WMOB

WMOB (1360 AM) is a radio station licensed to serve Mobile, Alabama, United States. The station, founded in 1961 as WLIQ, is owned by Buddy Tucker Association, Inc.

WMOB
CityMobile, Alabama
Frequency1360 kHz
Slogan"Mobile's Christian Voice"
Programming
FormatSilent (formerly Religious)
Ownership
OwnerBuddy Tucker Association, Inc.
WTOF
History
First air date
January 25, 1961 (1961-01-25)[1]
Last air date
November 22, 2020 (2020-11-22)[2]
Former call signs
WLIQ (1961-1980)[1]
WPCY (1980-1981)
WIXO (1981-1984)[3]
Call sign meaning
MOBile
Technical information
Facility ID7740
ClassB
Power9,000 watts (day)
200 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
30°40′54″N 88°0′2″W
Links
WebsiteBuddy Tucker Association, Inc.

WMOB is currently silent, but previously broadcast a religious format to the Mobile metropolitan area.[4] WMOB's broadcast schedule consisted of a mix of local, brokered, and syndicated Christian ministry and inspirational programming.

History

The WLIQ era

This station first signed on the air on January 25, 1961, as WLIQ, a 5,000-watt AM station owned by E. W. Jemison and Frank Conwell, a partnership doing business as Jemcon Broadcasting Company.[1] The new station aired an easy listening format.[5] On April 1, 1964, Jemcon Broadcasting Company, Inc., sold WLIQ to Hartzog Broadcasting, Inc., and the broadcast studios were moved to the historic Sheraton Battle House Hotel.[6] The new owners transitioned the station's playlist to a middle of the road music format.[5]

On July 26, 1971, WLIQ was acquired from Hartzog Broadcasting, Inc., by Southland of Alabama, Inc., and moved to new studios.[7] During the 1970s, the station broadcast first a top 40 format, then later a country music format.[5][7]

As WPCY

After nearly 20 years as WLIQ, the station applied and was assigned the call letters WPCY by the Federal Communications Commission on June 30, 1980.[3] A new format accompanied the new callsign as WPCY flipped to talk radio.[5]

In February 1981, Southland of Alabama, Inc., agreed to sell this station to WPCY Broadcasting Company, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on February 26, 1981.[8] The new owners put the station up for sale almost immediately and in June 1981 made a deal to sell WPCY to Beacon Broadcasting, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on October 14, 1981.[9] As long-lived as the previous call letters had been, the new ones would prove short-lived and a changed was made to WIXO on November 30, 1981.[3]

WMOB returns

In March 1984, Beacon Broadcasting, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to Buddy Tucker Enterprises, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on May 4, 1984, and the transaction was consummated on June 27, 1984.[10] The new owners had the FCC change the station's callsign to the historic WMOB, one of the oldest callsigns in Alabama radio.[3] (The original WMOB began broadcasting in 1939.)[11] In February 1991, Buddy Tucker Enterprises, Inc., applied to the FCC to transfer the broadcast license for WMOB to Buddy Tucker Association, Inc. The transfer was approved by the FCC on February 20, 1991, and the transaction was consummated on April 9, 1991.[12] The station ceased broadcasting on November 22, 2020, citing the owner's advanced age (over 90 years old) as the primary reason.[2]

References
  1. "Directory of AM and FM Radio stations in the U.S.". 1961-1962 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1962. p. B-6.
  2. Venta, Lance (November 20, 2020). "Pair Of Mobile AMs To Cease Operations". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  3. "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
  4. "Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
  5. "AM History Profile: WTOF". Alabama Broadcast Media Page. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
  6. "Directory of AM and FM Radio stations in the U.S.". 1965 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1965. p. B-6.
  7. "Directory of Radio Stations in the United States and Canada". Broadcasting Yearbook 1979. Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1979. p. C-7.
  8. "Application Search Details (BAL-19810112FV)". FCC Media Bureau. February 26, 1981.
  9. "Application Search Details (BAL-19810505FR)". FCC Media Bureau. October 14, 1981.
  10. "Application Search Details (BAL-19840321ET)". FCC Media Bureau. June 27, 1984.
  11. "Directory of Standard Broadcasting Stations of the United States". 1944 Broadcasting-Telecasting Yearbook. Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1944. p. 74.
  12. "Application Search Details (BAL-19910211EC)". FCC Media Bureau. April 9, 1991.
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