WPNA

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For the Highland Park, Illinois radio station at 103.1 FM, see WPNA-FM.
WPNA
WPNA 1490AM logo.png
CityOak Park, Illinois
Broadcast areaChicago metropolitan area
Frequency1490 kHz
Programming
FormatPolish Language Talk and other ethnic programming
Ownership
OwnerPolish National Alliance
(Alliance Communications, Inc.)
WPNA-FM
History
First air date
October 7, 1950[1]
Former call signs
WEBS (cp)[2]
WOPA (1950[2]-1984)[3]
WBMX (1984-1987)[3]
Call sign meaning
Polish National Alliance
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID1093
ClassC
Power1,000 watts unlimited
Transmitter coordinates
41°52′52″N 87°47′38″W / 41.88111°N 87.79389°W / 41.88111; -87.79389Coordinates: 41°52′52″N 87°47′38″W / 41.88111°N 87.79389°W / 41.88111; -87.79389
Links
Public license information
Profile
LMS
WebcastListen Live
WebsiteWPNA Website

WPNA (1490 AM) is a time-brokered radio station licensed to Oak Park, Illinois, United States, the station serves the Chicago area. The station is currently owned by Alliance Communications.[4]

Programming[]

The majority of the station's programming is Polish language news, talk, and sports.[5] They also feature polka music on the weekends, such as the long running Eddie Blazonczyk Polka Show hosted by Tish Blazonczyk,[6] and the IPA Polka Show sponsored by the International Polka Association.[7]

WPNA is the home of the Hagerty Family Irish Program, the longest running Irish program in the United States.[5] This program has been on the station every Saturday morning since 1951.[8]

History[]

WPNA's tower atop the Oak Park Arms

The station began broadcasting October 7, 1950.[1] The station's call sign was originally WEBS, but before going on the air the call sign was changed to WOPA to reflect the location of its studios.[2] The studios and antenna were in the former Oak Park Arms Hotel, now a retirement community.[2]

Pervis Spann began his radio career on WOPA in 1959.[9][10]

In 1984, the station's call sign was changed to WBMX.[3]

In 1987, the station was sold to the Polish National Alliance for $2 million, and its call sign was changed to WPNA.[11][3] WPNA was the home of the long-running Chet Gulinski Show, which featured polka music and was quite popular in Chicago's Eastern European communities.[12][13]

References[]

  1. ^ a b 1971 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1971. p. B-66. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d History Cards for WPNA, fcc.gov. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  4. ^ "WPNA Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
  5. ^ a b "About Us", WPNA. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  6. ^ "Eddie Blazonczyk Polka Show", WPNA. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  7. ^ "International Polka Association", WPNA. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  8. ^ Curry, Cathy. "Chicago's First Family of Irish Radio", Irish American News, Chicago, May 2011. Retrieved on 23 October 2014.
  9. ^ "Pervis Spann", The Blues Foundation. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  10. ^ Whiteis, David. "Not So Smooth Operator", Chicago Reader. January 18, 2001. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  11. ^ "Changing Hands", Broadcasting. February 9, 1987. p. 118. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  12. ^ "Chet Gulinski, Host of Radio Polka Show", Chicago Tribune. August 14, 1999. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  13. ^ "WPNA AM 1490", Radio Chicago. Fall 1989. p. 25. Retrieved January 28, 2019.

External links[]


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