|
| translator = 107.9 W300DE (Memphis)
| repeater =
| airdate = {{start date|19461947|2|23}} (as KWEM [[West Memphis]])
| format = [[Talk radio|Talk]]
| power = 10,000 [[watt]]s day<br>450 watts night
| coordinates = {{Coord|35|8|4.00|N|90|5|38.00|W|region:US-TN_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| callsign_meaning =
| former_callsigns = KWEM (1946–19591947–1959)
| affiliations =
| owner = [[Todd Starnes]]
By day, KWAM broadcasts with 10,000 [[watt]]s. But because [[AM 990]] is a [[Canada|Canadian]] [[clear-channel]] frequency, the station must reduce power at night to 450 watts. To allow listeners in Memphis to hear the station on [[FM radio|FM]], KWAM is [[simulcast]] on [[broadcast relay station|translator station]] '''W300DE''' at 107.9 [[Hertz|MHz]].<ref>[https://radio-locator.com/info/W300DE-FX?loc=35.11736%2C-89.97107&locn=Memphis%2C%20Tennessee Radio-Locator.com/W300DE]</ref>
KWAM haswas afounded colorfulin history1946 atin the[[West timeMemphis, Arkansas]], as KWEM (1946–1959), helping "break" artists such as [[Elvis Presley]], [[B.B. King]], [[Johnny Cash]], [[Ike Turner]] and [[Howlin' Wolf]] in the 1950s and 60s.
==Programming==
==History==
===Early years===
InOn 1946February 23, 1947,<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 station first [[sign-on|signed on]] as '''KWEM''' in [[West Memphis, Arkansas]].,<ref name="hc">[http:{{FCC letter|hcards=yes|callsign=KWAM|letterid=45336}}<//www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1948/Radio%20by%20State%20AL-MT%20BC%20YB%201948%20B&W-10.pdfref> Broadcastingutilizing Yearbookstudios 1948in pagethe 78]</ref>Merchants and Planters Bank Building. The [[callconstruction sign]]permit referredhad tobeen theawarded originalby the [[cityFederal ofCommunications licenseCommission]] (FCC) on May 24, '''WE'''st1946,{{r|hc}} '''M'''emphis.but construction delays kept it from making its debut that year. KWEM was a [[daytimer]], owned by West Memphis Broadcasting Corporation, powered at 1,000 watts and required to [[sign-off]] at sunset each day. The West Memphis Broadcasting Corporation was owned by the KXLR-Razorback Network.{{r|poindexter|p=317}}
Because West Memphis is located west of the [[Mississippi River]], the station's call letters began with a "K," while call letters in Memphis mostly begin with a "W." Even when it relocated to Memphis, east of the Mississippi, it kept its "K" call sign.<ref>[https://www.oldradio.com/archives/general/kwtrivia.htm OldRadio.com/KWtrivia]</ref>
===The Memphis Sound===
In 19541951, the station was bought by E. D. Rivers, Jr., through KWEM, Incorporated.<ref>[http{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistoryworldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-YB1951/1954/Radio%20AL%20MT%20BC%20YB%201954BC-1951-12-03.pdf|accessdate=August Broadcasting26, Yearbook2021|date=December 19543, page1951|title=FCC 79]Actions|work=Broadcasting|page=98}}</ref> In March 1952, Rivers gotapplied to have the [[Federalstation Communicationsmoved Commission]]across (FCC)the river to Memphis, 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 Inheld 1959a construction permit to build a channel 48 television station in Memphis, RiversKWEM-TV, changedbut theabandoned callit lettersin ofAugust 1953 because it could not find an adequate site that could house both AM 990and toTV studios and the TV station'''KWAM'''s transmitter site and did not want this situation to hinder improvements to the radio station.<ref>[http{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistoryworldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-YB1953/1959/AllBC-Radio1953-195908-BC-YB10.pdf |page=11|work=Broadcasting|date=August Yearbook10, 19591953|accessdate=August page26, B-232]2021|title=KWEM Turns In TV CP, Unable To Get Site}}</ref>
InOn March 31, 1959, Rivers changed the 1960scall letters of AM 990 to KWAM.{{r|hc}} In 1963, {{r|hc}} the station got FCC permission to boost its power to 10,000 watts, using a [[directional antenna]], but it still could not broadcast after sunset. In the 1950s and 60s, the "Mighty 990" gained fame for playing "[[Memphis Soul|The Memphis Sound]]," including locally recorded [[soul music]], [[R&B]], [[country music]] and [[rockabilly]]. Its website history page says "KWAM helped launch the careers of [[B.B. King]], [[Howlin' Wolf]], <ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|work=The Commercial Appeal|page=C1|title=Blues, soul greats make Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|date=October 30, 1990}}</ref> [[Ike Turner]] and many [[Sun Records|Sun Studios]] stars such as [[Elvis Presley]] and [[Johnny Cash]]."<ref>[http://www.kwamthevoice.com/archive KWAMtheVoice.com/archive]</ref> ▼
The KWEM call letters were later revived for [[KWEM-LP]], a low-power FM station in West Memphis owned by [[Arkansas State University Mid-South]], which began broadcasting in 2015. The project was led by Dale Franklin, who died in 2017.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://theeveningtimes.com/theeveningtimes/2017/11/21/dale-franklin-kwem-radio-revivalist-passes-away/|accessdate=August 26, 2021|date=November 21, 2017|work=The Evening Times|title=Dale Franklin, KWEM radio revivalist, passes away|first=Mark|last=Randall}}</ref>
▲In the 1960s, the station got FCC permission to boost its power to 10,000 watts, using a [[directional antenna]], but it still could not broadcast after sunset. In the 1950s and 60s, the "Mighty 990" gained fame for playing "[[Memphis Soul|The Memphis Sound]]," including locally recorded [[soul music]], [[R&B]], [[country music]] and [[rockabilly]]. Its website history page says "KWAM helped launch the careers of [[B.B. King]], [[Howlin' Wolf]], [[Ike Turner]] and many [[Sun Records|Sun Studios]] stars such as [[Elvis Presley]] and [[Johnny Cash]]."<ref>[http://www.kwamthevoice.com/archive KWAMtheVoice.com/archive]</ref>
===Gospel and religion===
AroundIn 19801968,<ref>{{cite asnews|page=G2|first=March music17, listening1991|work=The movedCommercial overAppeal|title=Churchgoers toput FMMemphis in lead in Black gospel radio,|first=Tom|last=Walter}}</ref> KWAM began airing [[Christian radio|religion shows]], selling blocks of time to preachers and playing [[Traditional black gospel|black gospel music]]. The station already had a history of religious radio programming; in 1952, a [[Doctor of Divinity]], William Riley, hosted a religious music program on KWEM.<ref>[http{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistorynewspapers.com/Archive-BC-YBclip/198084196526/Cd-2%20Radio%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201980d-is-disc-jockey/|accessdate=August 26, 2021|agency=United Press|work=Spokane Daily Chronicle|title=D.pdf BroadcastingD. YearbookIs 1980Disc Jockey|page C-213]=6}}</refre> 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. But; 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 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>
===Changes in ownership===
In February 1996, U.S. Radio announced it would purchase KWAM and the FM station, [[KJMS]], from Rivers. This united the two stations with their principal competitors, [[WDIA]] (1070 AM) and [[WHRK]] (97.1 FM). One month later, U.S. Radio was purchased by [[Clear Channel Communications]] for $140 million.<ref>{{cite news|first=Laurel|last=Campbell|page=B5|work=The Commercial Appeal|title=Clear Channel agrees to buy Radio Equity|date=May 10, 1996}}</ref>
In 1998, KWAM and its FM station, now known as [[KJMS]], were sold to [[Clear Channel Communications]]. Clear Channel had previously acquired [[AM 1070]] [[WDIA]], which airs a [[Full service (radio format)|full service]] black format, and KJMS's chief urban rival, 97.1 [[WHRK]].<ref>[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1999/D-Radio-NE-Ter-BC-YB-1999..pdf Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999 page D-414]</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, which competes with iHeartMedia (formerly Clear Channel) talk station [[AM 600]] [[WREC]]. 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]] KWAM, 107.9 '''W300DE'''. The next year, Legacy Media would change the station's branding to "KWAM The Voice - Talk Radio for the Midsouth."
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