WHOS

Weekdays on WHOS begin with Alabama's Morning News with JT, based at co-owned WERC-FM in Birmingham. The rest of the weekday schedule is made up of nationally syndicated talk shows, mostly from co-owned Premiere Networks: The Glenn Beck Radio Program, The Sean Hannity Show, The Michael Berry Show, The Jesse Kelly Show, Our American Stories with Lee Habeeb and Coast to Coast AM with George Noory.

Weekends feature shows on money, health, technology, travel and religion. Weekend syndicated programs include Rudy Maxa World Travel, The Weekend with Michael Brown, Armstrong & Getty, Rich DeMuro on Tech, The Ben Ferguson Show and Sunday Night with Bill Cunningham. Most hours begin with an update from Fox News Radio.

In addition to its regularly scheduled talk programming, the station is an affiliate of the Auburn Tigers football radio network.{{cite web |publisher=The Auburn University Official Athletic Site |title=Football Affiliates |url=http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sponsorship/aub-footbl-affiliates.html |access-date=December 4, 2008}} It also carries Auburn Tigers men's basketball.{{cite web |publisher=The Auburn University Official Athletic Site |title=Basketball Affiliates |url=http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sponsorship/aub-baskbl-affiliates.html |access-date=December 4, 2008}}

The station signed on the air in October 1948 as a 1,000-watt daytime-only station broadcasting at 800 kHz.{{cite book |title=Broadcasting Yearbook |year=1952 |publisher=Broadcasting Publications}} Originally owned by North Alabama Broadcasting, the station was randomly assigned the WHOS call letters by the Federal Communications Commission; they do not stand for anything in particular.{{cite web |title=Call Sign History |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=44023&Callsign=WHOS |work=FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database}}

As a daytime-only station, WHOS could not broadcast at night. XEROK in Ciudad Juarez is the Class A station on the frequency and WHOS had to go off the air to avoid interference. WHOS ran a country music format for most of its first 40 years.

In February 1987, the broadcast license for WHOS was transferred from Dixie Broadcasting, Inc., to Dixie Broadcasting, Inc. as Debtor-In-Possession. The transfer was approved by the FCC on February 26, 1987.{{cite web |work=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-19870217GF) |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=97834 |date=February 26, 1987}} Dixie Broadcasting had filed bankruptcy in an effort to stave off an adverse civil lawsuit outcome regarding the contracted sale of WDRM to W.H. Pollard, Jr., the then-owner of WBHP (1230 AM) in Huntsville, Alabama.{{cite web |work=United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit |title=871 F.2d 1023 In re Dixie Broadcasting Inc. |url=http://www.altlaw.org/v1/cases/429820 |date=April 28, 1989}}

In October 1988, the station, which had been airing a Southern Gospel music format, flipped to an all-Elvis Presley format. It used the advertising tagline "WHOS alive?".{{cite news |work=Los Angeles Times |first=John |last=Voland |title=Radio |date=1988-10-05 |quote=Straight from the gospel to the Pelvis . . . such is the overnight odyssey of radio station WHOS in Decatur, Ala., which switched formats overnight from gospel music and religious programming to an all-Elvis format Monday morning... }} This novel format garnered the station national media attention, but failed to gain a local audience and lasted just six months, in effect a lengthy stunt.{{cite book |title=Images of Elvis Presley in American Culture, 1977-1997: The Mystery Terrain |first=George |last=Plasketes |page=[https://archive.org/details/imagesofelvispre00plas/page/22 22] |quote=WHOS in Decatur, Alabama underwent a similar short-lived experiment, converting from gospel to an all-Elvis format, which for six months generated more media attention than listenership. |publisher=Haworth Press |year=1997 |isbn=1-56024-910-2 |url=https://archive.org/details/imagesofelvispre00plas|url-access=registration }} After the Elvis format ended, WHOS switched to a simulcast of WDRM and its country music format, which was by this time very successful and among North Alabama's top-rated stations.

In January 1992, a deal was reached for the broadcast license for WHOS to be transferred from Dixie Broadcasting, Inc. as Debtor-In-Possession back to Dixie Broadcasting, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on March 26, 1992, and the transaction was consummated on September 15, 1992.{{cite web |work=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-19920129HE) |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=169173 |date=September 15, 1992}}

In December 1991, Dixie Broadcasting, Inc., reached an agreement to merge ownership of this station with the ownership of WBHP to a new company named Mountain Lakes Broadcasting, Inc., pending the resolution of Dixie's legal difficulties.{{cite web |work=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BTC-19911204HS) |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=167657 |date=November 11, 1993}} In October 1993, with Dixie Broadcasting back in good financial standing and the legal issues settled by the appeals courts, the merger moved forward.{{cite news |work=The Huntsville Times |title=Area radio stations merge |page=A2 |date=November 20, 1993}} The deal was approved by the FCC on November 3, 1993, and the transaction was consummated on November 11, 1993.{{cite web |work=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-19931008GE) |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=190736 |date=November 11, 1993}}

In November 1996, J. Mack Bramlett, W.H. Pollard Jr., and Trust B Under The Will Of W.H. Pollard Sr. reached an agreement to transfer control of Mountain Lakes Broadcasting, licensee of this station as well as WDRM and WBHP, to Osborn Communications Corporation.{{cite news |work=The Huntsville Times |title=WDRM gets new owner; format to stay country |first=Mike |last=Kaylor |page=B1 |date=November 21, 1996}} The deal was approved by the FCC on January 29, 1997.{{cite web |work=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BTC-19961205GJ) |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=237248 |date=January 29, 1997}} By May 1997, the three stations were part of the Capstar group, which was also in the process of acquiring WWXQ, WXQW, and WTAK-FM.{{cite news |title=Elsewhere |work=The M Street Journal |date=May 28, 1997 |page=7}} In November 1997, WHOS and WBHP dropped their shared country music format for an all-news format featuring CNN Radio 24 hours a day.{{cite news |work=The Huntsville Times |title=AM stations switch to all news format |first=Dean |last=Smallwood |page=G6}}

Capstar and Chancellor Media announced in August 1998 that they would merge (Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst was a major shareholder in both companies);{{cite news |work=The Huntsville Times |title=Five area stations involved in radio merger |date=August 27, 1998 |page=B6}}{{cite news |last1=Littleton |first1=Cynthia |title=Chancellor, Capstar ink merger |url=https://variety.com/1998/biz/news/chancellor-capstar-ink-merger-1117479917/ |access-date=April 9, 2023 |work=Variety |date=August 28, 1998}} upon the merger's completion in July 1999, the combined company was named AMFM Inc.{{cite news |title=Chancellor/Capstar merger creates AMFM Inc. |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/1999/07/12/daily6.html |access-date=April 9, 2023 |work=Austin Business Journal |date=July 13, 1999}} In September 1998, Mountain Lakes Broadcasting, LLC, filed to transfer the WHOS license to Ameron Broadcasting Corporation. The transfer was approved by the FCC on October 2, 1998, and the transaction was consummated on November 5, 1998.{{cite web |work=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-19980928GE) |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/comment.pl?Application_id=274446&File_number=BAL-19980928GE |date=November 5, 1998}} In February 1999, Ameron filed to transfer the station to Capstar Royalty II Corporation. This was approved by the FCC on March 2, 1999, and the transaction was consummated on March 5, 1999.{{cite web |work=FCC Media Bureau |title=Application Search Details (BAL-19990203GK) |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=281331 |date=March 5, 1999}}

AMFM was acquired by Clear Channel Communications (forerunner to iHeartMedia) in a deal announced on October 4, 1999,{{cite news |title=Clear Channel, AMFM deal |url=https://money.cnn.com/1999/10/04/deals/clear/ |access-date=April 9, 2023 |work=CNN Money |date=October 4, 1999}} and completed in August 2000.{{cite news |author=Variety Staff |title=Clear Channel brings AMFM into focus |url=https://variety.com/2000/more/news/clear-channel-brings-amfm-into-focus-1117785751/ |access-date=April 9, 2023 |work=Variety |date=August 30, 2000}} The five Huntsville stations affected in the merger were a small part of the larger $16.6 billion transaction.{{cite news |work=The Huntsville Times |title=Clear Channel buys AMFM for $16.6B |page=B6 |date=October 5, 1999}}

WHOS's simulcast with WBHP ended in 2024, after that station's tower collapsed; WBHP's programming would continue on WHOS, WDRM-HD2, and FM translator W273CX (102.5 FM). The WBHP license was surrendered in February 2025;{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=FCC Report 2/16: KILT Proposes Signal Upgrade |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/294857/fcc-report-2-16-kilt-proposes-signal-upgrade/ |access-date=February 16, 2025 |work=RadioInsight |date=February 16, 2025}} on March 4, iHeartMedia filed to change WHOS's call sign to WBHP effective March 31.{{cite web |last1=Langham |first1=Troy G |title=Form 380 - Change Request |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/draftCopy.html?displayType=html&appKey=25076ff39549b18301954d9d919f023b&id=25076ff39549b18301954d9d919f023b&goBack=N |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=March 6, 2025 |date=March 4, 2025}}

Notable former WHOS on-air staff included George Rose, who, along with his alter-ego "Cousin Josh" character, hosted "The Cousin Josh Jam-O-Ree" on several North Alabama radio stations in a career that began in 1948 and ended with his death in 2006.{{cite news |title=George Rose, famous as radio's 'Cousin Josh,' dies at 78; funeral today. |work=The Decatur Daily |date=2006-12-09 |last=Bishop |first=Kristen }}

WHOS and sister station WBHP were the broadcast flagships for the 1999-2000 final season of the Huntsville Channel Cats and for the short-lived Huntsville Tornado for the 2000-2001 hockey season.{{cite news |work=The Huntsville Times |title=City's 'new' CHL club hits ice for exhibition |first=Darrell |last=Ponder |page=C3 |date=October 5, 2000}} Both teams played their home games at the Von Braun Center and competed in the Central Hockey League.

{{reflist|2}}

• [https://wbhpam.iheart.com/ WHOS official website]

{{AM station data|44023|WHOS}}

{{Huntsville radio}}

{{IHeartMedia}}

HOS

Category:News and talk radio stations in the United States

Category:Radio stations established in 1948

Category:Morgan County, Alabama

Category:IHeartMedia radio stations

Category:1948 establishments in Alabama