Relevant Radio

Relevant Radio is a trademark of Starboard Media Foundation, and is the largest Catholic talk radio network in the United States, with 20 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, Madison, WI and Chicago, IL.

The network airs a variety of programming aimed at practicing 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.

History

The network was founded by a group of dedicated Catholic business men, including Bob Atwell and John Cavil (who founded WJOK 1050AM in 2000) and Mark Follett, 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 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 previous chief executive officer is Thomas Vorpahl.

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 and his termination.) Trish Leurck. Leurck had been the Chief Development Officer until her appointment as CEO on September 12, 2006.

On June 23, 2009, Relevant Radio's media contact Nancy Jensen released an announcement ^[1] regarding a new programming line-up. This update revealed that On Call w/ Dr. Ray would now be replaced with On Call as hosted by Wendy Wiese.

Affiliation Changes

On November 25, 2007, Relevant Radio's affiliate station in Chicago switched from 820 AM WAIT to 950 AM WNTD. WNTD now airs Relevant Radio 13 hours a day. Relevant Radio's lease agreement with WAIT, set to expire at the end of November, was not renewed.

Relevant Radio also lost its Appleton, Wisconsin station, 91.1 FM WOVM, in November. WOVM, which is being sold to Music That Matters, Inc., began stunting with Christmas music immediately and was set to begin beta testing a new hybrid adult hits (mixture of adult contemporary, classic rock and country) music format being developed by Music That Matters' sister company, Sovereign City Radio Group, in January 2008 (2). WisconsinBroadcasting.com reported that WOVM's new format, called "Your Oasis on the Radio," debuted on January 7, 2008. Relevant Radio will still be heard in the Appleton area on WJOK 1050 AM in Kaukauna.

Sovereign City discontinued the "Oasis" format later in 2008 and switched WOVM to "The Avenue," an eclectic mix of jazz, standards, pop and adult alternative vocals. "The Avenue" went into nationwide distribution in January 2010 and is now heard on several current and former Relevant Radio affiliates, including WOVM, WMYR/WCNZ in southwest Florida, and WNTD in Chicago (which airs the format nightly from 6 pm to 5 am).

Station list

All of these stations are O&O, unless noted as "affiliate".

Sources

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

References

External links

• Relevant Radio
• Catholic News Service reports on troubled times at Relevant Radio