WVNN (AM)
| 200px | |
| City of license | Athens, Alabama |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Huntsville, Alabama |
| Branding | NewsTalk 770 AM/92.5 FM WVNN |
| Slogan | "Depend on it." |
| Frequency | 770 kHz |
| First air date | 1948 |
| Format | News/talk |
| Power | 7000 watts (day) 250 watts (night) |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 3084 |
| Transmitter coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (day) Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (night) |
| Callsign meaning | We're the Valley's News Network |
| Former callsigns | WJMW |
| Owner | Cumulus Media (Cumulus Licensing LLC) |
| Sister stations | WHRP, WUMP, WVNN-FM, WWFF-FM, WZYP |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | wvnn.com |
WVNN (770 AM) is a news/talk formatted radio station licensed to Athens, Alabama, where the station's studios are also located. Owned by Cumulus Media, it simulcasts on WVNN-FM (92.5 FM) licensed to Trinity, Alabama. This combo primarily serves the Huntsville, Alabama market, though it can also be heard in the Florence-Muscle Shoals market. Collectively, the stations are branded as "NewsTalk 770 AM/92.5 FM WVNN".
Contents
Broadcast coverage
The WVNN signal covers the northern-third of Alabama (and southern Middle Tennessee) during the day, though signal limitations prevent the station from penetrating any further than the Athens area after sunset. Due to FCC regulations, the station switches to a lower power at sunset (from a separate four tower array) in deference to WABC-New York (a fellow Cumulus station which operates on a clear channel occupying 770 AM).
Programming
Notable weekday programming includes Alabama-based shows hosted by Dale Jackson and Matt Murphy; plus nationally-syndicated shows hosted by Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, and Mark Levin.[1]
Sports
WVNN carries University of Alabama football during the fall, normally on Saturday afternoons.[2] On Friday evenings during the fall, WVNN often originates area high school football games. It is not uncommon to hear WVNN simulcast with sister station WUMP ("SportsRadio 730, The UMP") during live sports programming. WVNN is an affiliate of the Tennessee Titans football radio network.[3]
Past programming
Notable former WVNN air personalities include George Rose who, along with his alter-ego "Cousin Josh" character, hosted The Cousin Josh Jam-O-Ree on several North Alabama radio stations in a career than began in 1948 at then-WJMW and ended at WKAC with his death in 2006.[4]
Many well-known talk radio hosts spent early portions of their careers hosting local shows at WVNN, including Sean Hannity,[5] Peter Thiele, Kevin Miller,[6] Keith Larson, Darla Jaye,[7] and Mike Church. Will Anderson hosted a show on WVNN until August 2007. Tim Knox hosted a show on WVNN until December 2007.[8]
History
The station, once signed WJMW, started as an AM daytimer on 730 AM in Pulaski, Tennessee, and was later brought to Athens, Alabama.
WJMW came on the air in 1948 on the frequency of 1010 kHz with 250 watts of power. The move to 730 kHz (which was WKSR in Pulaski, TN first station) was in 1953. Power increase of 1000 watts. WKSR moved to 1420 kHz.
WJMW was owned and operated by the Dunnavant family of Athens for 55 years prior to being sold to Cumulus Media as part of a four station deal in 2003. This sale ended a 55-year presence in the market by Athens Broadcasting, founded in 1948 by Homer Felix "Pap" Dunnvant.[9] Moving the station from 730 to 770 in the early-1980s gave the station a 24 hour signal. The station was assigned the WVNN call letters by the Federal Communications Commission on September 26, 1988.[10]
References
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