WELD (Columbus, Ohio)

WELD was a Columbus, Ohio FM radio station, that began broadcasting, as W45CM, in 1941. It was the first commercial FM station authorized in the state of Ohio.[1][2] WELD suspended operations and was deleted in 1953.

This article is about an early FM radio station in Columbus, Ohio. For other stations with this call sign, see WELD.

History
W45CM debuted on November 9, 1941 as Ohio's first FM station.[3]
1947 promotional advertisement for the station, now WELD.[4]

In May 1940, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the establishment, effective January 1, 1941, of an FM radio band operating on 40 channels spanning 42–50 MHz.[5] On October 31, 1940, the first fifteen construction permits for commercial FM stations were issued, including one to WBNS, Inc. for a station in Columbus at 44.5 MHz,[6] which was issued the call sign W45CM.[7] The company had previously operated an experimental FM station, W8XVH.

W45CM made its formal debut broadcast on November 9, 1941.[8] The station was co-owned with AM station WBNS. During World War Two, manufacturing restrictions limited the production of FM receivers, and WBNS began broadcasting "a regular program devoted to explaining the advantages of FM broadcasting".[9] Effective November 1, 1943, the FCC modified its policy for FM call letters,[10] and the station was assigned new call letters of WELD.[11]

On June 27, 1945 the FCC announced the reassignment of the FM band to 80 channels from 88–106 MHz, which was soon expanded to 100 channels from 88–108 MHz.[12][13] WELD was originally assigned to 92.9 MHz on the new band,[14] which was later changed to 97.1 MHz.[15] The FCC provided that, during a transitional period, stations could simultaneously broadcast on both their old and new frequencies.

WELD, now owned by RadiOhio, Inc., suspended operations in July 1953,[16] and was formally deleted on July 14, 1953.[17] In 1957, RadiOhio received a license for a new Columbus FM station, also on 97.1 MHz, which was assigned the call letters WBNS-FM.

References
  1. "Frequency Modulation (FM) Broadcasting Stations Authorized by the FCC" (Log completed to January 15, 1941), Broadcasting Yearbook (1941 edition), page 386.
  2. "Columbus Mileposts: Nov. 9, 1941—First FM radio station is music to few ears", Columbus Dispatch, November 9, 2012.
  3. W45CM (advertisement), Columbus Dispatch, November 8, 1941, page 3.
  4. WELD (advertisement), FM and Television, October 1947, page 50.
  5. "FCC Order No. 67" Federal Register, May 25, 1940, page 2011.
  6. "New FM Call Letters Proposed", Broadcasting, November 15, 1940, page 77.
  7. The initial policy for commercial FM station call signs included an initial "W" for stations located east of the Mississippi River, followed by the last two digits of a station's frequency assignment, "45" in this case, and closing with a one or two character regional identifier, which for Columbus was "CM".
  8. "W45CM Brings 'Static-Free' Radio To Columbus", Columbus Dispatch, November 9, 1941, page 20.
  9. "FM Lively Despite War; Three New Stations; Programs Planned", The Billboard, September 26, 1942, page 6.
  10. "Standard Broadcast Station Call Letters for All Outlets Starting Nov. 1, FCC Rule", The Billboard, September 4, 1943, page 7.
  11. "New Calls Named For FM Stations", Broadcasting, October 4, 1943, page 49.
  12. "FCC Allocates 88-106 mc Band to FM" by Bill Bailey, Broadcasting, July 2, 1945, pages 13-14.
  13. "FCC Allocations Order Text", Broadcasting, July 2, 1945, pages 64-68.
  14. "FCC Grants 456 FM Outlets Since War End", Broadcasting, July 22, 1946, page 66.
  15. "FM Broadcast Stations: Frequency Assignments" (June 12, 1947), Federal Register, Volume 12, Number 108, June 3, 1947, page 4040.
  16. "Only 3 FM stations Left Operating Here", Columbus Dispatch, July 19, 1953, page 19.
  17. "For the Record: Existing FM Stations: Stations Deleted", Broadcasting, July 20, 1953, page 118.
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