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WGAP radio is changing hands and turning back the clock. Ron Meredith, president of Clinton Broadcasters Inc., and Nick W. Drewry, chief manager of Horne Radio LLC, said Tuesday the Anderson County company has agreed to purchase WGAP from the Horne network.

Drewry said operations at the station would change hands immediately under a lease arrangement pending final approval of the station’s license transfer by the Federal Communications Commission.

Meredith said he plans to return the station to the traditional format for which WGAP (1400 AM) was known for years.

“It is my plan to return WGAP to the community radio station it once was,” he said.
That means a country music format with the reading of local news and obituaries and the return of “Trading Time” at 9 a.m. Monday through Saturday.

WGAP will simulcast with WYSH (1380 AM) radio in Clinton. Community news and announcements will be from Anderson, Blount and Roane counties. The music will be about 65 percent classic country and 35 percent modern.

Meredith said he expects the Blount County audience to be receptive to the throwback concept.

“They used to like it. It was a very popular program and a highly listened to station.”
Meredith said he had not been seeking to buy WGAP, but the opportunity arose when Horne Radio approached him about purchasing Oak Ridge station WATO-AM.

Meredith had previously owned WATO, but was not interested in buying it back. He did ask about the Blount County station, and eventually a deal was reached.

Horne refocusing

Drewry said Horne is refocusing its radio holdings. Horne Radio LLC still operates WFIV-FM and WMTY-AM in Farragut, WKVL-AM in Knoxville and WLOD-AM in Loudon, all from its main Horne Radio studios in West Knox County under General Manager Tony Cox. Cox also oversees WDEH-AM and WLOD-FM in Sweetwater for the radio company.

Both the Loudon station and the Knoxville station, 50,000-watt Talk Radio 850, are for sale. Over the next two or three years Horne will reduce its radio holdings to a pair of AM/FM stations in Farragut and a pair of AM/FM stations in Sweetwater, according to Drewry.

“We’re spread out on talk radio and on music format and on everything else. We’re just changing direction. The AMs, nowadays, are best in the talk format. We just don’t have a need for them anymore. There will be no more Horne Radio network,” Drewry said.

“Those smaller AM radio stations are better as local community stations.”

There will be one holdover from the current WGAP lineup as it changes owners and format. Broadcasts of William Blount High School football will return on Friday nights this season.