WBIW

Infobox Radio station
name = WBIW


city = Bedford, Indiana
area =
slogan =
branding = "Voice of the Hoosier Hill"
frequency = 1340 kHz
airdate = 1948
share =
share as of =
share source =
format = News Talk Information
power =
erp = 1,000 watts unlimited
haat =
class = C
facility_id = 438
coordinates = coord|38|52|23.00|N|86|28|34.00|W|region:US_type:city
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns =
owner = Ad-Venture Media, Inc.
licensee =
sister_stations = WQRK, WPHZ
webcast =
website = [http://www.wbiw.com wbiw.com]
affiliations = Fox News Radio, Premiere Radio Networks, Westwood One

WBIW (1340 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Bedford, Indiana, USA, the station serves the Bloomington IN area. The station is currently owned by Ad-Venture Media, Inc. and features programing from Fox News Radio, Premiere Radio Networks and Westwood One. [ cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WBIW |title=WBIW Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division ]

The station began broadcasting in 1948 under the full-service format, playing a variety of music along with local and national news and sports programs. In the 1980s, the music switched to exclusively country music, and the format changed again in the mid-1990s to Oldies.

Not long after WQRK's switch from AOR to Oldies in 1999, WBIW began phasing out music programming and disc jockeys in favor of syndicated talk shows such as those from Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura Schlessinger. A robotic morning show and local news are still presented locally along with a multitude of talk and specialty programming throughout the week.

1340 AM WBIW has long broadcast high-school football and basketball events. It has carried Bedford North Lawrence Stars games since the school was opened in 1975; prior to that, the station aired many games from the seven Lawrence County high schools that were consolidated into BNL. Local personality Myron Rainey has been the voice of the BNL Stars for over a decade and he continues color on the broadcasts to this day.

1340 AM WBIW also carries Indianapolis Colts football, Indiana Pacers basketball as well as Purdue University sports and the Indianapolis 500.

References