The odd story of WNSI-AM in Alabama – their web site is gone today and the programming may have changed – the reasons are a strange journey. The AM/FM station pair is relatively young – it was originally granted to a Native American owner, but later sold.
Wikipedia has the history from 2008 when the owner of WNSI got into a Legal dispute with ASCAP (the royalty collection agency for Composers). The owner, Walter Bowen, took the position that he doesn’t own any music stations, so he doesn’t have to pay composers for music. ASCAP pointed out that Dave Ramsey’s syndicated show played some music, so the judge found for ASCAP, but Mr Bowen refused to pay them.
In December 2009, Mr Bowen was arrested for two counts of “Sexual abuse of a child younger than 12”. I’ve been unable to find any further information about the disposition of the case.
The station is now in the hands of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy and in the process of being sold – probably while Mr Bowen is rotting in a jail cell (he’s in his mid 60s).
