WSHP

Infobox Radio Station
name = WSHP
city = Attica, Indiana
area = Lafayette, Indiana
branding = 95.7 The Rocket
slogan = Lafayette's Classic Rock
airdate = 1988
frequency = 95.7 (MHz)
format = Classic rock
erp = 3,100 watts
haat = 132 meters
class = A
facility_id = 68985
owner = Artistic Media Partners
webcast =
website = [http://www.rocklafayette.com/ www.rocklafayette.com]
callsign_meaning = W rocket SHiP

WSHP, "95-7 The Rocket" is an FM radio station owned by Artistic Media Partners in Lafayette, Indiana. The station operates on FM Channel 239, 95.7 MHz. [http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?list=0&facid=68985] . The studios are located at 3824 South 18th Street in Lafayette, Indiana with the tower facility located in rural eastern Warren County, IN near Greenhill, Indiana.

Interesting Fact

In 2000, while the station was broadcasting an Alternative rock format, The Rocket was credited by Arbitron and Radio and Records magazine as the highest-rated alternative rock station in the country.

WSHP is the flagship station for Purdue Men's Basketball.

History

WSHP signed on in late 1988 as WBQR. At the time, the station broadcasted from Attica featuring an eclectic mix of folk, progressive rock, and Celtic sounds. The station was founded and built by Bruce Quinn, an Indiana broadcaster known in his early years as being a radio pirate who later found and built many open FM allotments throughout Central Indiana.

In 1994, Quinn sold the station to Artistic Media Partners, which moved the station to the Lafayette market. Upon acquisition, WBQR flipped format to New Country as “Big Dog 95-7.” Calls were also changed to WGBD, reflecting the station name. The station, went head-to-head against the market’s long-established country leader, K105, however K105’s loyal listeners did not embrace the new country station. After two years, the format was dropped.

In 1996, Big Dog 95 began stunting with Elton John’s “Rocket Man.” A few days later, the station was relaunched as “Modern Rock 95-7, The Rocket,” featuring an Alternative rock format with the newly syndicated, and locally popular, Bob and Tom Show anchoring mornings. Until The Rocket began broadcasting the show, Lafayette area listeners had to tune to Indianapolis’ Q95, WFBQ, to listen to the show, which accounted for the station’s unusually high ratings in the Lafayette market.

The Rocket quickly became a very widely listened-to radio station throughout the Greater Lafayette area winning in many younger demographics throughout it’s run, according to Arbitron. The success of the station can be credited to two things. One, modern rock nationwide reached it’s peak in popularity during the period when The Rocket was an alternative rock station, and two, the Lafayette market did not have a Top 40 station in the market at the time. The Rocket, in other words, became the market default for hit music. In 2000, Radio and Records reported WGBD as the highest-rated alternative rock station in the country.

As an alternative rock station, The Rocket embraced the fact that they were broadcasting to a college town by escaping from the norm of many other alternative rock stations through the country. WGBD played all of the alternative rock core artists heard everywhere else such as The Foo Fighters, Metallica, Nirvana, Green Day, 311, The Dave Matthews Band, etc., but also played artists heard largely on Inde rock stations such as Liz Phair, The Rentals, The Dandy Warhols, Ween, and King Missile. This made the station unique and very popular amongst the area’s true alternative and mainstream alternative fans alike. The station during much of it’s existence was largely automated with program director, Steve Clark, handling afternoons and occasionally evening, overnight, and weekend talent filling up the rest of the air shifts. Syndicated programming consisted of weekend modern rock countdown show, “Out of Order with Jed the Fish,” and “Loveline.” The station also aired the entire radio broadcast of “Woodstock ’99.”

In March and April 2001, The Rocket’s parent company, Artistic Media Partners, made the decision to realign some of their stations in the Greater Lafayette area. WAZY returned to it’s Top 40 roots on March 16th after 7 years being away from the format. As a result of WAZY’s flip, management cited The Rocket as a direct competitor with their newly launched Top 40 format and The Rocket's format needed to be changed. Many radio professionals at the time didn't quite understand this logic and argued that the stations could have coexisted with one another and gave AMP ownership over the area's younger listeners. Top 40 appeals primarily to young females while alternative rock appeals primarily to males 18-34.

On March 30, The Rocket began stunting with REM’s “It’s the End of the World as We Know It.” On April 2 at 10am, the station relaunched with Classic rock. The Rocket name stayed intact, but the station earned the better suited calls of WSHP. The first songs played on the new classic rock version of The Rocket were Queen’s “We Will Rock You” and “We are the Champions.” Longtime program director, Steve Clark, also stayed through the change.

In 2004, Artistic Media Partners adopted a new initiative to move all their sports programming to better fitting formats within their Lafayette, Bloomington, and South Bend properties. This would take most sports off their female-targeted Top 40 stations and move them to their primarily male-targeted properties. WSHP was chosen to be the Purdue flagship station. As a result, Artistic Media Partners decided to swap WSHP's signal with co-owned Country station, WLFF in order to gain rights for being the flagship station for Purdue Men’s Basketball and Football. WSHP moved to 95.3 while WLFF moved to 95.7. It was cited in the Lafayette Journal and Courier that the frequency switch to 95.3 was necessary in order for The Rocket to carry the games. 95.3's signal was more dominant through the stadium section of the Purdue campus. Women's games formerly heard on 95.3 moved with The Wolf to 95.7.

The move turned out to be very successful for The Rocket. According to the fall 2004 Arbitron ratings, WSHP became the number 2 radio station 12+ in the market. However, this move was short-lived. In August 2005, just 17 months after the stations traded dial positions, they moved back to their original homes. The Rocket moved back to 95.7 and lost it’s rights to being the Purdue flagship station. As of the 2007-2008 season, Purdue sports have been divided amongst the Artistic Media Partners Lafayette stations. WBPE (formerly WLFF) & 1410 WSHY remains the home of Purdue Women's Basketball, WAZY is the home of Purdue Football and WSHP is now the home of Purdue Men's Basketball.

Programming

The Rocket remains Lafayette's exclusive source for classic rock programming. The Rocket's classic rock playlist is mainly from the 70s and 80s, however, select rock hits from the 60s and 90s are also included.

In 2007, longtime program director, Steve Clark, stepped down from his role to become the programming consultant. Rob Creighton, took over Steve's PD role and his afternoon shift.

The Rocket runs mainly jockless with the exception of Creighton's shift and the syndicated Bob & Tom mornings.

The station’s slogan is “Lafayette’s Classic Rock”

External links

* [http://www.rocklafayette.com WSHP Website]
* [http://www.artisticradio.com/wshp.htm Artistic Media Website]
*FMQ|WSHP
*FML|WSHP
*FMARB|WSHP