- trans mit ter ▁link . ▁ ▁W X K Y ▁W RS L - FM ▁became ▁W X K Y - FM , ▁brand ed ▁as ▁" K ent ucky ' s ▁Max imum ▁Country ", ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁in ▁a ▁bid ▁to ▁play ▁up ▁its ▁regional ▁broadcast ▁area . ▁However , ▁the ▁station ▁would ▁not ▁remain ▁country ▁for ▁long . ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁after ▁being ▁initially ▁approached ▁the ▁year ▁before , ▁owner ▁John ▁Smith ▁opt ed ▁to ▁le ase ▁the ▁station ▁to ▁the ▁Edu c ational ▁Media ▁Foundation , ▁which ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁Air ▁ 1 ▁network ▁being ▁heard ▁in ▁central ▁Kentucky ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ; ▁Smith ▁noted ▁that ▁he ▁thought ▁his ▁father , ▁Cal , ▁would ▁have ▁appreciated ▁EM F ' s ▁min istry , ▁and ▁that ▁he ▁hoped ▁the ▁change ▁would ▁further ▁rein force ▁per ception s ▁of ▁W X K Y - FM ▁as ▁a ▁regional , ▁not ▁a ▁Stan ford , ▁station . ▁W X K Y ▁was ▁sold ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁to ▁EM F ▁itself ▁for ▁$ 8 0 0 , 0 0 0 , ▁allowing ▁it ▁to ▁operate ▁non com mer cially , ▁and ▁thus ▁completely ▁as ▁a ▁satellite . ▁ ▁W X K Y ▁was ▁off ▁the ▁air ▁for ▁two ▁weeks ▁and ▁there after ▁forced ▁to ▁operate ▁for ▁a ▁time ▁with ▁reduced ▁power ▁after ▁sust aining ▁extensive ▁fire ▁damage ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 .