WSBC

For other uses, see WSBC (disambiguation).
WSBC
Broadcast areaChicago metropolitan area
Frequency1240 kHz
BrandingAccess Radio Chicago
Programming
FormatEthnic brokered programming
Ownership
OwnerHeartland Signal LLC
WCPT
History
First air date
1925; 99 years ago (1925)[1]
Call sign meaning
World Storage Battery Company[2]
Technical information[3]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID16847
ClassC
Power1,000 watts unlimited
Transmitter coordinates
41°58′53.11″N 87°46′20.22″W / 41.9814194°N 87.7722833°W / 41.9814194; -87.7722833
Links
Public license information

WSBC (1240 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Chicago, Illinois. It broadcasts brokered programming, mostly ethnic and religious. It is owned by Hearland Signal LLC.[4][5]

WSBC transmits with 1,000 watts. Its transmitter site is on North Milwaukee Avenue at West Catalpa Avenue in Chicago.[6] It shares its tower with sister station WCPT (820 AM).

WSBC features programming aimed at ethnic communities including Russian, Ukrainian, Latino, Italian, Latvian and Irish. Hosts buy time on the station and may offer their services or seek donations during their shows.

History

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Early years

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WSBC's tower on Milwaukee Ave.

WSBC was first licensed on June 26, 1925,[7][8][9] to the World Battery Company at 1219 South Wabash Avenue, transmitting on 1430 kHz.[10] Its call sign stood for "World Storage Battery Company".[8][9][2][11] In 1926, its frequency was changed to 1040 kHz and in 1927 it was changed to 1290 kHz.[7]

Following the establishment of the Federal Radio Commission (FRC), stations were initially issued a series of temporary authorizations starting on May 3, 1927.[12] In addition, they were informed that if they wanted to continue operating, they needed to file a formal license application by January 15, 1928, as the first step in determining whether they met the new "public interest, convenience, or necessity" standard.[13] On May 25, 1928, the FRC issued General Order 32, which notified 164 stations, including WSBC, that "From an examination of your application for future license it does not find that public interest, convenience, or necessity would be served by granting it."[14] However, the station successfully convinced the commission that it should remain licensed.

On November 11, 1928, the FRC implemented a major reallocation of station transmitting frequencies, as part of a reorganization resulting from its implementation of General Order 40. WSBC was assigned to 1210 kHz, sharing time with WCRW and WEDC.[15] Its studios and transmitter were located at the New Southern Hotel (later known as the Hotel Crillon) at 13th and Michigan Avenue.[7]

Since the station began broadcasting, it has featured a wide variety of ethnic programming.[16] The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music holds the Frank Scheibenreif Slovak, Czech, and Romi Sound Recording Collection, ca. 1930-1950.[17] This collection includes 1,001 recordings, including 753 78-R.P.M., 140 45-R.P.M., and 108 LPs; and one book documenting Eastern Europe music prior to World War II, principally from Czechoslovakia and used by Scheibenreif for the WSBC show, "Slovak American Radio Review."

WSBC hired the nation's first full-time African-American radio announcer, Jack Cooper, who on November 3, 1929, began hosting The All-Negro Hour, a vaudevillesque entertainment program.[18][19]

On April 1, 1933, Gene Dyer purchased WSBC from C.J. Gordon, who had operated it since August 1932.[20] At the time, Dyer also owned WGES in Chicago.[20] In 1936, the station's studios and transmitter were moved to the West Town State Bank Building at 2400 W. Madison.[7] Its frequency was changed to 1240 kHz in March 1941, as a result of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement.[7]

In 1944, WSBC was sold to the J. Miller Advertising Agency for $100,000.[21] In 1954, the station was sold to Louis Lee for $180,000.[22] In 1976, control of the station was passed to Louis Lee's son, Danny Lee.[7][23]

1990s to today

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In 1996, WSBC's owners purchased WCRW for $564,375, plus $160,000 for a non-compete agreement.[24][25] WEDC ceased broadcasting in 1997. WSBC began broadcasting from WEDC's transmitter site and it began full-time operations.[26][27]

In 1998, the station was sold to Newsweb Corporation for $5,550,000.[28][29] Some of the station's programs were simulcast on 1470 WCFJ in Chicago Heights, Illinois.[30][31] In June 1998, WSBC began airing LesBiGay Radio weekday evenings.[32] The program was heard on WSBC until April 2001, and was simulcast on WCFJ.[33]

In 2024, Newsweb transferred WSBC and WCPT to Heartland Signal for $1.[34]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to WSBC.

References

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  1. ^ "Illinois: Chicago", Broadcasting Yearbook, 1971. p. B-62. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "What those letters on the dial mean", Chicago Tribune Magazine. March 4, 1979. p. 16. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  3. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WSBC". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  4. ^ "WSBC Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  5. ^ "WSBC Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
  6. ^ Radio-Locator.com/WSBC
  7. ^ a b c d e f FCC History Cards for WSBC, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Radio Programs", Radio Progress. August 15, 1925. p. 40. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  9. ^ a b "Corrected List of Broadcasting Stations", Radio Age. August 1925. p. 102. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  10. ^ "New Stations", Radio Servcice Bulletin, July 1, 1925, page 3.
  11. ^ Chicagoland Radio Waves, MediaTies. Summer 1988. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  12. ^ "List of broadcasting stations issued temporary permits", Radio Service Bulletin, April 30, 1927, pages 6-14.
  13. ^ "Extension of Broadcasting Station Licenses", Radio Service Bulletin, December 31, 1927, page 7.
  14. ^ "Appendix F (2): Letter to and list of stations included in General Order No. 32, issued May 25, 1928", Second Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission for the Year Ended June 30, 1928, Together With Supplemental Report for the Period From July 1, 1928 to September 30, 1928, pages 146-149.
  15. ^ "Broadcasting Stations", Second Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission (June 30, 1928), page 175.
  16. ^ Knopper, Steve. "Ethnic Radio's Potent, Growing Niche", Billboard. December 21, 1996. pp. 77-78. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  17. ^ "University of Illinois Archives".
  18. ^ Sterling, Christopher H. (2003). Encyclopedia of Radio 3-Volume Set. Routledge. p. 639. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  19. ^ Bracks, Lean'tin (2012). African American Almanac: 400 Years of Triumph, Courage and Excellence. Visible Ink Press. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  20. ^ a b "Dyer Buys WSBC". Broadcasting. April 15, 1933. p. 14. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  21. ^ "FCC Approves Sale of WSBC Chicago to J. Miller Adv. Agency for $100,000", Broadcasting. October 2, 1944. p. 66. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  22. ^ "Ownership Changes", Broadcasting. February 1, 1954. p. 88. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  23. ^ Wyman, Bill. "WXRT: Sold Down the River?", Chicago Reader. March 9, 1995. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  24. ^ "Changing Hands", Broadcasting & Cable. May 20, 1996. p. 50. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  25. ^ Application Search Details – BAL-19960501EA, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  26. ^ History Cards for WEDC, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  27. ^ "Federal Communications Commission AM Broadcast License", Federal Communications Commission. April 25, 1997. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  28. ^ Application Search Details – BAL-19971118EA, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  29. ^ "Transactions", Radio & Records. November 7, 1997. p. 6. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  30. ^ "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 15, No. 33. August 19, 1998. p. 2. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  31. ^ "WCFJ 1470 AM Chicago Heights". Access Radio Chicago. Archived from the original on September 20, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  32. ^ Feder, Robert. "Soap opera channel to get trial run here", Chicago Sun-Times. June 9, 1998. p. 37.
  33. ^ Feder, Robert. "Mancow might leave Windy City for Frisco", Chicago Sun-Times. July 17, 2001. p. 49.
  34. ^ Venta, Lance (February 12, 2024). "Heartland Signal Acquires WCPT/WSBC". RadioInsight. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
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