WPFR (1480

kHz 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 uni ...

) is a

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

AM radio AM broadcasting is radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation (AM) transmissions. It was the first method developed for making audio radio transmissions, and is still used worldwide, primarily for medium wave (also known as "AM band") transmi ...

station licensed to

Terre Haute, Indiana Terre Haute ( ) is a city in Vigo County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 58,389 and Terre Haute metropolitan area, its metropolitan area had a populati ...

. The station is owned by American Hope Communications, Inc.

History

The station began broadcasting January 6, 1948, and originally held the call sign WTHI. The station ran 1,000 watts 24 hours a day. In 1970, the station's daytime power was increased to 5,000 watts. WTHI AM 1480, along with

WTHI-FM WTHI-FM (99.9 MHz; "HI-99") is a radio station running a country music format in Terre Haute, Indiana. The station's studios and broadcast tower are located along Ohio Street in downtown Terre Haute. The station is owned by Midwest Communicatio ...

, and

WTHI-TV WTHI-TV (channel 10) is a television station in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States, affiliated with CBS, Fox, MyNetworkTV and MeTV. Owned by Allen Media Broadcasting, the station has studios on 8th and Ohio Streets in downtown Terre Haute, and ...

were long owned by

Tony Hulman Anton "Tony" Hulman Jr. (February 11, 1901 – October 27, 1977) was an American businessman from Terre Haute, Indiana, who bought the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1945 and brought racing back to the famous race course after a four-year hiatus ...

, and remained in his family's hands until 1998, when all three stations were sold to

Emmis Communications Emmis Corporation is an American media conglomerate based in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Emmis, based on the Hebrew word for "Truth" (''Emet'') was founded by Jeff Smulyan in 1980. Emmis has owned many radio stations, including KPWR ...

.Fybush, Scott.
Terre Haute, Indiana (Part I)
, fybush.com. June 2, 2006. Retrieved October 21, 2018. WTHI aired a

Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is a list of the 40 currently most popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "To ...

format from the mid-1960s until January 1974, when the station adopted 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. By 1983, the station had adopted a MOR format.
Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1983
', Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1983. p. B-85. Retrieved October 21, 2018. By 1988, the station had begun airing an

oldies Oldies is a term for musical genres such as pop music, rock and roll, doo-wop, surf music from the second half of the 20th century, specifically from around the mid-1950s to the 1980s, as well as for a radio format playing this music. Since 2 ...

format.
Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1988
', Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1988. p. B-100. Retrieved October 21, 2018. By 1991, the station had returned to airing a country music format, simulcasting 99.9

. The station adopted a

news-talk Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. They may feature monologues, dialogues between the hosts, interviews wi ...

format in 1992. As a news-talk station, WTHI was Terre Haute's home for prominent national personalities such as

Rush Limbaugh Rush Hudson Limbaugh III ( ; January 12, 1951 – February 17, 2021) was an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative political commentator who was the host of ''The Rush Limbaugh Show'', which first aired in 1984 and was nati ...

and

Paul Harvey Paul Harvey Aurandt (September 4, 1918 – February 28, 2009) was an American radio broadcaster for ABC News Radio. He broadcast ''News and Comment'' on mornings and mid-days on weekdays and at noon on Saturdays and also his famous ''The Rest o ...

, as well as ''

The Bob & Tom Show ''The Bob & Tom Show'' is a syndicated US radio program established by Bob Kevoian and Tom Griswold at radio station WFBQ in Indianapolis, Indiana, March 7, 1983, and syndicated nationally since January 6, 1995. Originally syndicated by Pre ...

''. The station also carried ''The

Mike Pence Michael Richard Pence (born June 7, 1959) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 48th vice president of the United States from 2017 to 2021 under President Donald Trump. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Repub ...

Show'', a statewide talk show which Pence hosted prior to his election to congress. In 2000, the station was donated to Word Power, Inc., and its call sign was changed to WPFR, with the station adopting a Christian format.
Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2001
',

Broadcasting & Cable ''Broadcasting & Cable'' (''B&C'', or ''Broadcasting+Cable'') was a telecommunications industry monthly trade magazine and, later, news website published by Future US. Founded in 1931 as ''Broadcasting'', subsequent mergers, acquisitions and ...

, 2001. p. D-159. Retrieved October 21, 2018. The station was taken off the air in March 2020. Effective October 29, 2021, it was sold to American Hope Communications, along with WKZI, WLHW, WPFR-FM, and three translators, for $179,000.Hoosier Group Spun To Hopeful New Owner
, ''Radio & Television Business Report''. April 2, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2022.

References

External links

{{Religious Radio Stations in Indiana PFR PFR Moody Radio affiliate stations Radio stations established in 1948 1948 establishments in Indiana