KWHW (AM)

KWHW
Frequency1450 kHz C-QUAM AM stereo
BrandingPure Country
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatCountry
AffiliationsCitadel Media, Dial Global
Ownership
OwnerJames G Boles, Jr.
KQTZ, KPRO
History
First air date
April 2, 1947[1]
Call sign meaning
K (Wimberly Harrington Wimberly)
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID1195
ClassC
Power668 watts (day)
668 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
34°37′35″N 99°20′11″W / 34.62639°N 99.33639°W / 34.62639; -99.33639
Translator(s)96.9 MHz K245CY (Altus)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
WebsiteFacebook page

KWHW (1450 AM) is an American radio station licensed to serve Altus, the seat of Jackson County in southwestern Oklahoma, United States. Established in 1947, KWHW is owned by James G Boles, Jr. It airs a full service mix of music, news, sports, and local programming. The station is simulcast on sister station KPRO (93.5 FM).

Programming

KWHW broadcasts a full-service country music format along with farm reports on weekdays. Sunday programming is primarily church broadcasts and Gospel music programming. KWHW airs a tradio program called "Swap Shop" on weekday and Saturday mornings. The station broadcasts the meetings of the Altus City Council on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. KWHW station also airs select sporting events involving Altus High School and the Oklahoma State Cowboys.[3] Some of the station's news and music programming comes from Citadel Media, Dial Global.[4]

KWHW's morning show is hosted by Eddie Wilcoxen.[5][6] He is a published poet, recognized landscape designer, karate champion, and was named as an official Olympic Hero in 1996.[5][7] In January 2011, Wilcoxen was named Poet Laureate for the state of Oklahoma for 2011 though 2012 by the Oklahoma Humanities Council.[5][7]

History

This station began broadcasting on April 2, 1947, at 1450 kHz with 250 watts of power under the ownership of the Altus Broadcasting Company.[1] The company was 50% owned by local newspaper The Altus Times-Democrat.[8] Frank E. Wimberly served as both the company's president and the station's general manager.[9] The station was assigned the call sign "KWHW" by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).[10] The call letters, WHW, are the initials for Will Harrington Wimberly, Frank's brother. Harrington Wimberly was the publisher for the Altus-Times Democrat from 1929-1966. In 1961, the station was granted a construction permit by the FCC to increase their daytime power to 1,000 watts.[11]

Former branding

On September 9, 1969, the station was acquired by KWHW Radio, Inc., with Hugh Garnett serving as president and general manager.[12] By 1974, George Wilburn had taken on the general manager role and KWHW broadcast a middle of the road music format with 30 hours of country music and one hour of Gospel music each week as "special" programming.[13] On April 1, 1974, sister station KWHW-FM signed on at 93.5 FM.[14] In 1979, Eddie Wilcoxen became the station's music director.[14]

In April 1984, broadcast license holder KWHW Radio, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station and sister station KWHW-FM to Altus Radio, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on May 29, 1984, and the transaction was formally consummated on July 2, 1984.[15] During the 1980s, the station transitioned from middle of the road to a country music format.

In October 2003, Altus Radio, Inc., made a deal to sell this station, along with sister stations KRKZ in Altus and KQTZ in Hobart, to Monarch Broadcasting, Inc, for a combined sale price of $1,800,000.[16] The deal gained FCC approval on December 12, 2003, and the transaction was consummated on December 31, 2003.[17]

Effective September 8, 2021, Monarch Broadcasting sold KWHW, KQTZ, KWHW-FM, and translator K245CY to James G Boles, Jr. for $1.

References

  1. ^ a b "The Facilities of Broadcasting". 1960 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1960. p. A-210.
  2. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KWHW". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ^ "KWHW Programming Schedule". KWHW 1450 AM. Archived from the original on May 22, 2011. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  4. ^ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  5. ^ a b c "Week of 01.10.11". Inside Radio. January 10, 2011. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  6. ^ "Wilcoxen to be honored at Capitol". Altus Times. April 16, 2011. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  7. ^ a b "KWHW's Eddie D. Wilcoxen Named Oklahoma Poet Laureate". All Access Music Group. January 18, 2011. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  8. ^ "Broadcast Stations Identified With Newspaper or Magazine Ownership". 1960 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1960. p. B-41.
  9. ^ "Directory of Standard Broadcasting Stations of the United States". 1949 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1949. p. 210.
  10. ^ "KWHW Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  11. ^ "Directory of AM and FM Radio Stations in the U.S.". 1961-1962 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1961. p. B-133.
  12. ^ "The Facilities of AM-FM Radio". 1970 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1970. p. B-161.
  13. ^ "Directory of Radio Stations in the United States and Canada". 1974 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1974. p. B-168.
  14. ^ a b "Directory of Radio Stations in the United States and Canada". Broadcasting/Cable Yearbook 1981. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1981. p. C-186.
  15. ^ "Application Search Details (BAL-19840411EA)". FCC Media Bureau. May 29, 1984. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  16. ^ "Monarch Broadcasting Acquires KWHW-AM, KRKZ-FM, KQTZ-FM from Altus Radio" (Press release). Media Services Group. October 31, 2003. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  17. ^ "Application Search Details (BAL-20031030ACV)". FCC Media Bureau. December 31, 2003. Retrieved April 25, 2011.