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WDOD, Chattanooga's oldest radio station, has gone silent after 86 years on the air. The large, valuable WDOD property along the Tennessee River has been sold to Baylor School.
WDOD's last day on the air was Tuesday. It most recently had a sports format. The station had moved to an Air America format in 2005 when longtime station fixture Earl Freudenberg left to join WDYN. WDOD later moved back to easy listening.
Bernie Barker, station general manager, said, "The equipment at the station was very old and the parts were hard to get. The components had to be made in some cases." He said Baylor School needed the property for expansion so the deal was signed on Wednesday.
Mr. Barker said the WDOD license was turned back to the FCC. He said no employees lost their job. The deed says the property is 22 acres and the sales price was $600,000.
Source: Chattanoogan.com
How long before sister stick WDEF AM finds a similar fate?
ReplyDeleteChattanooga's oldest station does not deserve to die!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWonder if 1370 will get some upgrades
ReplyDeleteSeeing an old friend die can be tramatic. I am saddened by her passing. I'm not quite old enough to remember 86 years ago but I do remember folks like Ray Hobbs. He had a great voice. Now, the Dynamo of Dixie has fallen silent also. Rest in Peace Ray and WDOD.
ReplyDeleteWDOD was Chattanooga's oldest radio station, and Tennessee's second oldest, just behind WNOX AM 990. Both of these stations were years ahead of WSM AM 650, which garnered all the headlines.
ReplyDeleteWDEF AM 1370 did not get any upgrades, trust me. The $600,000 all went to parent company Bahakel Communications, which probably took $350,000 off the top for corporate, then used the rest to offset HD and digital conversions at its TV stations..that's what happens to cash-on-hand these days, especially when you've got youngsters running the controls.
so what does this mean? They are changing their minds?
ReplyDeletehttp://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=26496
In this letter they say "oh nevermind, we are indeed surrendering the license" lol
ReplyDeletehttp://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=26766
hey everyone, the "Hey Earl" show is back on the air,7:00-8:45 weekday maorings on WDYN AM 980
ReplyDelete