WEDI (AM)

WEDI
Simulcast of WBZI, Xenia
Broadcast areaPreble County
Frequency1130 kHz
BrandingReal Roots Radio
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatClassic country
AffiliationsFox News Radio
Ohio News Network
United Stations Radio Networks
Ohio Ag Net
Brownfield Network
Ownership
OwnerTown and Country Broadcasting, Inc.
WBZI, WKFI
History
First air date
August 1981 (1981-08)
Former call signs
WCTM (1981–2004)
Call sign meaning
Eaton Dayton Indiana
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID71930
ClassD
Power250 watts day
Transmitter coordinates
39°44′55″N 84°35′02″W / 39.74861°N 84.58389°W / 39.74861; -84.58389
Translator(s)105.5 W288DJ (Eaton)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live
Listen live (via TuneIn)
Websiterealrootsradio.com

WEDI (1130 kHz "Real Roots Radio") is a daytime-only commercial AM radio station, licensed to Eaton, Ohio.

History

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WEDI began in 1981 as WCTM, a continuation of a beautiful music format which aired originally at 92.9 FM (the present-day WGTZ) where the WCTM calls originated in 1959. In June 2004, while battling with health problems and age, Stanley Coning, the owner, operator, chief engineer and announcer of "Radio Ranch 1130 WCTM", announced his official retirement from radio broadcasting and bid farewell to his many listeners. Stanley Coning died on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2010, at his Eaton residence and is buried with his wife Helen in neighboring West Alexandria.

The transmitter site and three towers (home built by Coning himself) remain located in the Preble County rural community of Glenwood, just east of Eaton. Its "figure 8" east to west directional pattern allows the station to be heard as far west as Greenfield in Central Indiana, as well as in London, Ohio.

The Brownfield Network was carried by the former WCTM throughout the 1980s and 90s. Since the purchase of the Eaton AM outlet, WEDI (through originator WBZI) revived the WCTM tradition serving its eastern Indiana listeners airing Brownfield Network programming in addition to the Ohio Ag Net (the direct descendant of the original ABN) for Ohio farmers.

Classic Country Radio

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The station returned to the air in July 2004 as WEDI, now owned by Town and Country Broadcasting. Its current format, "Classic Country Radio", consists of country oldies from the 1950s up to the 1980s as well as bluegrass and country gospel music. The station is the Western Ohio/Eastern Indiana repeater of WBZI (AM) 1500 in Xenia, Ohio, which serves Xenia, Springfield, eastern Dayton and surrounding areas. WKFI (AM) 1090 in Wilmington, Ohio is the other repeater, serving southwestern Ohio and portions of Northern Kentucky as well as metropolitan Cincinnati.

Real Roots Radio

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On March 23, 2018, WEDI rebranded as "Real Roots Radio".[2]

WEDI is simulcast on 105.5 FM (translator W288DJ) also in Eaton.

The call sign WEDI had once been assigned to the passenger liner SS America of the United States Lines.

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WEDI". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ Ohio Classic Country Trimulcast Rebrands as Real Roots Radio Radioinsight - March 23, 2018
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