WHAL (AM)

WHAL
City of license	Phenix City, Alabama
Broadcast area	Columbus, Georgia
Branding	South 94.7 The Legend
Slogan	Columbus' Most Legends, Guaranteed
Frequency	1460 kHz (also on HD Radio)
Translator(s)	94.7 W234BX (Highland Pines)
First air date	May 1952 (as WPNX)
Format	Classic Country
Power	4,000 watts (day) 140 watts (night)
Class	B
Facility ID	32383
Transmitter coordinates	32°25′58″N 84°57′02″W / 32.43278°N 84.95056°W / 32.43278; -84.95056
Former callsigns	WPNX (1952-1989) WIQN (1989-1991) WPNX (1991-2003)^[1]
Owner	iHeartMedia, Inc. (CC Licenses, LLC)
Sister stations	WAGH, WBFA, WDAK, WGSY, WSTH-FM, WVRK
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	south947thelegend.iheart.com

WHAL (1460 AM, "South 94.7 The Legend") is a radio station licensed to serve Phenix City, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and licensed to CC Licenses, LLC. Its studios are in Columbus east of downtown, and its transmitter is southeast of downtown.

As of August 4th, 2014, it has a classic country format. Exceptions are made for University of Georgia men's basketball games and a local sports show hosted by Columbus, Georgia native and former National Basketball Association Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell.

History

Originally licensed as WPNX (for Phenix City), this station signed on the air in May 1952.^[2] WPNX aired a country & western music format throughout the 1960s and 1970s as "1460 Kickin' Country." In the late 1970s, the station flipped to Southern Gospel music.^[3] In the 1980s, WPNX tried a variety of formats as new FM stations gained popularity in the region.

In October 1984, Bi-State Broadcasting Company, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to JRM Broadcasting, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on December 7, 1984, and the transaction was consummated on March 6, 1985.^[4]

In September 1987, J.T. Milligan acquired positive control of JRM Broadcasting from James R. Martin through the purchase of stock. The transfer of control was approved by the FCC on September 21, 1987, and the transfer was consummated on September 30, 1987.^[5]

On February 1, 1989, the station changed callsigns to WIQN to match a shift to talk radio programing.^[1] On March 4, 1991, the station returned to its heritage WPNX call letters and a country music format.^[1]

JRM Broadcasting was forced to relocate the WPNX studios and radio tower after the Phenix City city council terminated its ground lease in August 1994 as part of renovation plans for Idle Hour Park.^[6] Before the move, WPNX was located in the former terminal building of the defunct Phenix City Airport.^[7] That building at 1002 Airport Road in Phenix City now houses the Phenix City Art Center.^[8] The transmitter site was moved to its current location at the intersection of North Lumpkin Road and US Highway 27 in Columbus, Georgia. Along with the move, the station reduced signal power to 4,000 watts daytime and 140 watts at night but switched to a non-directional signal pattern.^[9] Prior to the move, the station had a more powerful, but directional signal using two towers. ^[10]

Jim Martin and Tommy Milligan reached an agreement in January 1996 to sell JRM Broadcasting to a new company, M&M Partners, Inc., which they would continue to own jointly. The deal was approved by the FCC on February 21, 1996, and the transaction was consummated on February 29, 1996.^[11] In 1997, station owner M&M Partners Inc. added three more radio stations to its existing WPNX/WVRK cluster.^[12]

Cumulus Broadcasting entered the Columbus market in August 1997 by buying these five stations for $15 million from M&M Partners.^[13] The deal was approved by the FCC on October 28, 1997, and the transaction was consummated on January 7, 1998.^[14] The new owners flipped the station to a sports talk format including Atlanta Falcons football games and regular programming from ESPN Radio.^[15]

In July 2000, Cumulus Media Inc. (Lewis W. Dickey Jr., president) reached an agreement to sell this station to Clear Channel Communications Inc. (L. Lowry Mays, chairman) as part of an 80-station deal for a reported $166 million.^[13]^[16] After multiple formal objections to this deal, it was ultimately approved by the FCC on February 21, 2002, and the transaction was consummated on April 23, 2002.^[17] At the time of the sale, the station aired a Southern Gospel music format.^[16]

The station was assigned the current WHAL call letters by the FCC on May 2, 2003.^[1] From Spring 2003 until Spring 2006, this station aired a black gospel music format branded as "Hallelujah 1460".^[18]^[19] In early Summer 2006, WHAL switched to Spanish-language programming as "Viva 1460".^[20]

On May 15, 2009, the station flipped to sports talk as "Fox Sports 1460" airing Fox Sports Radio network programming. Another change to the Comedy 24/7 network occurred on October 29, 2012.

After the end of the 24/7 Comedy network, WHAL flipped to classic country (branded as "Classic Country 1460") on August 4, 2014.

On December 1, 2015 WHAL rebranded as "South 94.7 The Legend" (now simulcasting on FM translator W234BX 94.7 FM Highland Pines, GA).^[21]

Previous logos

(logo as Viva 1460 from 2006-2009) (logo under previous Fox Sports Radio format 2009-2012)

References

1 2 3 4 "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
↑ "Broadcasting Yearbook". Broadcasting Publications. 1973.
↑ "Sing spotlights Southern Gospel, local groups, singers scheduled for Nov. 2 event". Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. October 26, 2002. p. D2.
↑ "Application Search Details (BAL-19841025EH)". FCC Media Bureau. March 6, 1985.
↑ "Application Search Details (BTC-19870827EB)". FCC Media Bureau. September 30, 1987.
↑ "Designers hired to improve Phenix City's Idle Hour Park". Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. August 17, 1994. p. B2.
↑ "Phenix artists settle into new home, prepare show". Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. July 30, 1999. p. A2. Later, it became country station WPNX-AM. But before the building was a radio station, it was the airport terminal (though I wasn't here then).
↑ "Phenix City Arts Council".
↑ "Application Search Details (BP-19950215AC)". FCC Media Bureau. March 15, 1995.
↑ http://airfields-freeman.com/AL/Airfields_AL_SE_htm_m3433ff74.jpg
↑ "Application Search Details (BAL-19960131EB)". FCC Media Bureau. February 29, 1996.
↑ "Georgia Radio Purchase Establishes Dominant Player". Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. July 2, 1997.
1 2 "Eight local radio stations sold". Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. July 28, 2000. p. C8.
↑ "Application Search Details (BAL-19970905GW)". FCC Media Bureau. January 7, 1998.
↑ "Local stations drop Tide, Jackets". Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. August 24, 1998. p. B1.
1 2 "Combos - 7/31/2000". Broadcasting & Cable. July 31, 2000.
↑ "Application Search Details (BALH-20000728ACS)". FCC Media Bureau. April 23, 2002.
↑ "Alabama AM". Alabama Broadcast Media Page.
↑ "Spanish Radio Station Makes 10 Year Comeback". WTVM News Leader 9. June 1, 2007.
↑ "Llega VIVA 1460 AM a Columbus, GA". Radio Al Aire. April 11, 2006.
↑ iHeart Launches South 94.7 The Legend in Columbus, GA

External links

WHAL official website

Query the FCC's AM station database for WHAL

Radio-Locator Information on WHAL

Radio stations in the Columbus, Georgia market

By AM frequency	540 910 1230 1270 1340 1420 1460 1520 1580

By FM frequency	88.1 88.5 88.7 89.5 90.5 91.1 91.7 92.7 93.3 93.9 95.3 95.7 95.9 96.1 96.7 97.1 97.7 98.3 99.3 99.9 100.1 100.7 101.3 102.9 103.7 104.5 104.9 106.1 106.9 107.3

by call sign	WAGH WAUD WAUF WBFA WBOJ WBUE WCGQ WCUG WELL-FM WEGL WDAK WEAM-FM WFRC WFXE WGSY WHAL WIOL WIOL-FM WJSP-FM WKCN WKKR WKZJ WLTC WMXA WOKS WQNR WQSI WRCG WRLD WSTH-FM WTGZ WTJB WTLM WURY-LP WVFJ-FM WVRK WYFK WZMG

Defunct	WACM-LP (94.3 FM)

Georgia radio markets Albany Atlanta Augusta Brunswick Columbus Macon Savannah Valdosta Other Georgia radio regions Rome Thomasville/Bainbridge Waycross Alabama radio markets Birmingham Dothan Florence-Muscle Shoals Huntsville Mobile Montgomery Tuscaloosa Other Alabama radio regions Anniston Auburn Columbus, Georgia Gadsden Meridian, Mississippi See also List of radio stations in Georgia List of radio stations in Alabama

Country radio stations in the state of Alabama

Stations	WAAO-FM – Andalusia WAMI-FM – Opp WAOQ – Brantley WBAM-FM – Montgomery WBMH – Grove Hill WBZR-FM – Atmore WCKA – Jacksonville WCKF – Ashland WDJR – Enterprise/Dothan WDRM – Decatur WDXB – Pelham/Birmingham WDXX – Selma WECB – Headland WEIS – Centre WELB – Elba WELR-FM – Roanoke WERH-FM – Hamilton WFFN – Coaling/Tuscaloosa WFHK – Pell City WFMH-FM – Hackleburg WGOL – Russellville WHMA-FM – Hobson City WHSL – Lisman WINL – Linden WIXI – Jasper WJDB-FM – Thomasville WKDG – Sumiton WKEA-FM – Scottsboro WKGA – Goodwater WKKR – Auburn WKNU – Brewton WKSJ-FM – Mobile WKUL – Cullman WLAY-FM – Littleville WLDX – Fayette WLWI-FM – Montgomery WNPT-FM – Marion WOPP – Opp WPIL – Heflin WPPG – Repton WQAH-FM – Addison WQSB – Albertville WQSI – Tuskegee WQZX – Greenville WRAB – Arab WRMG – Red Bay WSTH-FM – Alexander City WTBC – Tuscaloosa WTDR – Gadsden WTDR-FM – Talladega WTID – Thomaston WTVY-FM – Dothan WTWX-FM – Guntersville WTXT – Fayette/Tuscaloosa WVSA – Vernon WVVL – Elba WWFF – New Market/Huntsville WWIC – Scottsboro WXFL – Florence WZOB – Fort Payne WZRR – Birmingham WZZK-FM – Birmingham

See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in Alabama

Country radio stations in the state of Georgia

Stations	WAAC – Valdosta WAJQ-FM – Alma WBAF – Barnesville WBTR-FM – Carrollton WBYZ – Baxley WCEH – Hawkinsville WCJM-FM – West Point WCOH – Newnan WCON – Cornelia WCON-FM – Cornelia WDEN – Macon WEKS – Zebulon WFDR - Manchester WFFM – Ashburn WGCO – Midway/Savannah WHIE – Griffin WHKN – Millen WIFO – Jesup WIHB – Macon WIHB-FM – Gray WISK-FM – Americus WJCL-FM – Savannah WJTH – Calhoun WKAA – Willacoochee WKAK – Albany WKBX – Kingsland WKCN – Lumpkin WKHX – Marietta WKKP – McDonough WKLY – Hartwell WKNG – Tallapoosa WKUB – Blackshear WKZR – Milledgeville WKZZ – Tifton WLHR – Lavonia WLJA – Ellijay WLYU – Lyons WMCG – Milan WMNZ – Montezuma WMOQ – Bostwick WNGC – Toccoa WOBB – Tifton WOKA-FM – Douglas WPEH – Louisville WPPL – Blue Ridge WQCH – Lafayette WQZY – Dublin WRJY – Brunswick WSCG – Augusta WSGA – Hinesville WSGC – Elberton WSNT – Sandersville WSNT-FM – Sandersville WSRM – Coosa WTHO – Thomson WTIF-FM – Omega WTSH – Aragon WTUF – Boston WUBL – Atlanta WUCG-LP – Blairsville WUFF – Eastman WUFF-FM – Eastman WULK – Crawfordville WXKO – Fort Valley WXLI – Dublin WXRS-FM – Swainsboro WYNR – Waycross WYUM – Mount Vernon WYYZ – Jasper WZAT – Tybee Island/Savannah WZCH – Warner Robins WZQZ – Trion

Defunct	WBBK – Blakely WCUG – Cuthbert

See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in Georgia

iHeartMedia

Corporate officers	Bob Pittman (Chairman/CEO)

Board of directors	Lowry Mays Irving Azoff B. J. "Red" McCombs J. C. Watts John H. Williams

Radio stations	List of radio stations owned by iHeartMedia

Radio networks	Fox Sports Radio Premiere Networks Premium Choice Total Traffic and Weather Network

Miscellaneous	Clear Channel Outdoor Clear Channel UK iHeartRadio List of programming syndicated by iHeartMedia Mediabase Radio Computing Services

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