WELB
| |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1350 kHz |
| Programming | |
| Format | Southern Gospel |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Rhett S. Snellgrove |
| History | |
First air date | November 16, 1958 |
Last air date | April 15, 2022 |
Call sign meaning | Elba |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 19142 |
| Class | D |
| Power |
|
Transmitter coordinates | 31°27′10″N 86°04′00″W / 31.45278°N 86.06667°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
WELB (1350 AM) was a radio station licensed to serve the community of Elba, Alabama, United States. The station operated from 1958 to 2022 and was last owned by Rhett S. Snellgrove, airing a Southern Gospel music format.[2]
WELB began broadcasting on November 16, 1958. It was owned by Howard Parrish Jr., associated with station WOZK in Ozark, and began as a 1,000-watt, daytime-only outlet.[3] Less than a year later, it was sold to Jim Dowdy and Jim Wilson.[4][5] Ivy Jackson King Jr. and Frances King, of Opp, acquired WELB in 1964.[6][5]
William "Doug" Holderfield purchased WELB in 1969;[5] he ran the station through 2008, until selling to Rhett Snellgrove for $60,000.[7] Derek Snellgrove had worked at the station since the age of 15. Holderfield, in addition to WELB, started WZTZ (later WVVL) in 1986; he was the longtime voice of Elba High School football.[8] At the time of the sale, the station had a format of country and gospel music.[7] The Federal Communications Commission cancelled the station’s license on February 9, 2024,[9] as WELB had been silent since at least April 15, 2022.[10]
References
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WELB". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
- ^ "Radio Station Starts Daily Programs Here". The Elba Clipper. Elba, Alabama. November 20, 1958. p. 1. Retrieved March 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Station WELB Radio Sale Is Confirmed". The Elba Clipper. Elba, Alabama. October 8, 1959. p. 1. Retrieved March 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "WELB history cards" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
- ^ "WELB Radio Sold To Opp's Jack King". The Elba Clipper. Elba, Alabama. March 26, 1964. p. 1. Retrieved March 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Deals - 5/26/2008". Broadcasting & Cable. 2008-05-26.
- ^ Wise, Jeremy (May 31, 2017). "Voice of the Elba Tigers: Longtime radio station owner dies". The Enterprise Ledger. Enterprise, Alabama. pp. 1A, 5A. Retrieved March 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "License Cancelled". Federal Communications Commission Licensing and Management System. February 9, 2024. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
- ^ Shuldiner, Albert (February 9, 2024). "In re: WELB(AM), Elba, AL … Notification of License Cancellation" (PDF). Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
External links
- Facility details for Facility ID 19142 (WELB) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WELB in Nielsen Audio's AM station database