Walnut Media returned KXSP/590 (Omaha) to the air on Monday, July 6, using the frequency’s former WOW callsign with an updated Sports format.
Walnut bought KXSP from SummitMedia, which had taken the station off the air in February. The FCC approved the sale on June 15 and the sale closed on July 1, according to an FCC filing.
The callsign change to WOW received formal approval on July 6, according to FCC records. The change required a waiver of FCC rules that normally don’t allow stations to switch to three-letter callsigns unless they were still in use by another station.
The revived WOW carries ESPN Radio from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. followed by local sports talk with Nick Handley and Grant Hansen from 2 to 6 p.m. The Husker Radio Network’s “Sports Nightly” run from 6 to 8 p.m. followed by “America at Night with McGraw Milhaven” from 8 to 11 p.m.
590 will become the new home of Huskers football, men’s and women’s baskeball, volleyball, and baseball.
“This is an incredibly exciting moment for our company and for sports fans across the region,” said Patrick Combs, President of Walnut Media, in a news release. “We are proud to add this historic signal to our group and are excited to offer not only top-notch sports content, but also give Husker fans a powerful regional signal.”
The company’s other stations in Omaha include the “Boomer Radio” Classic Hits format, heard on multiple signals, and Christian Talk station KCRO/660.
This post was updated July 7 to reflect formal FCC approval of the callsign change.