Atlanta radio station set to air again soon

On November 8, 2023, KPYN ceased broadcasting in the Atlanta Area According to radioinsight.com “the six stations owned by Robert Delgiorno’s Freed AM Corp. and MLS Broadcasting in the Ark-La-Tex have ceased operations.”

A “brief statement on each station’s FCC filing to go silent simply states, “The licensee is suspending operations of this station for financial reasons.”

“KPYN was heard on 95.5 FM and 103.9 FM through translators located in Atlanta, Texas. It broadcasted the Rabbit’s sports games, with the sister station broadcasting the Bulldogs’ games.”

On September 13 it was announced on radioinsight.com that the station was sold to former KPYN disc jockey Jim Davenport “Freed AM Corp.’s Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustee has sold Silent 900 KPYN and translators 95.5 K238BF and 103.9 K280GV Atlanta TX to Jim Davenport’s Cass County Radio Inc. with the buyer paying $55,000 for the license assets and $40,000 for the associated real estate. The deal will include a Time Brokerage Agreement so that the stations can resume operations before their licenses would expire on November 7. Prior to former owner Robert Delgiorno shutting down the signals, 900 KPYN and K280GV featured a mix of Conservative Talk and Christian programming, while K238BF simulcast Rock “K104” 1320 KNCB Vivian LA” The two principal operators are Davenport and Randy Smith.

According to a recent interview with Davenport, he went to work for FREED Am Sports in late 2005 until the closure in November of 2023, as a sports guys for all area Cass County schools no matter the sport and then broke into the Trading Post guy.”

“Smith has worked three different times for KALT, 1983 - 85, left for college, came back in 1986 - 92, and then again from 2005 to November of 2023. Randy has been known as the “chief bottle washer” with all the different hats he has worn, for KALT/ KPYN, he will be the primary programmer.”

Shortly after the station went dead, former KYPN announcer Davenport and current local cable TV station owner (Kaqctv) Smith announced a joint venture for an internet radio station they hoped would bridge the gap left by the radio station. That rang true as the station will soon be broad- casting again on the original station numbers.

Davenport was told at the time by Delgiorno that “that he was putting all of his stations on silent for a brief period to ‘gather himself ’, he also said he would let everyone (the listeners ) but he never did. The previous owner ended up filing for bankruptcy. Randy and I stayed on top of the situation of the radio station and bankruptcy and when we saw the opportunity, we jumped on the opportunity because we didn’t want it sold to someone else that didn’t have the community in mind.”

“The love we had for radio and keeping it local was the important thing for us. Myself, Randy Smith and another individual ( left unnamed ) met together at the Rabbit Patch and drew up plans on a napkin on November 10, 2023, and we created an internet station. We carried some basketball and baseball games for the Atlanta Rabbits and also some softball games for the Queen City Lady Bulldogs this past spring and now we’re currently carrying the Atlanta Rabbits & Linden-Kildare football games along with the coach’s shows.”

Those involved in the venture include, “Jim and Tammy Davenport along with Randy and Christy Smith, we’ve been on the same page since Day 1, we also have Tracy Whittington selling ads for the sporting events and special segments on the air.”

“Programming will still feature “The Trading Post”, local church programs, local sports but we will also a twist to the station, we’ll be a music station playing Christian music, “Contemporary Christian Music with a Southern Flair” “We will be on the airwaves on 900 AM, 95.5 FM and 103.9 FM, we’re really excited to bring back 95.5!”

The station was first licensed in 1950, as KALT, to the Ark-La-Tex Broadcasting Company, operating with 1,000 watts on 900 kHz, daytime only.

It later expanded its band assignment on March 17, 1997, when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that 88 stations had been given permission to move to newly available “Expanded Band” transmitting frequencies, from 1610 to 1700 kHz. KALT was the only station in the United States authorized for 1610 kHz. This new assignment inherited the KALT call sign, with the original KALT changing to KPYN on June 30, 2000.

According to an article published in 1986 in the Journal, Oct. 18. 1950, to 6:15 p.m... KALT began broadcasting on 900 kHz.

It was said at the time in 1986, ‘Now. almost 36 years later. KALT and KPYN-FM continue to represent the spirit of community involvement that marks Atlanta’s observance of the Texas Sesquicentennial.”

Smith and Davenport now almost 75 years later from the time the station first aired hope to keep it going for years to come.

Originally the founder, “David A . Wommack, conceived the idea of locating an Independent radio station in Cass County where he was born and reared. Wommack, who was a licensed engineer, did all the work preparatory to submitting the application to the FCC and was very pleased when the construction permit was granted in record time. Partners with him in 1950 were Merman H. Wommack Jr. of Texarkana and Robert Bieloh also of Texarkana. Bieloh sold it to his partners within a year. In 1974 David A. Wommack became the sole owner of the firm.

In 1980 his three children Dovid Wommack Jr., Joe Wommack and Jeanne Wright became partners with him. Mr. Wommack retired in the early 1970s and turned the reins over to his son David Wommack Jr. Jeanne Wommack Wright, David’s sister, later became assistant manager after joining the staff upon her return from college in 1953. David Wommack Sr. died in April 1984. The year before. He was awarded the Texas Association of Broadcasters ‘’Pioneer Broadcaster of the Year.’’ Is one of the most prestigious awards given by the TRAB.

At the time of the article in 1986, “Mrs. Wright died in 1982. David, his brother Joe and their mother now share ownership of the two radio stations. The Ark-lo-Tex Broadcasting Corporation is also the owner of KPYN99.3 FM stereo. The beautiful music of KPYN went on the air on Dec. 22, 1978. KPYN.”

The Journal-Sun is working on finding the history between the time that Wright owned the station to the time that Delgiorno became the owner.

Atlanta Football was broadcast even in 1986, and the goal of the station owners of the time was to broadcast beautiful music. The hope is to continue those traditions with the new owners.