WNDE

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WNDE, "SportsRadio WNDE" is an AM radio station owned by Clear Channel Communications in Indianapolis, Indiana. The station operates on the AM radio frequency of 1260 kHz. The studios and transmitters are located at 6161 Fall Creek Road on the northeast side of Indianapolis.

1 History
2 Station broadcasting information
3 Programming
4 External links

[edit] History

WNDE began operation as WFBM in 1924 as the fifth radio station licensed in Indianapolis (after WLK [1922-1923], WOH [1922-1923], WBBI [1924], and WBBZ [1924-1925]). It was started by the Merchants Heating & Light Co., later Indianapolis Power & Light.

When WFBM went on the air, it was assigned a frequency of 1130 kilocycles (the kilohertz did not come into use for another quarter century). In 1927, it moved to 1330 kc, then to 1090 kc in 1928, and to 1230 kc in 1929. It arrived at its current frequency after the great frequency shift of 1941, when all stations in the United States at 1230 kc were moved to 1260 kc.

In 1949, WFBM became WFBM-AM when WFBM-TV (now WRTV 6) went on the air in time to broadcast the 1949 Indianapolis 500 (May 30, 1949). The WFBM “family” grew on November 26, 1959, when WFBM-FM went on the air at 94.7 mHz.

In 1957, the three WFBM stations were sold to Time-Life, Inc. In 1972, WFBM-TV became WRTV. In November 1973, WFBM-AM became WNDE, followed by WFBM-FM becoming WFBQ Q95 in the Spring of 1974.

WNDE is the oldest operating radio station in Indianapolis, and third oldest in the state of Indiana.

[edit] Station broadcasting information

WNDE broadcasts using 5 kW of power, with a directional antenna for nighttime operations. This causes the station to broadcast in circular patterns to the north-northwest and south-southeast of the antenna site. More information is available at the FCC query for WNDE.

[edit] Programming

WNDE (which had at one time used a Top 40 format, competing with the original WIFE in the 1970s, using the identifier "Windy in Indy") is now a Fox Sports Radio affiliate (changeover from ESPN Radio when station was purchased by Clear Channel, owner of the Fox Sports Radio franchise).

Sports Radio 1260 WNDE's weekday programming runs on the following schedule:

ET	Show	Notes
6AM to 9 AM	The First Team on FOX with Steve Czaban	Fox Sports Radio
9AM to 12 noon	The Tony Bruno Show	Sporting News Radio
12 noon to 3 PM	The Jim Rome Show	Premiere Radio Networks
3 PM to 6 PM	The Drive with JMV	(Local sports / call-in show)

WNDE broadcasts NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series races, except for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, whose broadcast rights are controlled by WIBC. WNDE also airs Cincinnati Reds baseball, Purdue University football and men's basketball, Louisville Cardinals men's basketball, and Westwood One's Sunday and Monday Night Football coverage.

Although WNDE dropped ESPN Radio's talk programming, they retained broadcast rights to ESPN's national Sunday Night Baseball and Bowl Championship Series coverage until 2007. (The NBA on ESPN Radio rights are controlled by WIBC due to their status as the Indiana Pacers' flagship.)

2006-07 marked the final season of WNDE's airing of various Indianapolis Colts-produced programs, as those rights have been secured by WIBC/WLHK beginning in 2007.