WBVR-FM (96.7 MHz) is a country music–formatted radio station licensed to Auburn, Kentucky, United States, and serving the Bowling Green area. The station is owned by Forever Communications, Inc.[2] as part of a conglomerate with Bowling Green–licensed oldies station WBGN (1340 AM), Glasgow–licensed country music station WLYE-FM (94.1 FM), and Smiths Grove–licensed Top 40/CHR station WUHU (107.1 FM). All four stations share studios on Scottsville Road in southern Bowling Green, and the station's transmitter is located in northwestern Allen County just east of Alvaton.
 | |
| Broadcast area | Bowling Green area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 96.7 MHz |
| Branding | Beaver 96.7 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Country |
| Affiliations | Compass Media Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Forever Communications, Inc. |
| WBGN, WLYE-FM, WUHU | |
| History | |
First air date | May 1965 |
Former call signs |
|
Call sign meaning | "Beaver" format |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 71244 |
| Class | C2 |
| ERP | 45,000 watts |
| HAAT | 129 metres (423 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 36°50′35″N 86°15′30″W / 36.84306°N 86.25833°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | www |
History
editAs WLBJ-FM (1963–1987)
editOn December 11, 1963, Bowling Green Broadcasters, Inc., a subsidiary of Bahakel Communications and owner of WLBJ (1410 AM), received a construction permit to build a new FM radio station in Bowling Green on 96.7 MHz.[3][4] WLBJ-FM began broadcasting in May 1965.[5] This was the first time WLBJ had offered an FM service since the early 1950s, when it owned WBON, later WLBJ-FM.[6]
By the late 1970s, the station was airing an album-oriented rock format known as "Natural 97 FM".[7] This shifted to contemporary hit radio "BJ-97" in 1980.
Final years of Bahakel ownership (1987–1992)
editIn 1987, the station's callsign was changed to WCBZ, resulting in the rebranding to "Z-97".
In 1991, Bahakel announced it would sell WCBZ to Target Communications;[8] it retained the AM, which it opted to shut down for good in December, with the FM station remaining silent until Target completed the sale.[9]
As a mainstream rock station (1992–1994)
editAfter an upgrade to 25,000 watts, WCBZ returned to the air in 1992 as rock station WBZD "Buzzard 96.7".[10] The format then changed again when the station rebranded itself "Magic" with the callsign changing to WMJM in 1993.
As the "Beaver" (1994–present)
editIn July 1994, the Beaver brand and format moved to WMJM, which became the new WBVR-FM, and to a second station, WVVR (100.3 MHz) in Hopkinsville.[11] Keymarket Communications, which shared some ownership with Target, had simultaneously acquired the previous Beaver station, 101.1 MHz from Russellville, along with WLAC and WLAC-FM in Nashville; the Beaver move freed up the 101.1 facility to gear itself toward Nashville as R&B-formatted WJCE-FM "The Juice".[12]
The 25,000-watt upgrade was finally approved in 2001; as a result, the city of license for the station was changed from Bowling Green to Auburn, Kentucky.
References
edit- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WBVR-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "WBVR-FM Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ^ "History Cards for WBVR-FM". Federal Communications Commission. (Guide to reading History Cards)
- ^ "WLBJ Gets Approval For FM Station". Park City Daily News. December 13, 1963. p. 2 – via Google Books.
- ^ "WLBJ Offering FM Broadcasts". The Park City Daily News. Bowling Green, Kentucky. May 23, 1965. p. 29. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "WLBJ's FM Station, WBON, Resumes Broadcasting". The Park City Daily News. Bowling Green, Kentucky. December 10, 1950. p. 2. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Ribar, Richard (November 2, 1979). "Mr. Natural: Four and a half years after 97, Preston is leaving Bowling Green". The Park City Daily News. Bowling Green, Kentucky. p. 7-B. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "WCBZ-FM sale pending approval". The Park City Daily News. Bowling Green, Kentucky. August 21, 1991. p. 3-A. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "BG radio stations sign off the air". The Park City Daily News. Bowling Green, Kentucky. December 8, 1991. p. 4-A. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Radio stations' rock'n'roll formats are missed". The Park City Daily News. Bowling Green, Kentucky. January 27, 1993. p. 4-A. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Where Did 101.1 FM Go?". News-Democrat and Leader. Russellville, Kentucky. July 28, 1994. p. 2. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Stark, Phyllis (July 30, 1994). "Apocalypse Soon, Says Family Radio Chief; Clinton Backs Off Broadcaster Spectrum Tax" (PDF). Billboard. p. 122. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-09-24. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
External links
edit- Facility details for Facility ID 71244 (WBVR-FM) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WBVR-FM in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- Station Website