WTVN

WTVN is a full-service AM radio station in Columbus, Ohio located at 610 kHz. 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 50 kW, 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 was not 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.

History

WTVN originally started as WBAV 640 on April 29, 1922. The call letters were later changed to WAIU, which stood for American Insurance Union. The call letters were again changed in 1945, this time to WHKC (to go with those of then commonly owned station WHK in Cleveland). Shortly thereafter, WHKC (still at 640 kHz) swapped frequencies with WHKK in Akron which was 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 - former parent company of WNCI, which is a current sister station to WTVN.

Programming

Monday-Friday

*5 a.m. to 5:30 a.m.: 610 WTVN Morning Newscenter
*5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.: Bob Connors
*9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.: Glenn Beck
*11:45 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Paul Harvey News and Comments
*12 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Rush Limbaugh
*3 p.m. to 6 p.m.: John Corby
*6 p.m. to 9 p.m.: Joel Riley
*9 p.m. to 12 a.m.: Sean Hannity
*12 a.m. to 5 a.m.: Coast to Coast AM with George Noory

Saturday

*5 a.m. to 6 a.m.: Coast to Coast AM with George Noory continued
*6 a.m. to 10 a.m.: Bob Connors Saturday Open Phones
*10 a.m. to 12 p.m.: In the Garden with Ron Wilson (also airs on WKRC)
*12 p.m. to 1 p.m.: The Mutual Fund Store Show (from WTAM)
*1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.: The Weekend with Mike McConnell
*4 p.m. to 7 p.m.: RadioDeli with Dirk Thompson
*7 p.m. to 9 p.m.: Handel on the Law with Bill Handel
*9 p.m. to 6 a.m.: Coast to Coast AM with Art Bell

Sunday

*6 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.: 610 WTVN's Week in Review
*6:30 a.m. to 7 a.m.: 610 WTVN's Community Profile
*7 a.m. to 8 a.m.: Town Hall Ohio
*8 a.m. to 9 a.m.: The Wall Street Journal This Weekend with Gordon Deal
*9 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Sports Talk with Dave Maetzold
*12 p.m. to 3 p.m.: RadioDeli with Dirk Thompson
*5 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Glenn Beck Weekend
*7 p.m. to 10 p.m.: Carla Wren
*10 p.m. to 1 a.m.: Matt Drudge
*1 a.m. to 5 a.m.: Coast to Coast AM with Art Bell

Notes and Asides

*Rush Limbaugh has aired on WTVN since December 1993 when his show moved from WCOL (AM, but was on a one-hour delay (to accommodate WTVN's long-running noon newshour) until January of 2006.
*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.
*"The Steve "Boom Boom" Cannon Late-Night Radio Rampage" left the airwaves on November 4, 2005.
*Curt Boster quit in early January 2006.
*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 (currently with Cleveland sister stations WMMS and WMJI), returns to Columbus to host his "Munch on Sports" show before Ohio State games.

External links

*Official website
*Collection of Prank Calls to WTVN