The One and only

A major shift is coming to local radio Monday as Main Street Media prepares to launch Warren County's first contemporary Christian station - The One. Broadcasting on 92.1 FM and 1230 AM under the long-standing WAKI call letters, The One will replace WAKI's existing format, The Ticket.

WAKI first hit Warren County's airwaves in 1947 and has seen several owners and format changes during its 78 years, most recently being known as The Ticket, broadcasting Fox Sports Radio. Citing a desire to attract a wider audience, Main Street Media has made the decision to rebrand The Ticket as The One, capitalizing on the popularity of contemporary Christian music (CCM).

"For the last five years the CCM format, without a doubt, has been the fastest growing radio format," Main Street Media Manager of Strategic Partnerships Greg Roberson said. "More stations are switching to CCM than any other format. The Christian format in general, which encompasses CCM and Christian teaching and talk stations, are No. 2 in the number of stations behind only country music. This will be Warren County's first CCM station. WBMC has played some southern gospel but there's never been a contemporary Christian station here. This is a niche we thought we could fill which will attract more listeners than national sports talk."

The One will launch with 10 founding sponsors. Those sponsors are Reddick Brown Ford, Ben Lomand Connect, Knowles Private Wealth, First Baptist Church of McMinnville, Prater's BBQ, Caney Fork Electric Cooperative, Ace Hardware of McMinnville, Snider's Plumbing and Electric Plus HVAC, Security Federal Savings Bank and Tree City Realty.

"For the first 92 hours, thanks to our sponsors, The One will be commercial-free," Greg said. "From Monday-Thursday next week, there will only be music and a rotating announcement with the sponsors' names as presenting 92 hours of commercial-free music. At 8 a.m. next Friday, only those 10 initial sponsors will be featured until the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Beginning Thanksgiving Day, the station will be open to anyone who would like to advertise. We also encourage churches to reach out to us if they would like to put messages or a Sunday program on the station."

Thanksgiving will mark a change for the station in more ways than one, as much-requested seasonal programming will come to The One.

"We will go all Christmas music from Thanksgiving Day until midnight Christmas night," Greg said. "It will be an all-Christmas station which will play both religious and secular Christmas music classics."

For more information, contact Greg at greg.roberson@mainstreetmedia.llc or visit Facebook.

Until next time, the Beat goes on

Thanks for reading another edition of Biz Beat, and thanks to Ben Lomand Connect for sponsoring the column. Keep your local business questions, suggestions and tips coming to seth.wright@mainstreetmedia.llc.