WBTC owner: WDNP has options to stay on air

UHRICHSVILLE ‒ Brian Walker, one of the owners of WBTC Radio, says his company is not trying to put WDNP-FM in Dover out of business by asking the Federal Communications Commission to put WDNP's frequency up for auction.

"Our whole goal is for the betterment of the county in general, but we've been made out to be the evil three-headed monster that wants to destroy WDNP, and that is absolutely not the case," he said.

Walker and his partners, Leonard H. Dugger of Dover and Kevin Willoughby of Dennison, are hoping to obtain the 102.3 frequency, which WDNP, a low-power, nonprofit community station, now uses, so they can start a 6,000-watt FM station. They are all involved with Western Radio Group, which filed the petition with the FCC, and they also own WBTC-FM (101.9) in Uhrichsville.

If Walker and his partners were to get the frequency, it would not mean that WDNP would have to go off the air, he said.

"We commissioned and paid for a study for displacement," he said. "There are two other frequencies that allow WDNP to continue operating as they are, as a nonprofit. They don't have to close their doors. They're not going to be put out of business, they're not going to be killed off. They can go to 96.9 or 105.9. They would have the same coverage and the same everything. We paid for this study for them, to help them, so that they can continue operating."

All WDNP would have to do is change the frequency on the transmitter and change the spacing on the antenna for tuning, he said.

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Steve Schumaker, WDNP's program director, disputes that idea.

"While we could request a free displacement waiver from the FCC, we would incur other expenses," he told The Times-Reporter. "There is an antenna issue, a mounting problem. We would want and need our own engineering study, people to climb up on the roof to install those items.

"Finally, taking the 102.3 frequency from us forces rebranding. We are talking thousands to have people find and follow you. That takes many hours and bunch of money, money we do not have. Nonprofits are generally not flush with cash."

WDNP broadcasts an eclectic mix of music, ranging from rock to jazz, doo-wop, music from movies and alternative rock. It is staffed entirely by volunteers.

According to FCC documents, the move would also displace WNPA-LP, a 100-watt low power station in Canton, but Walker said his station's coverage would barely infringe on theirs and have a minimal impact.

Local radio history in Tuscarawas County

Walker and his partners took ownership of WBTC in July from the estate of Jim Natoli, who founded WBTC in 1963. He said Natoli founded the station not only to provide a local radio station but to bring young people into the broadcasting industry and give them experience and training.

"We didn't get into buying this radio station as a money-maker. Radio is not a money-maker," Walker said. "There are 3,000 other things that I could have invested my money in to make money. We did this to keep it local and to hopefully build up something that will be around for generations, just like Jim Natoli's vision. That was 60 years ago this coming year. Our goal is that hopefully in 60 more years this will still be here."

He noted that at one time, Tuscarawas County had three Class A FM Radio stations ‒ WJER-FM, WNPQ (which was started by Natoli) and WTUZ. In 2003, WJER-FM was sold to Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia). WNPQ was sold by Natoli's estate in 2021 to the Educational Media Foundation. WTUZ remains the only locally owned FM station in the county.

Walker and his partners want to open a new 6,000-watt FM station to provide more options to listeners throughout Tuscarawas County. WDNP's and WJER's signals cover the Dover-New Philadelphia area, and WBTC's signal covers the Uhrichsville-Dennison area, he said. But WTUZ is the only station whose signal reaches the entire county. The new station would serve the 70% of Tuscarawas County residents who do not live in Dover or New Philadelphia.

But 102.3 is the only frequency available in this area to do that.

"The available frequencies for brand new 6,000-watt stations are basically non-existent," he said. "My FCC attorney didn't even believe me when I said we found one. It's like finding the unicorn out in the wild. They just simply don't exist anymore."

102.3 frequency request causing controvery in Tuscarawas County

The request to put the 102.3 frequency up for bid has stirred controversary in the area and what Walker characterizes as a great deal of misinformation on social media.

Both New Philadelphia and Dover city councils have passed resolutions in support of WDNP.

"What's really frustrating is both Dover and New Philadelphia city councils have voted in favor of a resolution supporting WDNP," Walker said. "Local city governments should not be favoring one business entity, whether it's nonprofit or commercial for profit, over another in the community. That is not the city government's job and it's very disappointing to see they based their passing of these resolutions on lies that aren't even true. That is frustrating."

If the FCC puts the frequency up for auction, there is no guarantee that Walker and his partners will get it, he said. It could go to a national company.

And any decision on the issue is likely years away.

"We don't know when this auction will take place," he said.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: WBTC owner says he is not trying to force WDNP off the air