WBTK

Infobox Radio station
name = WBTK


city = Richmond, Virginia
area = Metro Richmond
branding = "Poder 1380"
"Be Able 1380"
slogan =
airdate = 1926
frequency = 1380 kHz
format = Spanish Contemporary Christian
power = 5,000 Watts day and night
erp =
haat =
class = B
facility_id =
coordinates = coord|37|37|13.0|N|77|26|57.0|W|type:landmark
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns = WMBG (1926-1965)
WTVR (1965-2000)
WBTK (2001-Present)
owner = Mount Rich Media, LLC
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast = [http://www.christiannetcast.com/listen/dynamicasx.asp?station=wbtk-am WBTK Webstream]
website = [http://www.wbtk.com/ WBTK Online]
affiliations =

WBTK is a Spanish Contemporary Christian formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Richmond, Virginia, serving the Metro Richmond area. WBTK is owned and operated by Mount Rich Media, LLC.

History

Early Years: Havens and Martin

This station had signed on in the 1920s as WMBG. The owners, Havens and Martin, were said to have owned an automobile parts and repair business and the call letters supposedly stood for "Motors", "Batteries" and "Generators". This station was later joined by TV station WTVR-TV and FM sister station WCOD. This group of stations continued to be owned localy by Havens and Martin until 1965. In the early 60s, the station adopted a Top 40 format, and in 1964, to reflect the popularity of the Beatles, called itself " W-M-Beatle-G". One of the most popular DJ's at that time was Don Dale, whose afternoon show began to cut into the top stations ratings.

Roy H. Park Broadcasting

In 1965, the stations were purchased by Roy H. Park, who put the TV station's calls on the radio stations as well and they were then known as WTVR-AM-FM-TV.

WTVR's Top 40 format continued into the late 60s and early 70s. In 1968, the station began branding itself "Request Radio" using taped listener requests as part of the format. The stations had also settled into a routine where the FM station would sign on at 5:30am and simulcast with the AM and then break off and run automated easy listening until 9pm and then rejoin the AM simulcast. Some of the better known personalities on WTVR during their Top 40 days included Tom Ogburn, Doug Riddell, Bill James, Frank Dwyer, Ron Brandon, Pat Henry, Dale Parsons, Ron Savage, Norman "Bob-a-Loo" Freedlander, Chris Stevens, Vic Hines, and Bob Bentley (who would later become known as "Terry Young").

In 1972, with the sign on of FM Top 40 station WRVQ, WTVR's ratings began to suffer, and in late 1972 the station switched to a country music format. The new format proved successful and continued until 1976. Some of the DJs during WTVR-AM's country period included Mark Thomas, Perry Woods, Joe Nuckols, and Dan Halyburton. In 1974, to make more room for the expanding TV station, both WTVR-AM/FM were moved into some quickly renovated townhouses located on Cutshaw Avenue directly behind the TV station. In 1976, the station switched to an easy listening format.

In the early 80s, the station went with satellite delivered adult contemporary, then in the mid-80s began simulcasting with the FM, which by that time had become as successful country music station. In 1988, the FM dumped the country music format but tne format stayed on the AM until 1989, when it switched to a Big Band format. The two principle hosts during the Big band format were Floyd Henderson and Bob Gilmore. After WTVR-AM was sold in 2000, Henderson was able to follow the format when it was moved to Cox Radio (as WVBB) and Radio Richmond (when the format was put on WLEE-AM 1320, and later to AM990) Henderson later retired in 2006.

Though the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the original station transmitter site was located at Staples Mill Road and West Broad Street in the growing West End of Richmond, along with the seldom used auxiliary TV transmitter. In the mid 70s, Park Broadcasting decided to cash in on what had become valuable real estate in a prime business location and sold the site and moved the WTVR-AM transmitter location to a former lamdfill near I-95 in northern Henrico Country in a subdivision called Club Court, but is now commonly referred to as outer Lakeside.

Post Park Years

In 1992, Roy H. Park died and his estate sold the chain to a group of investors from Lexington, KY who retained the Park name for their company. Then in late 1994, Park began selling off their stations separately. In 1995, WTVR-AM/FM were sold to Clear Channel Communications, who already owned local stations WRVA, WRVQ, WRXL & WRNL.

tand Alone

In 2000, WTVR-FM's studios were moved to the Clear Channel Complex on Basie Rd. However, as result of the merger of Clear Channel & AMFM, WTVR-AM was sold (along with former AMFM properties WKHK, WMXB, and WKLR) to Cox Radio who continued the Big Band format but changed the calls to WVBB. Cox later sold the station to Salem who instituted a religious format as WBTK (Radio Richmond as 4M Communications, Inc. took the Big band format, along with Morning man Floyd Henderson, to their 1320 frequency). In 2006, WBTK was sold to Mount Rich Media who flipped to Hispanic Religion and began calling the station "Radio Poder".

External Links

* [http://www.wbtk.com/ Poder 1380 Online]
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