WPAD

WPAD

Paducah, Kentucky
Frequency	1560 kHz
Branding	99.5 The Fan
Programming
Format	Sports
Affiliations	Fox Sports Radio
Ownership
Owner	Bristol Broadcasting Company, Inc.
Sister stations	WBMP, WDDJ, WDXR, WKYQ, WKYX-FM, WLLE, WNGO, WZYK
History
First air date	August 23, 1930; 93 years ago (1930-08-23)[1]
Call sign meaning	W PADucah
Technical information
Facility ID	54720
Class	D
Power	1,000 watts day 35 watts night
Transmitter coordinates	37°03′08″N 88°36′03″W / 37.05222°N 88.60083°W / 37.05222; -88.60083
Translator(s)	99.5 W258AN (Paducah) 101.7 W269DO (Paducah)
Links
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	995thefanpaducah.com

WPAD (1560 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. Licensed to Paducah, Kentucky, United States. The station is owned by the Bristol Broadcasting Company, Inc.^[2]

1560 AM is a United States clear-channel frequency; KNZR and WFME share Class A status on this frequency.

History

Early years

WPAD is the fifth oldest radio broadcasting station in Kentucky, founded in 1930 by Pierce Lackey, with its inaugural broadcast taking place on August 23,^[1]: 19 billed as "The Voice of Western Kentucky."^[1]: 35 The opening of this station marked the return of radio in Paducah after the shutdown of the short-lived WIAR, which operated from 1922 until 1924.

WPAD initially broadcast on 1420 kHz with a 100 watt signal.^[1]: 19

Ohio River Flood of 1937

WPAD was one of several radio stations that was impacted by the infamous Ohio River flood of 1937; the station was temporarily relocated to a garage in Avondale Heights in order to remain of the air.^{[1]: 42–43}

Power increases and CBS affiliation

In 1941, the power was increased to 250 watts, and the frequency was changed to 1450 kHz.^[1]: 36 In 1943, the station joined the CBS radio network.^[1]: 36 In 1946, WPAD-FM (now WDDJ) was established as the first FM broadcasting station in the state,^{[1]: 56, 74} continuing with FM simulcast of the AM until the 1970s. In 1962, the power was increased to 1,000 watts.

Ownership changes

In 1967, Lackey died and the station was purchased by Union City, Tennessee, businessman Ed Fritts and his wife, Ruth, for a price of $158,000. In the 1970s, the FM call letters were changed to WDDJ and the FM programming was changed to progressive rock.^[1]: 74

In 1984, the stations were sold to Bill Bereman of Indianapolis, who would later sell the station to Purchase Broadcasting (presided by Lee Hagan) in 1991.^[1]: 74 In 1996, the stations were purchased by Bristol Broadcasting, owner of WKYX and WKYQ. WPAD exchanged frequencies with WDXR, and continued to operate on 1560 kHz with an "oldies" format.^[3]

Recent developments

On October 22, 2014, WPAD was granted a Federal Communications Commission construction permit to decrease day power to 1,000 watts and decrease night power to 35 watts. The license to cover for the new facility was granted on April 28, 2017.^[4]

Programming

Weekdays

• Erik Kuselias – The Erik Kuselias Show – 5a-6a
• The Jeff Bidwell Show – 6a-9a
• Kentucky Sports Radio – 9a-11a
• The Dan Patrick Show – 11a-2p (Tape Delayed)
• The Rich Eisen Show – 2p-5p (Tape Delayed)
• Steve Gorman Sports – 5p-7p
• J.T. The Brick w/ Tomm Looney – 7p-10p
• The Jason Smith Show w/ Mike Harmon - 10p-1a
• The Ben Maller Show w/ Eddie Garcia – 1a-5a^[5]

Special Programming

• McCracken County High School Sports
• Live Church Programming (Sundays 10a-Noon)
• Nashville Predators Radio Network (limited) (NHL)
• Tennessee Titans Radio Network (NFL)
• Marshall Toy Sports Show (Mondays 5p-7p)

References

External links

• WPAD in the FCC AM station database
• WPAD in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
• W258AN in the FCC FM station database
• W258AN at FCCdata.org
• W269DO in the FCC FM station database
• W269DO at FCCdata.org

This page was last edited on 23 June 2024, at 03:27