WASK (AM)
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WASK
| logo = 150px
| city = Lafayette, Indiana
| area =
| branding = 101.7 The Hammer
| frequency = 1450 kHz
| translator = 101.7 W269DJ (Lafayette)
| airdate = {{start date and age|1942}}
| format = Sports
| power = 1,000 watts
| class = C
| facility_id = 71065
| callsign_meaning =
| former_callsigns =
| affiliations = ESPN Radio
Chicago Cubs Radio Network
Indianapolis Colts Radio Network
| owner = Saga Communications
| licensee = Saga Communications, LLC
| sister_stations = WASK-FM, WKHY, WKOA, WXXB
| webcast = [https://neuhoffmedialafayette.com/player/?playerID=2243 Listen Live]
| website = [https://1017thehammer.com/]
| licensing_authority= FCC
}}
WASK (1450 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Lafayette, Indiana.[http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?list=0&facid=71065 FCC Document] It broadcasts a sports radio format and is owned by Saga Communications. The studios and transmitter are at 3575 McCarty Lane in Lafayette. Most programming comes from ESPN Radio.
WASK is powered at 1,000 watts. Programming is also heard on FM translator W269DJ at 101.7 MHz in Lafayette. It uses the FM dial position in its moniker "101.7 The Hammer."
History
The station signed on the air in {{start date and age|1942}}. For many years it simulcast 98.7 WASK-FM, beginning in the mid-1990s. The simulcast began to be broken in early 2006 when the AM station aired broadcasts of the NCAA Championships and IRL Racing. Outside of these broadcasts, 1450 resumed simulcasting the FM's oldies format. However, in August 2006, the station began running independent from WASK-FM full-time when it acquired rights to run ESPN Radio in the Lafayette market.
It began running local sports in 2008 with former Purdue Boilermaker Offensive Lineman Kelly Kitchel, former WLFI-TV Personality Clayton Duffy and former Journal and Courier writer Brendan Murphy as hosts.
Schurz Communications announced on September 14, 2015 that it would exit broadcasting and sell its television and radio stations, including WASK, to Gray Television for $442.5 million.{{cite news|title=Schurz Communications to sell WSBT and other TV, radio stations|url=http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/schurz-communications-to-sell-wsbt-and-other-tv-radio-stations/article_e95251d6-5b1d-11e5-b80b-ef330f571e57.html|accessdate=September 14, 2015|work=South Bend Tribune|date=September 14, 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Kuperberg|first1=Jonathan|title=Gray Acquiring TV, Radio Stations from Schurz for $442.5 Million|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/gray-acquiring-tv-radio-stations-schurz-4425-million/144190|accessdate=September 14, 2015|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=September 14, 2015}} Though Gray initially intended to keep Schurz' radio stations, on November 2, it announced that Neuhoff Communications would acquire WASK and Schurz' other Lafayette radio stations for $8 million.{{cite news|title=Gray Sells Radio Stations From Schurz Deal|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/89665/gray-sells-radio-stations-from-schurz-deal|accessdate=November 2, 2015|work=TVNewsCheck|date=November 2, 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Venta|first1=Lance|title=Gray Television Divests Schurz Clusters To Three Buyers|url=https://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/95090/gray-television-divests-schurz-clusters-in-lafayette-south-bend/|accessdate=November 2, 2015|work=RadioInsight|date=November 2, 2015}}{{cite news|title=Neuhoff Picks Up Five More Stations|url=http://www.radioink.com/article.asp?id=2991193&spid=24698|accessdate=November 2, 2015|work=Radio Ink|date=November 1, 2015}}
On March 15, 2018, WASK rebranded as "101.7 The Hammer" (now simulcasting on FM translator W269DJ 101.7 FM Lafayette).[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/167143/neuhoff-drops-a-hammer-into-lafayette-in/ Neuhoff Drops a Hammer Into Lafayette IN] Radioinsight - March 16, 2018
Programming
WASK is the Lafayette radio market's ESPN Radio Network affiliate. 101.7 The Hammer also airs live sports broadcasts including the Chicago Cubs, Indianapolis Colts, the NCAA Tournament, Purdue football tailgate show, college football, Monday Night Football, Bowl Championship Series, high school football, Super Bowl and NFL Playoffs.
Jeff Strange is Program Director.
Previous logo
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=49203 FCC History Cards for WASK]
- [https://1017thehammer.com/ 101.7 The Hammer Website]
- [http://www.espnradio.com ESPN Radio Website]
- {{AM station data|71065|WASK}}
- {{FCC-LMS-Facility|200917|W269DJ}}
- {{FXL|W269DJ}}
{{Lafayette IN Radio}}
{{Sports Radio Stations in Indiana}}
{{ESPN Indiana}}
{{coord|40|24|08|N|86|50|59|W|type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC|display=title}}
Category:Sports radio stations in the United States
Category:Radio stations established in 1942