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Joy FM donated
to Indiana radio station
Christian radio in East Central Indiana will continue stronger than
ever, thanks to an agreement announced between Positive Alternative
Radio and STAR Educational Media Network.
PAR is donating its station, WJYW, known on the air as “Joy FM” to
STAR, along with two translators in the Richmond, Indiana area. STAR
and PAR signed legal documents July 29 for an effective date of Aug.
15, pursuant to transferring ownership of the stations, pending
approval of the Federal Communications Commission.
“This donation is an expression of how much PAR values local Christian
radio,” said Edward Baker, President of PAR. “We wanted to strengthen a
local broadcaster and help their ministry to become even more
effective.” PAR operates stations and networks including those based in
Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Kentucky.
WJYW was the furthest from its home office in Blacksburg, VA. To
further its mission, the decision was made to donate WJYW to a local
broadcaster versus making it part of a network, according to Brian
Sanders, PAR’s Executive Vice President.
“We could have easily cut costs by eliminating our local presence and
feeding this Indiana station from Virginia or Tennessee,” Sanders
explained. “But we believe in local Christian radio and wanted to put
WJYW in the hands of someone in the region who can continue making a
difference in listener’s lives.”
STAR Educational Media Network operates STAR 88.3 in Ft. Wayne, which
feeds other full power stations and translators to cover most of
Northeast Indiana, Northwest Ohio and Southern Michigan. According to
STAR’s President and CEO Melissa Montana, “WJYW is a good fit for our
operation.”
“We are so excited by this generous donation,” she added. “This helps
us extend our reach further south, empowering our ministry to encourage
more believers and share the Gospel with more people.”
STAR 88.3 and WJYW play a lot of the same Contemporary Christian Music,
Sanders and Montana noted, so most listeners will not sense an abrupt
change when the LMA and subsequent transfer are enacted. “You will hear
almost all of your favorites, and a few new songs, too.
Plus, we want to build a deep connection with the local community,
reaching out to churches, ministries and Christian–-owned businesses to
help make the area we’re serving an even better place to live,” Montana
said.
PAR is a non-profit ministry founded in 1985 by Edward Baker’s father,
the late Dr. Vernon H. Baker and his mother, Virginia. Today, PAR
owns and operates stations and networks in key markets in Virginia,
Eastern Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina and
South Carolina. The stations provide adult contemporary and southern
gospel music, as well as Christian content available across a variety
of digital platforms. In providing services to fellow Christian
broadcasters and a weekly blog, “Dear Christian Radio,” PAR is
dedicated to helping Christian communication ministries strive for
excellence.
STAR Educational Media Network operates Star 88.3 and a translator in
Ft. Wayne, plus translators in Kendallville, Warsaw and Auburn, as well
as a full power station in Orland, Ind.
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