Relevant Radio

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Relevant Radio
Type Radio network
Country Flag of United States United States
Availability United States
Owner Starboard Media Foundation
Key people Trish Leurck
Launch date December 12, 2000
Website www.relevantradio.com

Relevant Radio is a trademark of Starboard Media Foundation, and is the largest Catholic talk radio network in the United States, with 17 stations and 18 affiliates in 15 states. The network's National Headquarters and network studios are in Green Bay Wisconsin, with additional studios in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Chicago, IL.

The network airs a a variety of programming aimed at orthodox Roman Catholics, mostly in a listener-interactive talk format. "Morning Air", which the network describes as "a classic drive-time format that combines inspiration & entertainment" was the first program developed by Relevant Radio in 2003. The network now airs almost exclusively programming developed internally. It is the only Catholic radio network in the country to be recognized by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as a national media outlet.

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[edit] History

The network was founded by a group of dedicated orthodox Roman Catholic business men, including Mark Follett of Allouez, Wisconsin, who had been the owner of Anchor Foods, an Appleton-based distributor of frozen appetizers. Starboard bought the license to a radio station in Kaukauna, Wisconsin (WJOK) that had been carrying all-sports programming, and turned it into an all-Catholic station, saying the call letters stood for "Jesus Our King." The station received its license from the FCC on December 12. 2000, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who is the patron saint of Relevant Radio.

The network has rapidly grown to 17 stations, including five in the top 25 radio markets, and 18 affiliated stations that carry some or all of Relevant Radio programming. It also offers live streaming from its website and podcasts of favorite show segments.

The network's current chief executive officer is Trish Leurck. Leurck had been the Chief Development Officer until her appointment as CEO on September 12th, 2006.

Former CEO's include: Mark Follett (One of the founders of Relevant Radio), Richard L. Lyles (Host of Networks Saturday Show Lifeworks until its discontinuation in September 2006)

In July of 2006, the network began the first of two layoffs due to limited financial resources. The company reduced its force by nearly 30 people.

On October 18, 2006, the network announced it was laying off 28 additional employees, 14 of them at its Wisconsin headquarters. A staff of nearly 140 had been reduced significantly. In a release, the network said planned revenues for 2007 would not support the previous level of staffing. The network will not sell any stations or change its programming, the release said.

[edit] Station list

State City Callsign Freq. Area Website
Florida Fort Myers WMYR-AM 1410 Cape Coral-Fort Myers website
Naples WCNZ-AM 1660 Naples-Marco Island website
Indiana Gary WWCA-AM 1270 Chicagoland website
Illinois Sandwich WAUR-AM 930 Chicagoland website
Willow Springs WAIT-AM 820 Chicagoland website
Minnesota Minneapolis WLOL-AM 1330 Twin Cities website
Montana Bozeman KOFK-FM 98.3 Bozeman (affiliate) []
Helena KNEH-FM 97.3 Helena (affiliate) []
Pennsylvania Carnegie WZUM-AM 1590 Pittsburgh website
Texas Del Valle KIXL-AM 970 Austin website
Wisconsin Appleton WOVM-AM 91.1 Appleton website
Birnamwood WYNW-FM 92.9 Wausau website
Eau Claire WDVM-AM 1050 Eau Claire website
Kaukauna WJOK-AM 1050 Green Bay website
La Crosse WKBH-AM 1570 La Crosse website
Lake Geneva WZRK-AM 1550 Milwaukee website
Nekoosa WMMA-FM 93.9 Wisconsin Rapids website
Port Washington WPJP-FM 100.1 Milwaukee website
Poynette WHFA-AM 1240 Madison website

[edit] Sources

  • "Catholic network calls Green Bay home", Green Bay News-Chronicle, date uncertain, 2004. (Newspaper now defunct)

[edit] External links