WELB

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For Western Education and Library Board (WELB), see Education in Northern Ireland.
WELB
Frequency1350 kHz
Programming
FormatSouthern Gospel
Ownership
OwnerRhett S. Snellgrove
History
First air date
November 16, 1958 (1958-11-16)
Last air date
April 15, 2022 (2022-04-15)
Call sign meaning
Elba
Technical information
Facility ID19142
ClassD
Power
  • 1,000 watts (day)
  • 44 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
31°27′10″N 86°04′00″W / 31.45278°N 86.06667°W / 31.45278; -86.06667

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.[1]

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.[2] Less than a year later, it was sold to Jim Dowdy and Jim Wilson.[3][4] Ivy Jackson King Jr. and Frances King, of Opp, acquired WELB in 1964.[5][4]

William "Doug" Holderfield purchased WELB in 1969;[4] he ran the station through 2008, until selling to Rhett Snellgrove for $60,000.[6] 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.[7] At the time of the sale, the station had a format of country and gospel music.[6] The Federal Communications Commission cancelled the station’s license on February 9, 2024,[8] as WELB had been silent since at least April 15, 2022.[9]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
  2. ^ "Radio Station Starts Daily Programs Here". The Elba Clipper. Elba, Alabama. November 20, 1958. p. 1. Retrieved March 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Station WELB Radio Sale Is Confirmed". The Elba Clipper. Elba, Alabama. October 8, 1959. p. 1. Retrieved March 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b c "WELB history cards" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ a b "Deals - 5/26/2008". Broadcasting & Cable. 2008-05-26.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ "License Cancelled". Federal Communications Commission Licensing and Management System. February 9, 2024. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  9. ^ 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[edit]

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