WTVN
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Template:Infobox Radio Station
WTVN is a full-service AM radio station in Columbus, Ohio located at 610kHz. It has news, talk, and sports programs, is the dominant AM station in the Columbus market and is consistently rated either #1 or #2 (to WNCI's #1) by Arbitron. WTVN is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications.
Although WTVN only uses 5kW of power during the day, the station can be heard as far away as Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and Cleveland. At night, the signal is much more limited and can be difficult to receive even within Columbus.
There were plans to improve WTVN's signal by adding a new antenna array and increasing power to 50kW, but these plans fell through when zoning problems could not be resolved. Ultimately, WTVN tried to claim the right to build new towers as a "public utility" but lost in court on May 12 2002 [1].
At one time, when WTVN still aired music programming, the station broadcast using C-QUAM AM Stereo. The stereo equipment was installed in 1988 but it wasn't until 1992 that the station operated in full stereo. Analog stereo transmissions ended many years ago. WTVN began broadcasting in HD-Radio in June 2005.
The former WTVN-TV now operates as WSYX. The former WTVN-FM now operates as WLVQ. Neither is owned by Clear Channel.
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History
WTVN originally started as WBAV 640 on April 29, 1922. The call letters were later changed to WAIU, which stood for A)merican I)nsurance U)nion. The call letters were again changed, this time to WHKC. Shortly thereafter, WHKC (still at 640 kHz) swapped frequencies with an Akron station operating at 610 kHz, forming 610 WHKC. The station adopted its current call letters in the early 1950s.
Trivia
American Insurance Union owned the AIU Building (now the LeVeque Tower) in Columbus, which at the time was the tallest building in the city. Various radio facilities were located at the top of the skyscraper. American Insurance Union later became part of Nationwide Insurance, owner of Nationwide Communications, and parent company of WNCI.
Programming
Current weekday programming on WTVN includes:
- midnight to 5am Coast to Coast AM
- 5:35am to 9am The Bob Connors Show
- 9am to 11:42am The Glenn Beck Program
- noon to 3pm Rush Limbaugh (since December 1993 when Limbaugh moved from WCOL (AM))
- 3pm to 6pm The John Corby Show
- 6pm to 9pm Joel Riley
- 9pm to midnight Sean Hannity
Current weekend programming on WTVN includes:
- Saturday 4p-7p RadioDeli with Dirk Thompson
- Sunday 7a -10a Joe Bradley
- Sunday 10a-1p Sports Talk with Dave Maetzold
- Sunday 1p -4p RadioDeli with Dirk Thompson
- Sunday 10p-1a Matt Drudge
WTVN aired Dr. Laura beginning in 1994, but she was replaced with Glenn Beck shortly after 9/11. Sterling Scheissler hosted the show following John Corby until October 2004, at which time his contract ended and was not renewed.
On days when Ohio State is hosting a football game, WTVN usually airs the "Hineygate Party" at Holiday Inn on the Lane about three to four hours before the game starts. Munch Bishop, former sports director at WTVN, returns to Columbus to host his "Munch on Sports" show before Ohio State games.
The Steve "Boom Boom" Cannon late-night radio rampage left the airwaves 11/4/2005.
Curt Boster quit early January 2006.