the Internet
.
WVKO went off the air on May 5, 2006
due to the upcoming expiration of its transmitter land lease and major financial issues. The station moved to another transmitter site in 2007
, at which point it returned to the air.
The station license was transferred on January 22, 2007 to Bernard Ohio LLC following a period under the supervision of a bankruptcy trustee, despite some formal objections filed with the FCC.
On March 15, 2007, the FCC granted the station's new owners Special Temporary Authority permission to resume broadcasting from its new location at reduced power, in order to prevent the loss of the station license due to the station being off the air for a period of one year - which automatically results in forfeiture of a station's FCC license.
On December 2007 the format flipped from Latino/Mexican Music to Progressive Talk.
In May 2008, WVKO tied WYTS in the ratings. WYTS, under its previous call letters WTPG, had been Columbus's previous progressive-talk station from September 2004 to January 2007.
The former WVKO website is being maintained by the Ohio Majority Radio group to serve the station's former listenership, with streaming audio of many of the former WVKO national talk programs.
820 kHz from The Ohio State University
.
The sale and transfer of license from Ohio State to St. Gabriel Radio is now pending approval by the FCC. Once approved, 820 AM
will be assigned a new callsign (WVSG (AM)
) and St. Gabriel programming will cease on 1580 AM and move to 820 AM.
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
.
WVKO changed from a progressive talk format to Catholic radio
Christian radio
Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
programming, provided by Columbus-based St. Gabriel Radio.
The station is no longer operating in simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
with WQTT in Marysville which was sold to ICS Holdings Inc in January of 2010. ICS Holdings also owns WDLR
WDLR
WDLR can refer to:* WDLR, an AM radio station located in Delaware, Ohio, United States* War Department Light Railways...
1550-AM in Delaware
Delaware, Ohio
The City of Delaware is a city in and the county seat of Delaware County in the United States state of Ohio. Delaware was founded in 1808 and was incorporated in 1816. It is located near the center of Ohio, is about north of Columbus, and is part of the Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area...
. WQTT's new owners have moved the station's base back to Marysville which in 2010 employed an oldies format (which briefly aired Spanish language programming) but has since reverted back to being an affilliate of The True Oldies Channel
The True Oldies Channel
The True Oldies Channel is a syndicated radio programming stream begun in the spring of 2004, hosted by American radio personality Scott Shannon...
.
St. Gabriel Radio also owns and operates WFOT-FM 89.5 mHz licensed to Lexington
Lexington, Ohio
Lexington is a village in Richland County in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is part of the Mansfield, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,822 at the 2010 census, an increase from 4,165 in 2000....
serving the Mansfield
Mansfield, Ohio
Mansfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Richland County. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio in the western foothills of the Allegheny Plateau, approximately southwest of Cleveland and northeast of Columbus....
area as a near-simulcast of WVKO.
A major fundraising drive "Leave a Legacy" was intended to purchase WVKO-AM before Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
put WOSU (AM)
WOSU (AM)
WOSU WOSU WOSU (820 AM is a National Public Radio news and talk radio station located in Columbus, Ohio and serving the Columbus metro area. WOSU is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission as a daytime and nighttime radio station, operating with a non-directional power of 5 kW...
up for sale... It's stronger signal was a major infuence for St. Gabriel to purchase WOSU-AM instead of WVKO-AM. Saint Gabriel Radio is still leasing the station from Bernard Ohio LLC until approval of the sale of the current WOSU-AM is made. The switchover to Catholic programming (with local airing of Masses and teaching programs...mostly from EWTN Radio) took place on December 23, 2008. It is hoped St. Gabriel will move its programming from 1580 AM to 820 AM in late 2011 or early 2012.
History
Previously, WVKO aired gospel musicGospel 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....
and local talk and information programs aimed at the African-American community. It was also the broadcast outlet for the Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team. Prior to that WVKO was Columbus' R&B/Soul music station in the 1960s and 70s. FM sister station WSPO picked up WVKO programing into the evening hours, since the AM station held a daytime-only license at the time. WSPO later became WSNY
WSNY
WSNY is an FM radio station in Columbus, Ohio located at 94.7 MHz.WSNY, known on the air as "Sunny 95" plays adult contemporary most of the year. The one exception is during mid November and most of December, when the station switches its format to both traditional and contemporary Christmas...
"Sunny 95" in the 1980s playing light adult contemporary.
It was during the R&B/Soul years that WVKO employed Ted Williams as an overnight disc jockey. Williams gained fame in 2011 when, while homeless
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
in Columbus, he was discovered by a videographer for the Columbus Dispatch and a video featuring his "golden radio voice" went viral on the Internet
Viral video
A viral video is one that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, typically through video sharing websites, social media and email...
.
WVKO went off the air on May 5, 2006
2006 in radio
The year 2006 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.-Events:*January 3 - The BJ Shea Morning Experience switches to KISW in Seattle, Washington, from the former FM Talk station KKWF....
due to the upcoming expiration of its transmitter land lease and major financial issues. The station moved to another transmitter site in 2007
2007 in radio
The year 2007 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*January 8: Nanci "The Fabulous Sports Babe" Donnellan returns to radio after a six-year absence, filling in for local hosts in Florida....
, at which point it returned to the air.
The station license was transferred on January 22, 2007 to Bernard Ohio LLC following a period under the supervision of a bankruptcy trustee, despite some formal objections filed with the FCC.
On March 15, 2007, the FCC granted the station's new owners Special Temporary Authority permission to resume broadcasting from its new location at reduced power, in order to prevent the loss of the station license due to the station being off the air for a period of one year - which automatically results in forfeiture of a station's FCC license.
On December 2007 the format flipped from Latino/Mexican Music to Progressive Talk.
In May 2008, WVKO tied WYTS in the ratings. WYTS, under its previous call letters WTPG, had been Columbus's previous progressive-talk station from September 2004 to January 2007.
The former WVKO website is being maintained by the Ohio Majority Radio group to serve the station's former listenership, with streaming audio of many of the former WVKO national talk programs.
Aquisition of WOSU-AM
According to its official website,(September 9, 2011) St. Gabirel Radio with the help of its supporters purchased WOSU (AM)WOSU (AM)
WOSU WOSU WOSU (820 AM is a National Public Radio news and talk radio station located in Columbus, Ohio and serving the Columbus metro area. WOSU is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission as a daytime and nighttime radio station, operating with a non-directional power of 5 kW...
820 kHz from The Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
.
The sale and transfer of license from Ohio State to St. Gabriel Radio is now pending approval by the FCC. Once approved, 820 AM
820 AM
820 AM may refer to:In Canada* CHAM in Hamilton, OntarioIn Mexico in Mexicali, BN in Guadalajara, JA in Durango, DU in Francisco Escarcega, CM in Coyuca de Catalan, GR in Fortin de Las Flores, VC in Fortin de Las Flores, VC in Pachuca, HG in Santa Barbara, CH in Los Mochis, SI in Mexicali, BN in...
will be assigned a new callsign (WVSG (AM)
WVSG (AM)
WVSG "St.Gabriel Radio" is a planned non-commercial radio station which is scheduled to take the place of the current WOSU 820 kHz in Columbus, Ohio....
) and St. Gabriel programming will cease on 1580 AM and move to 820 AM.