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WTLS
WTLS (1300 AM) is a radio station in Central Alabama, 30 miles northeast of Montgomery. The station broadcasts 24 hours a day. WTLS streams programming over the internet through its website.
WTLS began broadcasting in 1954. The original owner was Bert Bank, former state senator and founder of the Alabama Radio Network; now the Crimson Tide Sports Network (CTSN), provider of University of Alabama sports broadcasts. The radio station's first engineer, Ned Butler, purchased the radio station from Bank in 1957. Butler put the first FM station in Tuscaloosa on the air for Bank in 1953. In addition, Butler built stations in Ozark, Luverne, and Talladega in the 1950s.
The WTLS station manager for decades was Betty Butler (Ned's wife). Betty also hosted a morning show, Coffee Time, which featured styrofoam puppets "Happy" & "Menace." Harold Shedd, original producer of the country music group, Alabama, worked for Butler in 1956. In 1970, Steve Butler (Ned's son), made WTLS the first All-Country radio station in Central Alabama.
Third generation broadcaster Michael Butler (Steve's son), took over the operation in 1999 after working as Program Director for a Montgomery radio group. Akin to the early days with Betty and Ned, Michael's wife Leigh Anne serves as WTLS station manager today.
WTLS primarily has a talk/sports format, featuring a local morning show, The Wake-Up Call, with Michael, Trey Taylor, Phillip Nelson and Craig Vaught. The station also carries a Classic Hits format in the overnight hours.
Other popular programs include nationally syndicated talk show host Chris Plante and regional sports talk host Chuck Oliver. Local sportswriter Graham Dunn hosts River Region Sports. WTLS also broadcasts live play-by-play sports, including Alabama sports from the CTSN and Tallassee Tigers' high school sports. Broadcasts are on Spectrum Cable Public-access television cable TV Channel 340. All programming is streamed live on the WTLS website at [1] and Tallassee Times TV on YouTube: Tallassee Times TV.
WTLS was the flagship station for the long-running program, Prep Sports Weekly, a statewide high school sports show with Doug Amos & Rick Cleveland that first aired in 1994. WTLS also has produced the regionally syndicated, In the Trenches, featuring former Alabama Crimson Tide center Roger Shultz and former Auburn Tigers quarterback Stan White. Yellowhammer Outdoors with Wes Allen, a daily production of WTLS, was also distributed throughout Alabama. In 2013, WTLS began producing the Lindy's Football Report, a weekly program airing on over 100 stations across the country.
One of the longest-running gospel music programs began in 1958 on WTLS, hosted by Johnny Fitzpatrick, featuring songs by the Swan Silvertones. "Gospel in the Morning-Time" continues with Charles Blalock as the host on Sunday mornings at 8:30. Blalock began working at WTLS in 1971 with the program, "The Gospel Train."
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WTLS
WTLS (1300 AM) is a radio station in Central Alabama, 30 miles northeast of Montgomery. The station broadcasts 24 hours a day. WTLS streams programming over the internet through its website.
WTLS began broadcasting in 1954. The original owner was Bert Bank, former state senator and founder of the Alabama Radio Network; now the Crimson Tide Sports Network (CTSN), provider of University of Alabama sports broadcasts. The radio station's first engineer, Ned Butler, purchased the radio station from Bank in 1957. Butler put the first FM station in Tuscaloosa on the air for Bank in 1953. In addition, Butler built stations in Ozark, Luverne, and Talladega in the 1950s.
The WTLS station manager for decades was Betty Butler (Ned's wife). Betty also hosted a morning show, Coffee Time, which featured styrofoam puppets "Happy" & "Menace." Harold Shedd, original producer of the country music group, Alabama, worked for Butler in 1956. In 1970, Steve Butler (Ned's son), made WTLS the first All-Country radio station in Central Alabama.
Third generation broadcaster Michael Butler (Steve's son), took over the operation in 1999 after working as Program Director for a Montgomery radio group. Akin to the early days with Betty and Ned, Michael's wife Leigh Anne serves as WTLS station manager today.
WTLS primarily has a talk/sports format, featuring a local morning show, The Wake-Up Call, with Michael, Trey Taylor, Phillip Nelson and Craig Vaught. The station also carries a Classic Hits format in the overnight hours.
Other popular programs include nationally syndicated talk show host Chris Plante and regional sports talk host Chuck Oliver. Local sportswriter Graham Dunn hosts River Region Sports. WTLS also broadcasts live play-by-play sports, including Alabama sports from the CTSN and Tallassee Tigers' high school sports. Broadcasts are on Spectrum Cable Public-access television cable TV Channel 340. All programming is streamed live on the WTLS website at [1] and Tallassee Times TV on YouTube: Tallassee Times TV.
WTLS was the flagship station for the long-running program, Prep Sports Weekly, a statewide high school sports show with Doug Amos & Rick Cleveland that first aired in 1994. WTLS also has produced the regionally syndicated, In the Trenches, featuring former Alabama Crimson Tide center Roger Shultz and former Auburn Tigers quarterback Stan White. Yellowhammer Outdoors with Wes Allen, a daily production of WTLS, was also distributed throughout Alabama. In 2013, WTLS began producing the Lindy's Football Report, a weekly program airing on over 100 stations across the country.
One of the longest-running gospel music programs began in 1958 on WTLS, hosted by Johnny Fitzpatrick, featuring songs by the Swan Silvertones. "Gospel in the Morning-Time" continues with Charles Blalock as the host on Sunday mornings at 8:30. Blalock began working at WTLS in 1971 with the program, "The Gospel Train."