KWAM: Difference between revisions

| name = KWAM

| logologo_size = 200px

| logo_sizecity = 200px[[Memphis, Tennessee]]

| cityarea = [[Memphis, Tennesseemetropolitan area]]

| areabranding = [[MemphisThe metropolitanMighty area]]990

| brandingfrequency = The Mighty = {{frequency|990|[[Hertz#SI_multiples|kHz]]}}

| slogantranslator = "The Mid-South's Conservative= {{Radio Blowtorch"Relay|107.9|W300DE|Memphis}}

| airdatepower = {{startubl|10,000 date[[watt]]s day|1947|2|23450 watts night}}

| formatclass = [[Talk radio|Talk]] = B

| erp facility_id = 35873

| classcallsign_meaning = Rhymes with = B"wham"{{r|newsound}}

| facility_idformer_callsigns = 35873KWEM (1947–1959)

| ownerwebsite = [[Todd Starnes]] = {{URL|https://mighty990.com}}

The owners of Little Rock-area radio station [[KLRG (North Little Rock, Arkansas)|KXLR (1450 AM)]] sought to build a statewide network of stations to carry [[Arkansas Razorbacks football]], and they felt that the Memphis area would provide important coverage and exposure for the football program.<ref name="rex">{{cite news|url=https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2013/apr/10/resurrecting-radio-legend-20130410/|date=April 10, 2013|title=Resurrecting a radio legend|first=Rex|last=Nelson|work=Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette|accessdate=August 30, 2021}}</ref> On May 24, 1946, the West Memphis Broadcasting Company obtained a [[construction permit]] to build a new [[daytimer|daytime-only]] station on 990 &nbsp;kHz in West Memphis, Arkansas.<ref name="hc">{{FCC letter|hcards=yes|callsign=KWAM|letterid=45336}}</ref> After delays, [[KWAM|KWEM]] (990 AM) began operating on February 239, 1947, utilizing studios in the Merchants and Planters Bank Building.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88016399/|page=11|work=The Commercial Appeal|title=New Station Gathers Audience From Afar: West Memphis KWEM Reported Clear 175 Miles Away|date=February 11, 1947}}</ref><ref name="poindexter">{{cite book|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Station-Albums/Arkansas-Airwaves-Poindexter-1974.pdf|via=World Radio History|title=Arkansas Airwaves|first=Ray|last=Poindexter|date=1974|accessdate=August 10, 2021}}</ref>{{rp|317}} The official opening was two weeks later on February 23.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88016514/|title=Kay Arrives Today!|date=February 23, 1947|page=4|work=The Commercial Appeal}}</ref>

West Memphis was described as the "Las Vegas of the South" in this era, and its programming drew from the musicians playing clubs in that eraclubs.{{r|rex}} [[Howlin' Wolf]] had a show on the station from 1949 to 1952, and [[Sam Phillips]] heard him and signed him to a contract with [[Sun Records]];<ref name="flips">{{rcite news|url=https://theeveningtimes.wordpress.com/2014/06/05/kwem-flips-the-switch-at-mid-south-community-college/|work=The Evening Times|first=Mark|last=Randall|date=June 5, 2014|title=KWEM 'flips the switch' at Mid-South Community College}}</ref> his program aired after music by rockabilly guitarist [[Paul Burlison]];<ref>{{cite news|work=Providence Journal|date=September 19, 1986|title=Sun's sons: Rockabilly pioneers|first=Mike|last=Boehm}}</ref> [[B.B. King]] was first heard over the station, getting his break on a show helmed by [[Sonny Boy Williamson II]];<ref>{{Cite news|first=Fred|last=Shuster|work=Daily News of Los Angeles|title=Blues king had pauper start|date=October 23, 1991|page=L8}}</ref> [[Stax Records]] founder [[Jim Stewart (record producer)|Jim Stewart]] started at KWEM, as did [[James Cotton]] and [[Hubert Sumlin]];<ref>{{cite news|title=Wolf's guitar man keeps his bite|work=The Commercial Appeal|date=April 29, 2005|first=Bill|last=Ellis}}</ref> [[Johnny Cash]]'s first radio broadcast was on KWEM in 1953.{{r|rex|}}<ref name="mitch">{{cite news|url=https://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2010/jul/13/back-on-the-air/print|first=Mitch|last=McCracken|work=Memphis Daily News|date=July 13, 2010|title=Back on the Air: Historic KWEM returns to airwaves|accessdate=August 30, 2021}}</ref> The station allowed aspiring performers to pay for 15-minute blocks of air time.<ref name="mine">{{cite news|url=https://www.wknofm.org/news-and-features/2013-05-13/youll-be-mine-bringing-musical-tourism-to-west-memphis|accessdate=August 30, 2021|title= You’llYou'll Be Mine: Bringing Musical Tourism To West Memphis |first=Eleanor|last=Boudreau|work=WKNO|date=May 13, 2013}}</ref> [[Elvis Presley]] made his first radio appearance on KWEM in 1953, which did not go well because he lacked a band and moved around too much;{{r|flips}} [[George Klein (DJ)|George Klein]] worked there as a DJ after its move to Memphis;<ref>{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/50s/1955/CB-1955-02-12.pdf|work=Cash Box|date=February 12, 1955|title=Platter Spinner Patter|via=World Radio History|page=11|accessdate=August 30, 2021}}</ref> so did [[Eddie Bond]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/50s/1957/CB-1957-08-17.pdf|work=Cash Box|date=August 17, 1957|page=43|title=Country Round Up|accessdate=August 30, 2021}}</ref>

KWEM was purchased by Dee Rivers in 1951.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1951/BC-1951-12-03.pdf|accessdate=August 26, 2021|date=December 3, 1951|title=FCC Actions|work=Broadcasting|page=98}}</ref> In March 1952, Rivers applied to have the station moved across the riverMississippi River to Memphis, Tennessee, which was approved in January 1954, to allow KWEM to move across the river into Memphis; the transmitter site remained in Arkansas.{{r|hc}} He started the "Dee" Rivers Stations Group, which later owned [[WEAS-FM]] in [[Springfield, Georgia|Springfield]]/[[Savannah, Georgia]], and WGOV (now [[WGUN]]) in [[Valdosta, Georgia]], as well as other stations in Georgia and Florida. KWEM held a construction permit to build a channel 48 television station in Memphis, KWEM-TV, but abandoned it in August 1953 because it could not find an adequate site that could house both AM and TV studios and the TV station's transmitter site and did not want this situation to hinder improvements to the radio station.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1953/BC-1953-08-10.pdf|page=11|work=Broadcasting|date=August 10, 1953|accessdate=August 26, 2021|title=KWEM Turns In TV CP, Unable To Get Site}}</ref> It continued to be an influential hotbed of talent; the transmitter remained on the Arkansas side of the river.<ref name="hc">{{FCC letter|hcards=yes|callsign=KWAM|letterid=45336}}</ref> This lasted through the end of the decade, when KWEM became KWAM.{{r|hc}}

===Gospel and religionReligion===

In 1968, KWAM began airing [[Christian talk and teaching]] shows.<ref>{{cite news|page=G2|date=March 17, 1991|work=The Commercial Appeal|title=Churchgoers put Memphis in lead in Black gospel radio|first=Tom|last=Walter}}</ref> KWAM beganIt airing [[Christian radio|religion shows]],also sellingsold blocks of time to preachers and playingplayed [[Traditional black gospel|black gospel music]]. The station already had a history of religious radio programming;. in In 1952, a [[Doctor of Divinity]], William Riley, hosted a religious music program on KWEM.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84196526/d-d-is-disc-jockey/|accessdate=August 26, 2021|agency=United Press|work=Spokane Daily Chronicle|title=D. D. Is Disc Jockey|page=6}}</ref> In 1981, Dee Rivers Stations acquired FM station 101.1 KLYX, which was renamed KWAM-FM. At first, it also aired a gospel and religious format like its AM counterpart;. in In 1983, the call letters were changed to KRNB, with the station switching to a [[rhythmic contemporary]] and [[disco]] format, while 990 KWAM continued its gospel sound.<ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1984/B-Radio-NE-Ter-BC-YB-1984.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1984 page B-239]</ref>

In 1986, KWAM got nighttime authorization. It was allowed to stay on the air after sunset, but at only 450 watts.<ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1990/B-Radio-NE-Terr-BC-YB-1990.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1990 page B-289]</ref>

Clear Channel sold KWAM to Concord Media for $1 million in 2000.<ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/2005/Radio-NE-Ter-2005-BC-YB.pdf Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2005 page D-480]</ref> Concord switched KWAM to a [[talk radio]] format, whichcompeting competesdirectly withagainst iHeartMedia[[WREC]], (formerlywhich Clear Channel) talk(renamed stationiHeartMedia [[AMin 600]]2014) [[WREC]]retained. Several years later, KWAM changed hands again, this time bought by Legacy Media, which also owns [[WEKS]], an FM [[country music]] station in [[Zebulon, Georgia]], just outside [[Atlanta]]. In 2017, Legacy Media added a 250 -watt FM [[broadcast relay station|translator station]] to [[simulcast]]for KWAM, W300DE ({{Frequency|107.9|FM}}); '''W300DE'''. Thethe next year, Legacy Media would change the station's branding to "KWAM The Voice - Talk Radio for the Midsouth."

Legacy Media sold KWAM as well as its translator for $685,000 to the upstart Starnes Media Group, which isLLC, owned by Memphis native [[Todd Starnes]]. A conservative American columnist, acommentator, long-timeauthor journalistand whoradio servedhost, stintsStarnes atpreviously worked for [[Baptist Press]] and later [[Fox News]]/[[Fox before starting his own radio station in his nativeNews Memphis.Radio]],<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.insideradio.com/free/former-fox-news-radio-host-todd-starnes-purchases-memphis-am/article_f88a8f9e-332a-11ea-bf17-ff38e6f50358.html |title= Former Fox News Radio Host Todd Starnes Purchases Memphis AM.- Inside Radio|author=|date=9 January 9, 2020|website=insideradio.com}}</ref> having departed the latter in October 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last=Concha |first=Joe |date=October 2, 2019 |title=Radio host Todd Starnes out at Fox News |newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/464127-radio-host-todd-starnes-out-at-fox-news |accessdate=October 4, 2019}}</ref> Upon the close of the purchase on March 31, 2020, Starnes Media Group changed the station's branding to reflect the history of the station, renaming it "The Mighty 990."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Harrison |first=Michael |date=January 10, 2020 |title=Friday, January 10, 2020 |url=https://www.talkers.com/2020/01/10/friday-january-10-2020/ |access-date=May 11, 2022 |website=[[Talkers Magazine]]}}</ref>

{{reflistReflist}}

{{AM station data|35873|KWAM}}