WDND (1620 AM)

WDND (1620 kHz) was an AM radio station serving South Bend, Indiana. The station was owned by Artistic Media Partners, Inc. Its license was cancelled on April 15, 2019.[3]

WDND
Broadcast areaSouth Bend metropolitan area
Frequency1620 kHz
Programming
FormatDefunct
Ownership
OwnerArtistic Media Partners, Inc.
WNDV, WYET, WYXX
History
First air date
November 6, 1998[1]
Last air date
March 2, 2018[2]
Former call signs
WPNT (2008–2009)
WWLV (2006–2008)
WHLY (2004–2006)
WDND (2001–2004)
WHLY (1999–2001)
WJVA (1998–1999)[3]
Call sign meaning
"Notre Dame" (disambiguation of former WNDU calls on 1490)
Technical information
Facility ID87112
ClassB
Power10,000 watts day
1,000 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
41°38′11.00″N 86°17′6.00″W

WDND's transmitter was located off Locust Road, near Lincoln Highway (U.S. Route 20 - U.S. Route 31) in South Bend.[4] The studios and offices were on South Michigan Street, also in South Bend.

History

WDND originated as the expanded band "twin" of an existing station on the standard AM band. On March 17, 1997 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that 88 stations had been given permission to move to newly available "Expanded Band" transmitting frequencies, ranging from 1610 to 1700 kHz, with WHLY in South Bend authorized to move from 1580 to 1620 kHz.[5] The construction permit for the expanded band station, licensed to Artistic Media Partners and also located in South Bend, was assigned the call letters WJVA on March 6, 1998.[6]

WJVA signed on the air on November 6, 1998.[1] It simulcast Westwood One's adult standards format with WHLY 1580 AM (Radio Hollywood).[7][8] In February 1999 these two stations swapped call signs, with the WHLY call letters and music format transferring to 1620 kHz, while the WJVA call letters went to 1580 AM, with a classic country format.[3][9] AM 1580 WJVA resumed simulcasting the adult standards programming of WHLY in spring 2001.[10][8]

On November 3, 2001, AM 1620 adopted an all-sports format, as an affiliate ESPN Radio, with the new call sign WDND.[11][12] The WHLY call letters were returned to AM 1580, which continued to air the adult standards format.[11] In March 2004, the sports format and call letters moved to AM 1580 while the WHLY call sign and adult standards format returned to 1620.[3][13][14][15]

In March 2006, the call letters were changed to WWLV and the station adopted a soft AC format branded as "Love Songs 1620."[3][16][17] In May 2008, the station became known as WPNT ("The Point") and began to broadcast an all-news format from CNN Headline News.[18][19]

In late April 2009, Artistic's station at 1490 AM, then known as WDND, left the air as its transmitting tower on the campus of Notre Dame University was dismantled to make room for a new hockey arena,[18][20] and Artistic moved its sports programming from 1490 to 1620,[18][20] with the two stations swapping call signs on May 13, 2009, as the call letters WDND were moved to 1620 AM, and WPNT moved to 1490 AM.[3] On September 23, 2011, WDND changed its format from ESPN sports to a simulcast of co-owned Top 40 station WNDV at 92.9 FM, then known as "U93."[21]

The FCC generally enforced a policy that both an original standard AM band station, and its expanded band counterpart, had to remain under common ownership. Therefore, in 2013 the FCC denied a request to separately transfer WDND to the St. Thomas More Foundation.[22] In March 2016, WDND stopped simulcasting U93, and returned to adult standards, using the "America's Best Music" syndicated format from Westwood One.[23]

The FCC's initial policy was that both the original station and its expanded band counterpart could operate simultaneously for up to five years, after which owners would have to turn in one of the two licenses, depending on whether they preferred the new assignment or elected to keep the original frequency,[5] although this deadline was extended multiple times. WDND suspended operations on March 2, 2018,[2] and it was ultimately decided to remain on the original frequency of 1580 kHz, with the license for WDND on 1620 kHz cancelled on April 15, 2019.[24]

References
  1. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2000, Broadcasting & Cable, 2000. p. D-158. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  2. Application Search Details – BLSTA-20180312AAO, fcc.gov. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
  3. Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  4. Radio-Locator.com/WDND
  5. "FCC Public Notice: Mass Media Bureau Announces Revised AM Expanded Band Allotment Plan and Filing Window for Eligible Stations" (FCC DA 97-537), March 17, 1997. This notice lists WHLY under its earlier call sign of WAMJ.
  6. Call Letter History for DWDND" (Facility ID: 87112)
  7. "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 15, No. 44. November 4, 1998. p. 1. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  8. "WHLY-AM". Artistic Media Partners. Archived from the original on December 12, 2001. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  9. "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 16, No. 5. February 3, 1999. p. 1. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  10. "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 18, No. 14. April 4, 2001. p. 2. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  11. "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 18, No. 31. November 14, 2001. p. 2. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  12. "WDND-AM". Artistic Media Partners. Archived from the original on January 15, 2002. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  13. "WDND, ESPN Radio 1580". Artistic Media Partners. Archived from the original on June 4, 2004. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  14. "Radio Hollywood 1620". Artistic Media Partners. Archived from the original on June 28, 2004. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  15. Devine, Cathy (2005). The M Street Radio Directory. 2005-2006 Edition. p. 225. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  16. Devine, Cathy (2006). The Radio Book. 2006-2007 Edition. p. 225. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  17. "Love Songs 1620 AM". Artistic Media Partners. Archived from the original on December 15, 2006. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  18. "South Bend AM Tower Makes Way For Hockey Arena", All Access Music Group. May 1, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  19. Devine, Cathy (2008). The Radio Book. 2008-2009 Edition. p. 231. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  20. "Hockey arena construction forces 1490 AM switch", South Bend Tribune. April 29, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  21. Stephens, Dave (September 28, 2011). "Radio Station Changing Formats". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  22. "In re: WHLY(AM), South Bend, Indiana" (FCC DA 13-600, released April 3, 2013)
  23. "Indiana RadioWatch", indianaradio.net. March 17, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  24. FCC Station Search Details: DWDND (Facility ID: 87112)
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