City Atlanta, Georgia Frequency 970 kHz Format Christian Talk | Branding Faith Talk 970 First air date 1949 | |
Broadcast area Atlanta metropolitan area | ||
WNIV is a Christian talk radio station licensed to Atlanta in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is owned by Salem Communications along with its sister station WLTA. WLTA (AM) in Alpharetta, Georgia relays the programming of WNIV in that northern Atlanta suburb at 1400 kHz. WNIV broadcasts at a frequency of 970 kHz with 5,000 watts of power during daytime hours and 39 watts during nighttime hours both times using a non-directional antenna pattern. WNIV's single transmitting tower is shared by WAFS (AM) at 1190 kHz using an antenna diplexing system. The Federal Communications Commission considers WNIV to be a Class D AM broadcasting facility.
History
The radio station, which is the current WNIV, has had a long history in the Atlanta radio market. The station first signed on in Decatur in 1949 with an easy listening radio format with the original callsign WGLS, and later picked up the callsign WTAM when the Cleveland, OH station changed to KYW. In the 1960s, it changed to WIIN. In 1968, WIIN flipped to a Top 40 format. During the early 1970s WIIN changed format to progressive rock. WIIN became an adult standards/easy listening station in the late 1970s. In the early 1980s, the station changed call signs to WKLS and format to rock by simulcasting WKLS-FM. The rock format simulcast of WKLS-FM at 970 kHz lasted until 1988 when the station was sold, the callsigns changed to the current WNIV, and the station adopted religious format programming.
Former Georgia Congressman Pat Swindall hosted a daily talk show on WNIV for several years, after serving a federal prison sentence.