WOVO (FM)
{{Short description|Radio stations in Auburn, Kentucky}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WOVO
| city = Auburn, Kentucky
| country = US
| logo = File:WOVO Bigfoot Legends 96.7 FM (2025).png
| area = Bowling Green area
| branding = Bigfoot Legends 96.7 FM
| frequency = 96.7 MHz
| repeater = 106.3 WBVR-FM HD2 (Horse Cave)
| airdate = {{start date and age|1965|05}}
| format = Country
| erp = 45,000 watts
| haat = {{Convert|129|m}}
| class = C2
| facility_id = 71244
| licensing_authority = FCC
| coordinates = {{coord|36|50|35|N|86|15|30|W|type:landmark_scale:2000_region:US-KY}}
| callsign_meaning =
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WLBJ-FM (1965–1987)|WCBZ (1987–1992)|WBZD (1992–1993)|WMJM (1993–1994)|WBVR-FM (1994–2025)}}
| former_frequencies =
| affiliations = Compass Media Networks
| owner = Seven Mountains Media
| licensee = Southern Belle Media Family, LLC[http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WBVR-FM "WBVR-FM Facility Record"]. United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
| sister_stations = W240CP, WBVR, WBVR-FM, WPTQ, WUHU, WWKU, WKLX
| webcast = {{listenlive|https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/WOVO}}
| website = {{URL|https://bigfootlegendsky.com}}
}}
WOVO (96.7 FM) is a country music–formatted radio station licensed to Auburn, Kentucky, United States, and serving the Bowling Green area. The station is owned by Seven Mountains Media. The station share studios on Scottsville Road in southern Bowling Green, and the station's transmitter is located in northwestern Allen County just east of Alvaton.
History
=As WLBJ-FM (1963–1987)=
On December 11, 1963, Bowling Green Broadcasters, Inc., a subsidiary of Bahakel Communications and owner of WLBJ (1410 AM), received a construction permit to build a new FM radio station in Bowling Green on 96.7 MHz.{{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=81847 |title= History Cards for WBVR-FM|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} (Guide to reading History Cards){{cite news|title=WLBJ Gets Approval For FM Station|work=Park City Daily News|date=December 13, 1963|page=2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j-YcAAAAIBAJ&dq=WLBJ-FM&pg=PA14&article_id=2832,3640781|via=Google Books}} WLBJ-FM began broadcasting in May 1965.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94289890/wlbj-offering-fm-broadcasts/|date=May 23, 1965|page=29|title=WLBJ Offering FM Broadcasts|newspaper=The Park City Daily News|location=Bowling Green, Kentucky|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 5, 2022|archive-date=February 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205213651/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94289890/wlbj-offering-fm-broadcasts/|url-status=live}} This was the first time WLBJ had offered an FM service since the early 1950s, when it owned WBON, later WLBJ-FM.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94290419/wlbjs-fm-station-wbon-resumes-broadca/|date=December 10, 1950|page=2|title=WLBJ's FM Station, WBON, Resumes Broadcasting|newspaper=The Park City Daily News|location=Bowling Green, Kentucky|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 5, 2022|archive-date=February 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205213652/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94290419/wlbjs-fm-station-wbon-resumes/|url-status=live}}
By the late 1970s, the station was airing an album-oriented rock format known as "Natural 97 FM".{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94290596/mr-natural-four-and-a-half-years-after/|date=November 2, 1979|page=7-B|first=Richard|last=Ribar|title=Mr. Natural: Four and a half years after 97, Preston is leaving Bowling Green|newspaper=The Park City Daily News|location=Bowling Green, Kentucky|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 5, 2022|archive-date=February 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205213652/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94290596/mr-natural-four-and-a-half-years/|url-status=live}} This shifted to contemporary hit radio "BJ-97" in 1980.
=Final years of Bahakel ownership (1987–1992)=
In 1987, the station's callsign was changed to WCBZ, resulting in the rebranding to "Z-97".
In 1991, Bahakel announced it would sell WCBZ to Target Communications;{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94283313/wcbz-fm-sale-pending-approval/|date=August 21, 1991|page=3-A|title=WCBZ-FM sale pending approval|newspaper=The Park City Daily News|location=Bowling Green, Kentucky|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 5, 2022|archive-date=February 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205213652/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94283313/wcbz-fm-sale-pending-approval/|url-status=live}} it retained the AM, which it opted to shut down for good in December, with the FM station remaining silent until Target completed the sale.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94283116/bg-radio-stations-sign-off-the-air/|date=December 8, 1991|page=4-A|title=BG radio stations sign off the air|newspaper=The Park City Daily News|location=Bowling Green, Kentucky|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 5, 2022|archive-date=February 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205213709/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94283116/bg-radio-stations-sign-off-the-air/|url-status=live}}
=As a mainstream rock station (1992–1994)=
After an upgrade to 25,000 watts, WCBZ returned to the air in 1992 as rock station WBZD "Buzzard 96.7".{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94293560/radio-stations-rocknroll-formats-are/|date=January 27, 1993|page=4-A|title=Radio stations' rock'n'roll formats are missed|newspaper=The Park City Daily News|location=Bowling Green, Kentucky|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 5, 2022|archive-date=February 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205213653/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94293560/radio-stations-rocknroll-formats-are/|url-status=live}} The format then changed again when the station rebranded itself "Magic" with the callsign changing to WMJM in 1993.
=As the "Beaver" (1994–2025)=
{{see also|WUBT}}
In July 1994, the Beaver brand and format moved to WMJM, which became the new WBVR-FM, and to a second station, WVVR (100.3 MHz) in Hopkinsville.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94284222/where-did-1011-fm-go/|date=July 28, 1994|page=2|title=Where Did 101.1 FM Go?|newspaper=News-Democrat and Leader|location=Russellville, Kentucky|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 5, 2022|archive-date=February 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205213710/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94284222/where-did-1011-fm-go/|url-status=live}} Keymarket Communications, which shared some ownership with Target, had simultaneously acquired the previous Beaver station, 101.1 MHz from Russellville, along with WLAC and WLAC-FM in Nashville; the Beaver move freed up the 101.1 facility to gear itself toward Nashville as R&B-formatted WJCE-FM "The Juice".{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1994/BB-1994-07-30.pdf|date=July 30, 1994|magazine=Billboard|first=Phyllis|last=Stark|page=122|title=Apocalypse Soon, Says Family Radio Chief; Clinton Backs Off Broadcaster Spectrum Tax|access-date=2022-02-05|archive-date=2021-09-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924212500/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1994/BB-1994-07-30.pdf|url-status=live}}
The 25,000-watt upgrade was finally approved in 2001; as a result, the city of license for the station was changed from Bowling Green to Auburn, Kentucky.
In an unknown year, the station was bought by Forever Communications.
=Seven Mountains Media acquisition=
In September 2023, it was announced that Seven Mountains Media would acquire four Forever Communications stations in the Bowling Green area for just over $1.1 million.{{Cite web |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=September 15, 2023 |title=Seven Mountains Media Acquires Bowling Green KY Cluster |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/258875/seven-mountains-media-acquires-bowling-green-ky-cluster/ |access-date=January 11, 2025 |website=RadioInsight}} The other stations include WBGN, WLYE-FM, and WUHU.
=Frequency swap with WBVR-FM, and Bigfoot Country (2025–present)=
On January 10, 2025, Seven Mountains Media moved WBVR-FM to 106.3, formerly WOVO; the WOVO call sign moved to 96.7, which moved to a classic country format using Seven Mountains' "Bigfoot Legends" branding.{{Cite web |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=January 10, 2025 |title=Seven Mountains Completes Bowling Green Format Shuffle |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/290489/wheel-of-format-stunt-on-wovo-promotes-double-flip-in-bowling-green/ |access-date=January 11, 2025 |website=RadioInsight}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{FM station data|71244|WOVO}}
- [https://bigfootlegendsky.com/ Station Website]
{{Bowling Green Radio}}
{{Country Radio Stations in Kentucky}}
{{Seven Mountains Media}}
Category:Classic country radio stations in the United States
Category:Seven Mountains Media
Category:Radio stations established in 1965