Radio Station Disappears

[KingBubba]

Almost not believable:

Alabama station in disbelief after 200-foot radio tower stolen

Radio station WJLX can no longer broadcast its AM programming since the incident.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[hjames]

The real story is there were no reports or calls from their listeners. The station management didn't know it was missing
(apparently) until the grounds maintenance crew reported it missing.
Imagine a 200 foot tower being scavenged in pieces ... and the transmitter gear too! Outrageous!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/02/09/alabama-radio-station-tower-missing/

 

[old_tv_nut]

The thing that is most unbelievable to me is that they weren't monitoring the signal themselves. Not only would they lose ad revenue if spnsors found out, but the FCC could fine them for not providing service in their licensed bandwidth (the idea being that the license could go to someone who would actually use it.)

 

[davidhun]

Smart guy Jeff Geerling did a video with his dad (who is an honest-to-god broadcast radio engineer) and had the nicest, most roundabout way of saying that this was basically some shady business:

 

[hopeless]

Almost not believable:

Alabama station in disbelief after 200-foot radio tower stolen

Radio station WJLX can no longer broadcast its AM programming since the incident.

www.nbcnews.com

How do you do this?

 

[Shominy]

Wow.
I wonder if it was just simple thievery, or prompted by something else.

From Wikipedia:
... ... On September 14, 2009, WJLX changed its format to oldies, branded as "Oldies 101.5", in conjunction with the launch of FM translator W268BM (101.5 MHz). At the time, the area had no station playing oldies music.[16] Unable to pay debts and financially insolvent, Wal Win sold WJLX to the Hattie Reese Trust effective January 19, 2017, for $150,000. The trust acquired W268BM, which was owned separately, at the same time.[17] The station's license was subsequently assigned to John Burdette upon the dissolution of the trust effective November 20, 2017. Effective May 1, 2018, the station was sold to Don Earley, who owns the Alabama Cable Network. In 2022, the station was honored by the Alabama Broadcasters Association for its continuous airing of Words of Truth, a religious program on the air in morning drive for 75 years and presented live every day of the year; that same year, the station relocated its studios to a site on U.S. 78.[18]

In February 2024, the station, which has gone silent several times throughout the last few years due to deferred maintenance involving the 1240 AM tower southeast of Jasper that is slowly being repaired, posted on its Facebook page that the station's entire antenna, including the 200 ft (61 m) mast, and most of its transmission equipment within a building, was stolen, rendering it unable to broadcast at all over the AM band.[19] The station's request to continue broadcasting on FM was denied by the FCC.[20] .. ..


The content seems innocuous enough, but who knows.

Listen live

Home - WJLX 101.5 FM

Radio station/group website.

www.wjlx1015.com

<and with no ad-blocker wall>

Oldies 101.5 & 1240

Listen to Oldies 101.5 & 1240 live

radiostationusa.fm

 

[highvoltage_]

The real story is there were no reports or calls from their listeners. The station management didn't know it was missing
(apparently) until the grounds maintenance crew reported it missing.
Imagine a 200 foot tower being scavenged in pieces ... and the transmitter gear too! Outrageous!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/02/09/alabama-radio-station-tower-missing/

Link is behind a pay wall.

 

[JediDude]

Talk about cojones on those guys.....

 

[Pio1980]

Wow.
I wonder if it was just simple thievery, or prompted by something else.

From Wikipedia:
... ... On September 14, 2009, WJLX changed its format to oldies, branded as "Oldies 101.5", in conjunction with the launch of FM translator W268BM (101.5 MHz). At the time, the area had no station playing oldies music.[16] Unable to pay debts and financially insolvent, Wal Win sold WJLX to the Hattie Reese Trust effective January 19, 2017, for $150,000. The trust acquired W268BM, which was owned separately, at the same time.[17] The station's license was subsequently assigned to John Burdette upon the dissolution of the trust effective November 20, 2017. Effective May 1, 2018, the station was sold to Don Earley, who owns the Alabama Cable Network. In 2022, the station was honored by the Alabama Broadcasters Association for its continuous airing of Words of Truth, a religious program on the air in morning drive for 75 years and presented live every day of the year; that same year, the station relocated its studios to a site on U.S. 78.[18]

In February 2024, the station, which has gone silent several times throughout the last few years due to deferred maintenance involving the 1240 AM tower southeast of Jasper that is slowly being repaired, posted on its Facebook page that the station's entire antenna, including the 200 ft (61 m) mast, and most of its transmission equipment within a building, was stolen, rendering it unable to broadcast at all over the AM band.[19] The station's request to continue broadcasting on FM was denied by the FCC.[20] .. ..


The content seems innocuous enough, but who knows.

Listen live

Home - WJLX 101.5 FM

Radio station/group website.

www.wjlx1015.com

<and with no ad-blocker wall>

Oldies 101.5 & 1240

Listen to Oldies 101.5 & 1240 live

radiostationusa.fm

I was wondering if it had gone "dark" previous to the theft and that's why nobody noticed.
Some lack of detail clarity in the reports.

 

[dosmalo]

And here also.

www.fox8live.com › 2024/01/17 › disbelief-thieves‘Disbelief’: Thieves cut down 500-foot radio tower to steal ...​

 

[usedto]

And here also.

www.fox8live.com › 2024/01/17 › disbelief-thieves‘Disbelief’: Thieves cut down 500-foot radio tower to steal ...​

Idiots. Coax cable won't generate much copper if any. Kind of like the idiots around here who steal fiber optic cables

 

[dly66]

Had a Winston-Salem station have their AM towers cut down early last year took them off the air. Sometimes catch Westwood One football on WSJS they have an FM repeater on this side of Greensboro about 3 miles from where I live. Get to listen in FM stereo. Have not seen updates if they caught anybody or why they cut them down.

 

[ra7c7er]

Seems kind of fishy. I have a feeling they wanted to go FM only and this was an out. From what I read on another site the FCC denial has to do with the suspicious nature of the tower and equipment missing.

 

[Pio1980]

Afaik, the tower is generally the major investment for an AM station. Losing the tower is devastating for the installation.
Otoh, there are AM stations going dark due to red ink losses.
It also happens accidentally.;

KFI Tower Falls

 

[OBMG74]

Smart guy Jeff Geerling did a video with his dad (who is an honest-to-god broadcast radio engineer) and had the nicest, most roundabout way of saying that this was basically some shady business:

Thanks for posting that, fascinating to see how all of that works from the guy who oversaw the installation upgrade.

EDIT: I watched the wrong Greeling video 1st which was a tour of KMOX in St. Louis which generated my comment above,

After watching the "They Stole The Whole Tower?" video:
Nope, can't be done by thieves covertly, very fishy.

 

[DeadRock]

Corporations are divesting themselves of terrestrial radio...news at 11...

 

[Pio1980]

In a Challenging Era, AM Stations Still Have Options - Radio World

If you’re faced with the prospect of an AM site move, keep these options in mind.

www.radioworld.com

 

[turnitdown]

AM stations are all about real estate for the ground plane. I bet it was an inside job and the intention was to ask forgiveness from the FCC and continue broadcasting on the FM translator. Happens all the time - AMs go dark because utilities and real estate are a black money hole.

 

[Pio1980]

AM stations are all about real estate for the ground plane. I bet it was an inside job and the intention was to ask forgiveness from the FCC and continue broadcasting on the FM translator. Happens all the time - AMs go dark because utilities and real estate are a black money hole.

Could be.

 

[turnitdown]

There are hundreds of pounds of copper in the ground plane. I spent 35 years in radio and I've seen a lot. Most AM station these days are going dark. These guys just took it further and seemingly cashed out.