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WAHR
Broadcast areaHuntsville metropolitan area
Frequency99.1 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingStar 99.1
Programming
FormatAdult Contemporary
SubchannelsHD2: Urban Contemporary "98.1 The Beat"
Ownership
OwnerSouthern Stone Communications, LLC
WLOR, WRTT-FM
History
First air date
July 28, 1959; 65 years ago (1959-07-28)
Call sign meaning
Arnold Hornbuckle's Records[1]
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID70501
ClassC0
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT300 meters (980 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
34°47′53″N 86°38′24″W / 34.79806°N 86.64000°W / 34.79806; -86.64000
Translator(s)98.1 W251AC (Capshaw) (relays HD2)
Links
Public license information
Webcast
Website

WAHR (99.1 FM, "Star 99.1") is a commercial radio station in Huntsville, Alabama.[3] It broadcasts an adult contemporary radio format, and is owned by Southern Stone Communications, LLC. WAHR's studios are off University Drive (U.S. 72) in Huntsville.

WAHR is a Class C0 station. It has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, the maximum for most stations. The signal covers most of northern Alabama and southern central Tennessee. Its transmitter is on NW Juniper Drive, north of the city.[4] WAHR broadcasts using HD Radio technology. Its HD2 subchannel carries an urban contemporary format, known as "98.1 The Beat." The subchannel feeds 180-watt FM translator W251AC at 98.1 MHz in Capshaw.[5]

History

Arnold Hornbuckle

WAHR signed on the air on July 28, 1959.[6] It was founded by Huntsville businessman Arnold Hornbuckle. WAHR was Alabama's first stand-alone FM radio station, without an AM companion. The call letters stand for 'Arnold Hornbuckle Records.'[1] At the time of licensing, he owned Hornbuckle's Record Shop, also in Huntsville. Shortly after the station began broadcasting, Bill Lane became the station's manager and a minority shareholder. Lane retired in 1990.

From its founding, the station had its studios and offices in the Times Building on East Holmes Avenue, headquarters for The Huntsville Daily Times. In the early 1960s, a signature station phrase was "Broadcasting from the top of The Times Building." Some of the station's early program hosts were U.S. Army servicemen stationed at Redstone Arsenal. The station received a fan letter from noted aerospace engineer Dr. Wernher von Braun complimenting the station on its classical music programs. By the 1970s, the station had dropped fine arts programming in favor of what became known as adult contemporary music, which is roughly its present format. (Public radio station WLRH took over classical broadcasting to the area when it began in 1976.)

After nearly 40 years serving the Tennessee Valley, Hornbuckle retired, selling the station in July 1999. In 2009, Hornbuckle was inducted into the Alabama Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. He died in 2012.[7]

Black Crow Media

WAHR was acquired by Black Crow Media Group, whose other local radio stations include WRTT-FM and WLOR. In November 2001, due to a proposed refinancing of the parent company, license holder STG Media, LLC, applied to the FCC to transfer the licenses of WAHR, WLOR, and WRTT-FM to Black Crow Media Group subsidiary BCA Media, LLC.[8] Just two days later, another application was filed to shift the licenses to BCA Radio, LLC.[9] The FCC approved the moves on November 15, 2001, and the consummation of the transaction occurred on November 19, 2001.[8]

In June 2009, the station transitioned from an adult contemporary music format to a Hot AC music mix. As of May 2013, though, the station had returned to its former mainstream AC format.

Chapter 11

In January 2010, Black Crow Media Group and its subsidiaries filed for "Chapter 11" bankruptcy, seeking to reorganize rather than be broken up. A filing with the FCC notified the Commission of the involuntary transfer of the license from BCA Radio, LLC, to an entity known as BCA Radio, LLC, Debtor-In-Possession.[10]

In November 2011, Black Crow Media Group announced that it was reorganizing its radio holdings and consolidating the four subsidiaries acting as debtors in possession (including BCA Radio, LLC) into a new company named Southern Stone Communications, LLC. The FCC approved the transfer on December 19, 2011.[11]

Awards

In November 2007, WAHR won the American Cancer Society's Mid-South Division award for best radio supporter for 2006-07. The station was cited for having "strongly supported" the ACS's Relay for Life, gala, golf tournament and other events sponsored by the national and local cancer organizations.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b Nelson, Bob (February 2, 2008). "Call Letter Origins". The Broadcast Archive.
  2. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WAHR". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ^ "Fall 2007 Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
  4. ^ Radio-Locator.com/WAHR
  5. ^ Radio-Locator.com/W251AC
  6. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1960 page A-108. Retrieved Aug. 31, 2024.
  7. ^ Keith Clines, The Huntsville Times (January 31, 2012). "Former record store owner and radio pioneer Arnold Hornbuckle dies (updated)". al. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Application Search Details (BALH-20011113AAJ)". FCC Media Bureau. November 19, 2001. Retrieved December 25, 2011.
  9. ^ "Application Search Details (BALH-20011113AAN)". FCC Media Bureau. November 15, 2001. Retrieved December 25, 2011.
  10. ^ "Application Search Details (BALH-20100114ABW)". FCC Media Bureau. January 21, 2010. Retrieved December 25, 2011.
  11. ^ "Application Search Details (BALH-20111208DMM)". FCC Media Bureau. December 19, 2011. Retrieved December 25, 2011.
  12. ^ "American Cancer Society recognizes Times, WAHR". The Huntsville Times. November 21, 2007.
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