WABD

For the television station in New York City known as WABD from 1944–1958, see WNYW.
WABD
City Mobile, Alabama
Broadcast area Mobile, Alabama
Pensacola, Florida
Biloxi, Mississippi
Branding 97.5 WABD
Slogan The Gulf Coast's Hit Music Station
Frequency 97.5 MHz
First air date February 5, 1973 (as WABB-FM)
Format Top 40 (CHR)
Language(s) English
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 473 meters (1,552 ft)
Class C
Facility ID 70657
Transmitter coordinates 30°41′20″N 87°49′49″W / 30.68889°N 87.83028°W / 30.68889; -87.83028
Callsign meaning Tribute to WABB-FM; B D also can refer to WABB-FM's former owner Bernie Dittman
Former callsigns WABB-FM (1973-2012)
WLVM (2012)[1]
Owner Cumulus Media
(Cumulus Licensing LLC)
Webcast Listen Live
Website 975wabd.com

WABD (97.5 FM) is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Mobile, Alabama. The station, established in 1973 as WABB-FM, is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. Its studios are on Dauphin Avenue in Midtown Mobile, and its transmitter is near Spanish Fort, Alabama.

Programming

This station began broadcasting a contemporary hit radio music branded as "97.5 WABD" on July 15, 2012. The shift from the previous "K-LOVE" branded Christian radio format was a result of a multi-station deal that saw the programming formerly on WLVM move to WDLT-FM (98.3 FM), urban adult contemporary programming on WDLT-FM move to WABD (now WLVM, 104.1 FM), the contemporary hit radio format on WABD move to WLVM (now WABD, 97.5 FM).[2] On July 16, 2012, this station's legal call sign was changed by the FCC from WLVM to WABD.[1]

As of February 2015, on-air staff includes John Marty, Johnna Farmer, Roxie, Zach Sang & the Gang, and Adam Bomb. Programming includes "John & Johnna in the Morning", "The Adam Bomb Show" (afternoons), and "Zach Sang and The Gang" (nights).[3]

History

Early years

The station originally had its roots in WABB (1480 AM). WABB began broadcasting on June 19, 1948, when it was owned by the Mobile Register under call letters meaning "Alabama's Best Broadcasters". WABB had an FM simulcast from the very beginning, starting with 107.9 MHz and later 102.1 MHz until it was discontinued in the 1950s. Shortly after owner Bernie Dittman moved to Mobile from his native Ohio to join his father J.W. at the station in 1959, Top-40 music became the new format.[4]

97.5 WABB (1973–2012)

Former branding

The modern WABB-FM (97.5 FM) signed on for the first time on February 5, 1973, with the song "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" by Bob Dylan (which was also the final song played on February 29, 2012).[5] WABB-FM was originally a simulcast of its sister station before moving toward its long-running Top 40 format in 1984. Notable alumni of WABB include radio personalities Michael Scott Shannon and Leslie Fram.[6]

WABB's longtime owner, president, and general manager Bernie Dittman died on October 25, 2006, after suffering from a stroke the previous week.[7] Dittman's daughter Betsey succeeded him after relocating to Mobile from Chicago, Illinois.[8]

Final WABB to "K-Love" (2012)

Final branding before flip to WLVM

On February 17, 2012, the Dittman family announced on its website that it has decided to sell WABB-FM to Educational Media Foundation for $3.1 million.[9] Following a day-long retrospective on the history of WABB, including its history on 1480 AM, on February 29th, at Midnight, after bookending the station with the same song that launched 97.5, "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" by Bob Dylan, the station flipped to the K-LOVE Christian Contemporary format, thus ending WABB-FM's 39-year run as a Top 40/CHR.[10] The station changed its call letters to WLVM on March 2,[1] after EMF transferred the call sign from WKIW, the K-LOVE station in Ironwood, Michigan. The Dittman family chose to retain WABB (1480 AM) and the rights to the "WABB" callsign; however, they would later sell WABB AM to Omni Broadcasting on October 24, 2012, with the new owners changing its call sign to WTKD, following the flip to sports talk. Another broadcaster, Big Fish Broadcasting, reserved the "WABB" call letters for their silent AM radio station in Belton, South Carolina.[11]

97.5 WABD (2012–present)

On July 9, 2012, the Educational Media Foundation announced that WLVM had been sold to Cumulus Broadcasting holding company Cumulus Licensing, LLC, as part of a multi-station deal and that several format shifts would take place simultaneously at noon on July 15, 2012.[12] The Christian programming on WLVM moved to WDLT (98.3 FM), the urban AC format on WDLT moved to WABD (104.1 FM), and the CHR format on WABD moved to WLVM (97.5 FM).[2] The FCC accepted the WLVM license transfer application on July 10, 2012, but as of July 15, 2012, had yet to approve the sale of WLVM.[12] WLVM and WDLT are being operated under local marketing agreements until the sales are approved and the transactions consummated.[13]

On July 16, 2012, this station's call sign was changed by the FCC from WLVM to WABD.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Call Sign History". CDBS Public Access Database. FCC Media Bureau. July 16, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  2. 1 2 Venta, Lance (July 9, 2012). "WABD Returning Home To 97.5". Radio Insight. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  3. ↑ http://www.975wabd.com/
  4. ↑ "People: Radio". Media Life. October 30, 2006. Dittman owned WABB-AM since 1959, adding WABB-FM in 1973.
  5. ↑ "Bernie Dittman Passes Away". Radio Monitor. October 26, 2006.
  6. ↑ Farber, Erica (April 11, 2003). "Publisher's Profile: Scott Shannon". Radio & Records.
  7. ↑ "WABB's Dittman Dead At 79". Radio Ink. October 31, 2006.
  8. ↑ Holbert, Rob (November 8, 2006). "Media Frenzy". Lagniappe Mobile.
  9. ↑ https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS_Attachment/getattachment.jsp?appn=101487662&qnum=5040&copynum=1&exhcnum=1
  10. ↑ "WABB-FM Agrees to be Purchased by Educational Media Foundation" from WABB (February 17, 2012)
  11. ↑ Williams, Alvin (November 16, 2012). "New call letters adopted for WABB-AM". Examiner.com.
  12. 1 2 "Application Search Details (BALH-20120709AFX)". FCC Media Bureau. July 10, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  13. ↑ "WABD is Heading To The Old WABB 97.5 Frequency". All Access. July 9, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
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