WNOX RADIO TO STAY PUT, REMAIN NEWS-TALK
Radio listeners who enjoy keeping up with the news and opinion programs of WNOX FM 100.3 will like the long-awaited announcement of the station's format plans.
“As of midnight July 31, when our marketing agreement with Citadel Communications ends, WNOX will continue broadcasting a full schedule of local and network news and talk programs to serve all the people of Knoxville and surrounding states,” said WNOX General Manager Ed Brantley. Brantley, former manager of the Citadel stations in Knoxville, was hired by WNOX owner John Pirkle to create Knoxville's only locally owned and operated 100,000 watt FM station, which will remain on its 100.3 frequency once the agreement with Citadel and its programs ends.
Brantley, who made his name with WIVK as an air personality and host of the “Sound Off” program for almost 20 years, will host the morning drive talk show on WNOX. “We have the largest-wattage transmitter and the highest antenna allowable under FCC Rules, giving WNOX Knoxville radio's largest coverage area, and one of the strongest signals in the nation. We are excited to continue providing quality news and talk programing to parts of several states."
“As much as I like the business side of broadcasting, I have, in recent years, found myself missing also being on the air,” Brantley said. “My new role allows me to start each day doing talk radio, then spend the remainder of the day in management, sales and community involvement. After several years in absentee-owned corporate radio, this is like a dream come true for me.” A bonus for the Knoxville community, Brantley says, is the creation of new jobs. “We are currently interviewing applicants for approximately a dozen jobs, most of them in advertising sales.
“We hope the listeners will like the quality programs we will be offering, including Neal Boortz, Michael Savage, liberal commentator Alan Colmes (formerly of Hannity and Colmes) and other nationally known names.”
Brantley says the station will also offer something that is not otherwise available on Knoxville news talk radio. “We will include sports in our mix of news and talk, offering listeners a balance they cannot get on a single FM station.” Brantley says discussions with several sports anchors are underway, and their names will announced in the near future.