WLEE was a radio station in Richmond, Virginia. It began broadcasting on October 1, 1945,[1] on 1450 KHz in the AM band.[2]

Network affiliations

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WLEE initially was an affiliate of the Mutual Broadcasting System[1] and the Associated Broadcasting Corporation.[3]

In its first year of operation, WLEE was one of three stations that formed a network carrying broadcasts of the Washington Redskins professional football team.[4]

Personnel

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WLEE's founding owner was Thomas Tinsley. Its first station manager was Irvin G. Abeloff.[5]

In 1947, Harvey Hudson, a WLEE announcer, was named program director for the station.[6] Hudson, who joined WLEE's announcing staff in 1942, worked there for 34 years, leaving in 1976.[7]

Facilities

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In 1945, WLEE had five studios and offices in downtown Richmond in the Broad-Grace Arcade[8] and a "new transmitter, located by the James River."[1]

In 1947, Tinsley was granted a construction permit for an FM transmitter that would broadcast on 102.9 MHz with 21 KW power.[9]

Power and schedule

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WLEE initially broadcast from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily with 250 W power.[1] On November 26, 1945, the FCC granted a license for unlimited hours except when WBBL was on the air. (On the same day, WBBL, owned by Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Richmond, had its frequency changed to 1450 KHz, the same as that of WLEE.)[10] WLEE later moved to fulltime operation with 5 KW power.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).

In September 1946, the FCC awarded Thomas Garland Tinsley Jr. a conditional grant for an FM station to be affiliated with WLEE.[11] The grant specified broadcasting on 97.9 MHz with 21 KW power.[12]

Sale

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In 1967, Tinsley, sole owner of WLEE, sold the station to Nationwide Communications, which simultaneously bought WXEX-TV for a combined total of $7,150,000.[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "WLEE Goes On Air Mon. As MBS Richmond Outlet" (PDF). Radio Daily. September 27, 1945. p. 2. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  2. ^ "WALV Now WLEE" (PDF). Broadcasting. June 11, 1945. p. 79. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  3. ^ "Associated Lines Up 17 Key Markets" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 30, 1945. p. 16. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  4. ^ "Amoco Redskin Hookup" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 10, 1945. p. 80. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  5. ^ "Abeloff Manager of WLEE Richmond" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 17, 1945. p. 24. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  6. ^ "Production" (PDF). Broadcasting. February 24, 1947. p. 56. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  7. ^ Robertson, Ellen; Calos, Katherine (November 2, 2009). "Veteran broadcaster Harvey Lee Hudson Jr. dies". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Archived from the original on 3 June 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  8. ^ "Richmond Station Formally Opened" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 8, 1945. p. 72. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  9. ^ "Virginia--continued" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 15, 1947. p. 266. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  10. ^ "Actions of the FCC" (PDF). Broadcasting. December 3, 1945. p. 74. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  11. ^ "10 FM Conditionals Are Given by FCC" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 9, 1946. p. 80. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  12. ^ "11 Conditional FM Permits, 18 CPs, Authorized by FCC" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 14, 1946. p. 82. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  13. ^ "Nationwide buys Richmond Stations" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 21, 1967. p. 39. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
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