 | |
| Broadcast area | Columbus metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 880kHz |
| Branding | The Word 880 AM 104.5 FM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Christian talk and teaching |
| Network | SRN News |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WTOH | |
| History | |
First air date | September 27, 1947; 77 years ago (1947-09-27) |
Call sign meaning | Rural Free Delivery |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 58630 |
| Class | D |
| Power | 23,000 watts (daytime only) 6,100 watts (critical hours) |
Transmitter coordinates | 39°56′31″N83°1′20″W / 39.94194°N 83.02222°W /39.94194; -83.02222 |
| Translator(s) | 104.5 W283CL (Columbus) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live Listen live (via Audacy) Listen live (via iHeartRadio) |
| Website | wrfd.com |
WRFD (880kHz) is acommercialAMradio stationlicensed to bothColumbus andWorthington, Ohio. It is owned by theSalem Media Group and broadcasts aChristian talk and teachingradio format. WRFD andsister stationWTOH (98.9 FM) share studios on North High Street in the northwest portion of Columbus.
By day, WRFD is powered at 23,000wattsnon-directional. (6,100 watts duringcritical hours.) The AMtransmitter is near the former site ofCooper Stadium in the Franklinton section of the city's west side.[2] WRFD is licensed by theFederal Communications Commission as adaytime-only station. To avoid interference, it is required tosign off at local sunset to protectWHSQ inNew York City, a 50,000-wattclear-channel station using the same frequency. Despite the interruption of over-the-air service, WRFD can be heard around the clock on 250-wattFM translator stationW283CL (104.5 FM), which launched in November 2016.
WRFDsigned on the air on September 14, 1947; 77 years ago (1947-09-14). It broadcast only during the day, originally at 5,000 watts of power. It was owned and operated by Peoples Broadcasting Company.[3] Peoples Broadcasting was asubsidiary of the Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company (the present-dayNationwide Mutual Insurance Company; the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation was Nationwide's founding member). WRFD was originally aimed at the regionalagricultural market (hence the use ofRFD, orrural free delivery), and had its studios and transmitter located on East Powell Road in ruralDelaware County, north of Columbus.
WRFD held aconstruction permit for an FM station that actually was on the air for a period of time in the early 1950s. But few people owned FM receivers in those days and the license was turned in a short time later. In 1961, WRFD decided again to launch an FM station. WRFD-FM 97.9 had aclassical music format. In 1967, it ended the classical format, becoming radio stationWNCI, with the new call letters standing for parent company Nationwide Communications and Insurance. WRFD was later sold to Buckeye Media in 1974, which sold it to current owner Salem Communications in late 1981.In the 1980s to late 1990's, it broadcast with 500 watts pre-sunrise, 5,000 watts during critical hours (two hours after sunrise and before sunset), and a daytime power of 9,000 watts. Doug Leonard served as chief engineer for many years.
WRFD maintained a daily broadcast schedule of farm news andagribusiness information, which for many years was presented from 7:00 a.m. - 7:30 a.m. and again during the noon hour during the In the late '80s, the farm program adopted the brandOhio Farm Radio.
One widely known WRFD farm broadcaster wasEd Johnson, who hosted the program from 1967 until 1972. Leaving WRFD, he foundedThe Agri Broadcasting Network (ABN) which he owned and operated until his death in February 2001. The longest serving Farm Director at the station during the Salem years was Joe Cornely, who broadcast weekday farm news and information until 1998, when he joined theOhio Farm Bureau Federation staff. He was followed by Darrin Johnston, who was replaced in 2002 by Andy Vance who left Salem Communications in 2005 to found theBuckeye Ag Radio Network, and later acquire Johnson'sABN Radio.
Since February 1, 1982, WRFD has operated with aChristian talk, teaching, and music format. In the mid-1980's the station branded itself "Ohio's Power Station- Covering 80 of Ohio's 88 Counties". On air personalities at that time included Chuck Brown, Rick Dolezal, Boyce Lancaster, Bill DeWeese, Ann Rae, Scott Saunders, and Steve Lineberry. In 2024, Ann Rae is the longest serving on air host, followed by afternoon talker Bob Burney, who started out hosting a weekly Saturday morning talk show around 1991. After an extensive morning and early afternoon schedule of talk and teaching programs, the balance of the broadcast day consisted of Contemporary Christian Music of the more inspirational type. Featured artists included Keith Green, Sandi Patti, Michael Card, Harvest, Twila Paris, Steven Curtis Chapman, and many more.
During the 1990s more of the late afternoon and early evening broadcast hours were dedicated to talk programming. Starting in the spring and summer of 1992, "The Bible Answer Man" with Hank Hannegraff was broadcast for the first time, pushing music programming to after 7:00 p.m. on weekdays.
In 1994, Salem Media of Ohio purchased 103.1 FM WRZR, licensed to Johnstown, and began broadcasting a Contemporary Christian Music format 24/7 tagged "Joy FM". Salem eventually sold the station in early 1996. This effort continued the trend toward more talk and less music on WRFD.
By the late 90's, what little programming that remained on WRFD was Southern Gospel music which was heard only in the final hours of the long summer broadcast days, furnished by satellite delivery. No music programming remains today, as internet streaming and an FM translator eliminates the issue of evening time blocks being available only for the spring and summer months.
In 2005, Salem executives, with hopes of providing a more consistent programming schedule, decided to discontinue WRFD's agricultural programming.
Local programming on WRFD now includesBob Burney Live on weekday afternoons, repeated overnight. On Saturdays, local programs includeListen to Your Money, Saving Face, andSaturday Live, hosted by Columbus radio veteran Tom Wiebell.
WRFD carries programs from national religious leaders, includingGreg Laurie,Chuck Swindoll,Jim Daly,John MacArthur,J. Vernon McGee,Joni Eareckson Tada andDavid Jeremiah. Two secularconservative talk hosts are also heard,Jay Sekulow andEric Metaxas. WRFD uses abrokered programming format, where hosts pay for their time on the air and may use their shows to seek donations to their ministries.
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | Class | Transmitter coordinates | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W283CL | 104.5 FM | Columbus, Ohio | 152209 | 250 | D | 39°56′14″N83°1′16″W / 39.93722°N 83.02111°W /39.93722; -83.02111 (W251CT) | LMS |