WNOV (860
AM) is a
commercial
Commercial may refer to:
* (adjective for) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and services
** (adjective for) trade, the trading of something of economic value such as goods, services, information or money
* a dose of advertising ...
radio station
Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...
in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
. It airs an
urban contemporary
Urban contemporary music, also known as urban music, urban pop, or just simply urban, is a music radio format. The term was coined by New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker in the early to mid-1970s as a synonym for Black music. Urban contemporary r ...
radio format
A radio format or programming format (not to be confused with broadcast programming) describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. The radio format emerged mainly in the United States in the 1950s, at a time when Radio broadcasting, ...
, with some weekday
talk
Talk may refer to:
Communication
* Communication, the encoding and decoding of exchanged messages between people
* Conversation, interactive communication between two or more people
* Lecture, an oral presentation intended to inform or instruct
...
shows and
urban gospel
Urban/contemporary gospel, also known as urban gospel music, urban gospel pop, or just simply urban gospel, is a modern subgenre of gospel music. Although the style developed gradually, early forms are generally dated to the 1970s, and the genr ...
music on Sundays. The station is owned by the Courier Communications Corporation and is leased to a company called Radio Multi-Media. The studios are on West Capital Drive in Milwaukee.
By day, WNOV transmits 250
watt
The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of Power (physics), power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantification (science), quantify the rate of Work ...
s
non-directional. As
860 AM
The following radio stations broadcast on AM frequency 860 kHz: CJBC Toronto is the Class A station on 860 AM, a Canadian clear channel frequency.
In Argentina
* Digital in Lanus, Buenos Aires
* LRA56 in Perito Moreno
In Canada
Sta ...
is a
clear channel frequency reserved for
Class A station
CJBC in
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
, to avoid interference, WNOV reduces power at night to only 5 watts. The
transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter (often abbreviated as XMTR or TX in technical documents) is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna (radio), antenna with the purpose of sig ...
is on West Locust Street at West Fond du Lac Avenue in Milwaukee. Programming is also heard on 99-watt
FM translator
A broadcast relay station, also known as a satellite station, relay transmitter, broadcast translator (U.S.), re-broadcaster (Canada), repeater ( two-way radio) or complementary station (Mexico), is a broadcast transmitter which repeats (or tr ...
W293CX at 106.5
MHz
The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...
.
Radio-Locator.com/W293CX
/REF>
History
WFOX
The station signed on
A sign-on (or start-up in Commonwealth countries except Canada) is the beginning of operations for a radio broadcasting, radio or television station, generally at the start of each day. It is the opposite of a sign-off (or closedown in Commonw ...
the air on August 15, 1946, as WFOX. The station was a daytimer
A clear-channel station is a North American AM radio station that has the highest level of protection from interference from other stations, particularly from nighttime skywave signals. This classification exists to ensure the viability of cross ...
, required to go off the air at night. It was owned by the Wisconsin Broadcasting System with studios on East Wisconsin Avenue. In the early 1960s, WFOX aired a country music
Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...
format.
WNOV
The station became WNOV in 1967 and began targeting the Milwaukee African-American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
community. WNOV aired a variety of African-American-oriented programming, ranging from rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated within African American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predomina ...
, urban gospel
Urban/contemporary gospel, also known as urban gospel music, urban gospel pop, or just simply urban gospel, is a modern subgenre of gospel music. Although the style developed gradually, early forms are generally dated to the 1970s, and the genr ...
, hip-hop music
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music Music genre, genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African Americans, African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide r ...
and community affairs shows. In the past, WNOV was notable for several controversial local talk
Talk may refer to:
Communication
* Communication, the encoding and decoding of exchanged messages between people
* Conversation, interactive communication between two or more people
* Lecture, an oral presentation intended to inform or instruct
...
show hosts, particularly former Milwaukee alderman
An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law with similar officials existing in the Netherlands (wethouder) and Belgium (schepen). The term may be titular, denotin ...
Michael McGee, Sr.
In 2008, WNOV shifted to an urban adult contemporary
Urban adult contemporary, often abbreviated as urban AC or UAC, (also known as adult R&B,) is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have hip hop music on ...
sound. In recent years, it moved back to a broader urban contemporary
Urban contemporary music, also known as urban music, urban pop, or just simply urban, is a music radio format. The term was coined by New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker in the early to mid-1970s as a synonym for Black music. Urban contemporary r ...
direction to more effectively compete with WKKV, resulting in WNOV being placed on Mediabase
Mediabase is a music industry service that monitors radio station airplay in 180 US and Canadian markets. Mediabase publishes music charts and data based on the most played songs on terrestrial and satellite radio, and provides in-depth analytic ...
's Urban reporting panel. WNOV is the only station owned by Courier Communications, but on January 18, 2008, it was leased to a new company called Radio Multi-Media, which took over operations.
First FM translator
In December 2009, WNOV acquired a low-powered translator at 102.5 FM and launched its urban AC simulcast on the signal. The translator was licensed to the North Shore suburb of Mequon
Mequon () is the most populous city in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 25,142 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located on Lake Michigan's western shore with significant commercial developments along Int ...
, but transmits from the WNOV transmitter site. The station used the FM dial position, calling itself "Majic 102.5". In 2011, the simulcast shifted to mainstream urban.
In 2010, WNOV filed a request with the FCC to relocate the signal to 93.9 FM and the AM/FM combined operating license (COL) to Milwaukee as a way to better serve the area. This is due to interference from WNWC-FM in Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
* Madison (footballer), Brazilian footballer
Places in the United States
Populated places
* Madi ...
, which also broadcasts at 102.5. The station also changed its slogan to "102.5 The Beat" after Clear Channel Communications
iHeartMedia, Inc., or CC Media Holdings, Inc., is an American mass media corporation headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It is the holding company of iHeartCommunications, Inc., formerly Clear Channel Communications, Inc., a company founded by ...
issued a cease and desist order
A cease and desist letter is a document sent by one party, often a business, to warn another party that they believe the other party is committing an unlawful act, such as copyright infringement, and that they will take legal action if the other ...
over the use of the "Majic" moniker. (Clear Channel claims a copyright on radio station use of "magic" or a variation of the spelling.)
Off the air
On January 24, 2012, WNOV and W273AT both went dark
Darkness is the condition resulting from a lack of illumination, or an absence of visible light.
Human vision is unable to distinguish colors in conditions of very low luminance because the hue-sensitive photoreceptor cells on the retina are ...
. Courier Communications filed a request for special temporary authority
Special Temporary Authority (STA) in U.S. broadcast law is a type of broadcast license which temporarily allows a broadcast station to operate outside of its normal technical or legal parameters. In the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) st ...
(STA) with the FCC, to remain off the air temporarily. The station's owner and management company, Courier Communications and Radio Multi-Media, entered litigation, due to ongoing disputes and removal of station equipment.
Although Courier announced plans to return WNOV to the airwaves once replacement equipment was in place, the company filed another STA on March 29, 2012, which would leave the station off the air until March 2013. If the station did not return to air before then or the litigation is not resolved, the license could be returned to the FCC and WNOV could be deleted from the FCC's files. (The station's license was due to expire on December 31, 2012, another reason the STA was requested.) In May 2012, WNOV resumed broadcasting but it was not clear whether the return was only temporary. This move may be due to Radio Multi-Media's bankruptcy, which resulted in WWPW
WWPW (105.3 FM, "Power 105-3") is an Atlanta contemporary hit radio station. The station's transmitter is located in Newnan, Georgia and targets metro Atlanta, also covering its city of license of Bowdon, Georgia. It is owned by iHeartMedia ...
in Louisville
Louisville is the most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeast, and the 27th-most-populous city in the United States. By land area, it is the country's 24th-largest city; however, by populatio ...
being taken off the air after it failed to make payments to WAY-FM, which owned WWPW's transmitting equipment.
In the summer of 2012, WNOV, minus the FM translator (which was deleted from the FCC database), returned to the airwaves. It had a new moniker and new format. The station began using the slogan "The New WNOV". It started airing an urban contemporary format. Weekday programs on the station included ''The Rickey Smiley Morning Show
Broderick Dornell "Rickey" Smiley (born August 10, 1968) is an American stand-up comedian, television host, actor, and radio personality known for his prank phone calls. The calls feature Smiley disguising his voice carrying a conversation wit ...
'' and ''The Forum with Sherwin Hughes'' in late morning. Weekend programs includes urban gospel
Urban/contemporary gospel, also known as urban gospel music, urban gospel pop, or just simply urban gospel, is a modern subgenre of gospel music. Although the style developed gradually, early forms are generally dated to the 1970s, and the genr ...
on Saturday mornings and all day Sunday with Rev. Charles Green, the Baka Boyz syndicated program, the Blues Lounge with Devo, "G Jams" with Ernie G, and a local Saturday evening reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...
show The station runs automated at other times. The station was rebranded as "860 WNOV, The Voice" in fall 2013.
Second FM translator
WNOV put a new FM translator on the air in March 2017. It broadcasts on 106.5 FM. W293CX was moved from Park Falls, Wisconsin
Park Falls is a city in Price County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,410 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 2,462 at 2010 United States census, 2010. Located in the woods of north central Wisconsin, primarily ...
, during the FCC's AM revitalization transmission window. WNOV paid $30,000 to radio station WRVM
WRVM is a Christian radio radio station, station licensed to Suring, Wisconsin, broadcasting on 102.7 MHz FM. WRVM serves all of Northeast Wisconsin, including Green Bay, Wisconsin, Green Bay and Appleton, Wisconsin, Appleton. The station ...
to acquire the translator.
The translator's signal covers the core of Milwaukee, but in some parts of the region, it must accept interference from WHBZ
WHBZ (106.5 FM, "The Buzz") is a Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin- licensed radio station based in Sheboygan that plays a mainstream rock format. The station is currently owned by Midwest Communications and features an all-local lineup, with Fox Ne ...
in Sheboygan
Sheboygan may refer to:
Places in Wisconsin
* Sheboygan, Wisconsin, city
* Sheboygan (town), Wisconsin, town
* Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, county
* Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, city
* Sheboygan Falls (town), Wisconsin, town
* Sheboygan River
...
, also on 106.5 FM.
Past personalities
Noted disc jockey
A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include Radio personality, radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at nightclubs or music fes ...
s have passed through the halls of WNOV over the years, including Bobby O'Jay, Jim Frazier, Michael Hightower, Earl Stokes, Ernie G, and Larry K. Myles. Others behind the WNOV microphone over the years included Maestro, Steve Hegwood, (later top executive at Radio One and himself an owner/operator of several radio stations), Jerry Smokin' B (who moved onto programming and afternoon drive at such stations as V103 Atlanta), Kevin Stone (Afternoon's at KJMZ and K104 Dallas, Morning's KHYS 98.5 Houston, Afternoon's WHRK Memphis, Producer of Brian McKnight Christmas Specials, National talent ABC Radio Networks) "The Real Deal" Mike Neil (mornings KYOK Houston, afternoons at B94 and 104.7 The Beat WJJJ Pittsburgh and KALC Denver) and Reggie Brown (a.k.a. Reg UJ, later Afternoons at WGCI Chicago and eventually back in Milwaukee at V100 100.7 FM).
Other notables Rockman Jr, Homer Blow, Rob Hardy, Tony Neal (Founder/CEO of the Core DJ's, The Largest DJ organization in the world), and Brother Eugene Matthews all called "The Incredible AM" 860 home at one time.
At one time WNOV ran "The Rickey Smiley
Broderick Dornell "Rickey" Smiley (born August 10, 1968) is an American stand-up comedian, television host, actor, and radio personality known for his prank phone calls. The calls feature Smiley disguising his voice carrying a conversation wit ...
Morning Show", "The Lady Pink Show" and "The Michael Baisden
Michael Baisden is the former host of ''The Michael Baisden Show''. The show was syndicated by Baisden Media Group in partnership with SupeRadio and AURN (American Urban Radio Networks). The show airs weekday afternoons. The show was previousl ...
Show". Swiss Money Live Entertainment was a local weekday show on WNOV airing Thursday and Friday nights. Weekend programming included "Old School Reunion with Wayne the Magic Man" and "The Weekend Rollcall" with DJ Mike Mill on Saturdays and "Praise Mixdown", "New Pitts Gospel Hour" with Michelle Pitts and "SD Cooper Law Program" on Sundays.
Controversy
On May 3, 2007, on his morning show, Michael McGee, Sr. praised the death of the mother of another radio personality, WTMJ's Charlie Sykes
Charles Jay Sykes (born November 11, 1954) is an American political commentator who was editor-in-chief of the website ''The Bulwark''. From 1993 to 2016, Sykes hosted a conservative talk show on WTMJ in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was also the ...
, whom McGee was a timeslot rival of for years, with both hosts often referring to each other in negative terms. Sykes' mother, Katherine B. Sykes, died in a house fire from smoke inhalation two days before the comments were made. He stated that her death was "the vengeance of God" and insinuated that Sykes played a role in the death of his mother. On May 5, 2007, the station announced that the show, which was broadcast under a brokered programming
Brokered programming (also known as time-buy and blocktime) is a form of broadcast content in which the show's producer pays a radio or television station for air time, rather than exchanging programming for pay or the opportunity to play spot com ...
agreement where McGee paid for his daily air time, would be hosted instead by McGee's son, then-current Milwaukee alderman Michael McGee, Jr.
Michael Imanu McGee Jr. (born Michael Imanu Jackson; October 7, 1969),
jsonline.com; accessed December 2, 201 ...
, while the elder McGee was on "indefinite" suspension.
Three weeks later on May 28, 2007, McGee, Jr. was arrested and jailed on federal charges of bribery and extortion and local charges of attempted assault and solicitation for murder. After being found guilty of 9 charges in June 2008, Michael McGee Jr. was sentenced to 6 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles Clevert. He served his term and was released at the end of 2015.
References
External links
*
*
*
Talk Show Host Says He's Glad Radio Rival's Mother Is Dead
Alderman McGee Charged With Extortion, Bribery
FCC History Cards for WNOV
{{Urban Radio Stations in Wisconsin
African-American history of Milwaukee
Urban contemporary radio stations in the United States
NOV
Radio stations established in 1946
1946 establishments in Wisconsin