A Class B FM (50kw) was originally put on the air in Terre Haute in 1961. It's companion AM was on 1300, which is still on the air as WBOW AM. In and prior to 1991, the station was called WPFR-FM, and its companion was AM 1300, WPFR. The format was contemporary hit radio, and it was one of the top rated stations in the Terre Haute market. A poor economy and questionable management practices forced the company that owned WPFR into bankruptcy, and both stations left the air in 1991.
In 1992, Ronn Mott (currently our morning personality on WAXI) and banker Terry Tevlin purchased AM 1300 and renamed the station WJSH. They later sold it to an individual from Connecticut, who also mismanaged the station and it went off the air in early 1996.
Bomar Broadcasting of Marion, IN purchased the license for 102.7 in 1992. Since the original tower and transmitter had been dismantled, Bomar built a new 700 foot tower southwest of Terre Haute, put in a new transmitter and the station went on the air as WLEZ in Sept. of 1993. The format was "beautiful music," which is a very soft music format based mainly on instrumentals. The station was programmed from a studio in Marion, IN via a T1 digital line. Bomar also had other stations in Indiana using the same programming.
Since this type of programming had generally run out of favor with most advertisers, WLEZ changed its music format to soft adult contemporary in 1997. Most programming continued to originate in Marion (WMRI), but some, and eventually all, originated from the Jones Radio Network in Denver, CO.
In late 1996 Crossroads Communications purchased AM 1300, putting it back on the air as WJSH in January of 1997, simulcasting its only FM station at that time, WSDM. In 1998, Crossroads changed the format of WJSH to Southern Gospel, using programming from the Reach Network in Nashville, TN. While listeners enjoyed it, the format proved difficult to sell to advertisers. So in 1999, the format was changed again to Sports, under the direction of program consultant, Mike King. Call letters were changed to WSJX, or The X. In August of 2002, call letters were changed again to WBOW, since those heritage call signs were available in the market, thanks to the demise of AM 640 WBOW in 2001.
On May 12, 2003, Crossroads completed the purchase of 102.7, WLEZ from Bomar and currently originating programming from studio at 1301 Ohio in Terre Haute, although the Jones Network is still be utilized. RJ Westerman kicked off our new morning show (6-10am) on July 4, 2003. On September 1, 2003, the call letters changed to WBOW-FM, or Lite Rock B-1027, reflecting the heritage call signs in Terre Haute since 1927. The night sensation "Delilah" also started on 9/1, as well as Dave Wingert's Dave 'til Dawn show, midnight to 6am. More changes are coming...stay tuned!!! (Updated 11/28/03)