WAIV (FM) explained

WAIV
City:Smyrna, Tennessee
Area:Nashville metropolitan area
Branding:Air1
Frequency:94.1 MHz
Airdate:1991
Format:Contemporary worship music
Erp:3,200 watts
Class:A
Facility Id:68347
Coordinates:36.0206°N -86.6383°W
Callsign Meaning:"Air1 Nashville"
Former Callsigns:WYPE (1991–1992)
WRLG (1992–2003)
WFFH (2003-2024)
Owner:Educational Media Foundation
Sister Stations:WKTH, WLFM, WLVN, WLVU
Webcast:Listen Live
Website:air1.com
Affiliations:Air1
Licensing Authority:FCC

WAIV (94.1 MHz) is a FM radio stations broadcasting in the Middle Tennessee area. WAIV is licensed to Smyrna, Tennessee, with the station serving the Nashville metropolitan area. The station is owned by Educational Media Foundation and is the flagship stations of the Air1 brand based in nearby Franklin, Tennessee.

History

WFFH was previously WRLG, then a sister station to WRLT, owned by Tuned In Broadcasting and airing a modern rock format. In early 1995, the station's format changed from "The Exxit" (a satellite format from the Major Networks) to The Underground Network (once called WDRE).[1] Several months later, the station changed its format to active rock, branded as "Thunder 94". In October 1997, facing intense pressure from WKDF (which had flipped to modern rock some time before), Tuned In Broadcasting pulled the plug on "Thunder 94", and the format changed to AAA format and became "The Phoenix", playing a mix of rock and rap music.[2] [3] Shortly before the sale to Salem Media Group, WRLG began simulcasting then-sister station WRLT. WRLG would be sold to Salem Media on August 14, 2002, and would switch to the Contemporary Christian format branded as "The Fish" the next day on August 15, and would change its callsign to WFFH.[4]

Sale to Educational Media Foundation

On March 21, 2024, Salem Media Group announced that they were selling their Nashville Christian AC "Fish" brands to Educational Media Foundation for $7 million, those stations being WFFH, WFFI and WBOZ. A Network Affiliation Agreement took effect on May 1 ahead of closing the sale.

At the stroke of midnight on May 1, 2024, WFFI and WBOZ began airing the national K-LOVE radio feed without explanation, Meanwhile, WFFH continued to broadcast The Fish format, until that station went off the air at 5 AM that morning. WFFH would return to the air that day at noon, with the playing of The Star-Spangled Banner, afterwards, the station returned with a localized Contemporary Christian Format, Simply branded as 94 FM WFFH, However, it was revealed on May 9, 2024, that WFFH would become an Air1 member station, in which it did so on June 3 2024.[5] The Sale of the Station would be finalized on July 1, 2024.[6] Salem's Today's Christian Music/The Fish format continues to be heard online only at The Fish Website.[7] [8] [9] The Callsign for WFFH would also change to the current WAIV callsign on July 9, 2024.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Stark. Phyllis. Vox Jox. Billboard. 107. 6. February 11, 1995. 84.
  2. Web site: Thunder 94. 2020-07-05. www.loupickney.com.
  3. Web site: 2009-09-30. Radio - Nashville, TN - Grizzly Web Links. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100205200230/https://grizzlyweb.com/links/radio.asp?loc=tn_nashville&radio=id. 2010-02-05. Grizzly WebLinks.
  4. https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=608934&prefix=BALH&arn=20020813ABH&group=A https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=608934&prefix=BALH&arn=20020813ABH&group=A
  5. https://radioinsight.com/headlines/270533/emf-reveals-plans-for-newly-acquired-nashville-signals/ EMF reveals plans for newly acquired Nashville signals
  6. https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/fmDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076f918f5d46d2018f5e55a9a4011a&id=25076f918f5d46d2018f5e55a9a4011a&goBack=N https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/fmDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076f918f5d46d2018f5e55a9a4011a&id=25076f918f5d46d2018f5e55a9a4011a&goBack=N
  7. https://radioinsight.com/headlines/265930/salem-sells-fishes-in-nashville-honolulu-to-emf/?fbclid=IwAR2dciruIg-oNn8UXx--m-m632BKLGQgT933rK7NNloLFnDzj-eRodbvlqM radioinsight.com headlines - Salem sells fishes in Nashville and Honolulu to emf
  8. https://thefish.com/all/welcome-fish-nashville-and-hawaii Welcome Fish Nashville and Hawaii Listeners!
  9. https://www.insideradio.com/free/nashville-ccm-station-wffh-94-fm-the-fish-signs-off/article_1b28b902-0795-11ef-bf1b-f7d8d809807e.html insideradio.com - Nashville CCM Station WFFH 94 FM The Fish Signs off