WVOL
Encyclopedia
WVOL is a radio station
broadcasting a Urban Oldies format. Licensed to the Nashville suburb of Berry Hill, Tennessee
, USA, the station serves the Nashville area. The station is currently owned by Heidelberg Broadcasting, LLC.
After a change in ownership in 1957, the call letters were changed to WVOL, as the station continued it's focus on the local African-American community.
In 1980, The Phoenix Communication Group acquired WVOL. The station dropped live programming and affiliated with Satellite Music Network
in 1985. The network, impressed with the station, launched a format based on WVOL's sound. WVOL aired satellite-fed programming until 1993. Around that time, the station was sold to Dickie Brothers Broadcasting.
In April 2000, WVOL was purchased by John Heidelberg, an African-American entrepreneur
who was a former employee of both WVOL and WSM
. The format was urban gospel during the day, and jazz
overnight. In 1970, when Heidelberg was acting program director of WVOL, he was the first person to employ Oprah Winfrey
, then a local high school student, as a broadcaster. Eventually becoming a news anchor on WVOL, Winfrey later launched her TV career as an anchor with WLAC-TV
in Nashville, before becoming an iconic national talk show
host.
WVOL switched to it's current format of urban adult contemporary
, urban oldies and talk shows
in March 2001.
In March 2011, WVOL suffered a million dollars in damage when vandals cut the transmission lines to all six of the station's towers.
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...
broadcasting a Urban Oldies format. Licensed to the Nashville suburb of Berry Hill, Tennessee
Berry Hill, Tennessee
Berry Hill is a city in Davidson County, Tennessee, United States. According to the 2000 census, the city had a population of 674.-History:Much of the area of Berry Hill was originally owned by William Tyler Berry and his descendants. Berry died in 1889....
, USA, the station serves the Nashville area. The station is currently owned by Heidelberg Broadcasting, LLC.
History
The station was founded in 1951 as WSOK. WSOK's original format was rhythm and blues and urban gospel music.After a change in ownership in 1957, the call letters were changed to WVOL, as the station continued it's focus on the local African-American community.
In 1980, The Phoenix Communication Group acquired WVOL. The station dropped live programming and affiliated with Satellite Music Network
Satellite Music Network
Satellite Music Network was the first satellite delivered network to provide complete live 24-hour a day music programming to local stations, under several different formats...
in 1985. The network, impressed with the station, launched a format based on WVOL's sound. WVOL aired satellite-fed programming until 1993. Around that time, the station was sold to Dickie Brothers Broadcasting.
In April 2000, WVOL was purchased by John Heidelberg, an African-American entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
who was a former employee of both WVOL and WSM
WSM (AM)
WSM is the callsign of a 50,000 watt AM radio station located in Nashville, Tennessee. Operating at 650 kHz, its clear channel signal can reach much of North America and various countries, especially late at night...
. The format was urban gospel during the day, and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
overnight. In 1970, when Heidelberg was acting program director of WVOL, he was the first person to employ Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
, then a local high school student, as a broadcaster. Eventually becoming a news anchor on WVOL, Winfrey later launched her TV career as an anchor with WLAC-TV
WTVF
WTVF is the CBS-affiliated television station for Middle Tennessee that is licensed to Nashville. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 5 from a transmitter north of downtown along I-24. Owned by Landmark Media Enterprises, the station has studios on James Robertson Parkway...
in Nashville, before becoming an iconic national talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
host.
WVOL switched to it's current format of urban adult contemporary
Urban Adult Contemporary
Urban adult contemporary is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have rap music on their playlists. The format was designed by Barry Mayo when he, Lee S. Simonson and Bill Pearson organized Broadcast...
, urban oldies and talk shows
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...
in March 2001.
In March 2011, WVOL suffered a million dollars in damage when vandals cut the transmission lines to all six of the station's towers.