WSBC

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For other uses, see WSBC (disambiguation).
WSBC
WSBC WNDZ WAIT WorldRadioChicago logo.png
CityChicago, Illinois
Broadcast areaChicago market
Frequency1240 kHz
BrandingAccess Radio Chicago 1240
Programming
FormatBrokered programming
Ownership
OwnerNewsweb Corporation
WCPT, WCPY, WNDZ
History
First air date
1925[1]
Call sign meaning
World Storage Battery Company[2]
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID16847
ClassC
Power1,000 watts unlimited
Transmitter coordinates
41°58′53″N 87°46′20″W / 41.98139°N 87.77222°W / 41.98139; -87.77222
Links
Public license information
Profile
LMS
WebsiteOfficial website

WSBC (1240 AM) is a radio station in Chicago, Illinois, United States, which broadcasts brokered programming. It is owned by Newsweb Corporation.[3][4]

History[]

WSBC's tower on Milwaukee Ave.

WSBC began broadcasting in 1925 and originally broadcast at 1430 kHz.[1][5][6][7] It was owned by the World Battery Company and its call sign stood for "World Storage Battery Company".[6][7][2][8] It 1926 its frequency was changed to 1040 kHz and in 1927 it was changed to 1260 kHz.[5] It 1928, WSBC's frequency was changed to 1210 kHz and it began sharing time with WCRW and WEDC.[5] Its studios and transmitter were located at the New Southern Hotel (later known as the Hotel Crillon) at 13th and Michigan Ave.[5]

Since WSBC began broadcasting, it has featured a wide variety of ethnic programming.[9] The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music holds the Frank Scheibenreif Slovak, Czech, and Romi Sound Recording Collection, ca. 1930-1950.[10] 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.[11][12]

On April 1, 1933, Gene Dyer purchased WSBC from C.J. Gordon, who had operated it since August 1932.[13] At the time, Dyer also owned WGES in Chicago.[13] In 1936, the station's studios and transmitter were moved to the West Town State Bank Building at 2400 W. Madison.[5] Its frequency was changed to 1240 kHz in March 1941, as a result of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement.[5]

In 1944, WSBC was sold to the J. Miller Advertising Agency for $100,000.[14] In 1954, the station was sold to Louis Lee for $180,000.[15] In 1976, control of the station was passed to Louis Lee's son, Danny Lee.[5][16]

In 1996, WSBC's owners purchased WCRW for $564,375, plus $160,000 for a non-compete agreement.[17][18] WEDC ceased broadcasting in 1997. WSBC began broadcasting from WEDC's transmitter site and it began full-time operations.[19][20]

In 1998, the station was sold to Newsweb Corporation for $5,550,000.[21][22] Some of the station's programs were simulcast on 1470 WCFJ in Chicago Heights, Illinois.[23][24] In June 1998, WSBC began airing LesBiGay Radio weekday evenings.[25] The program was heard on WSBC until April 2001, and was simulcast on WCFJ.[26]

References[]

  1. ^ a b 1971 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 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. ^ "WSBC Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  4. ^ "WSBC Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g History Cards for WSBC, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  6. ^ a b Radio Progress. August 15, 1925. p. 40. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  7. ^ a b Radio Age. August 1925. p. 102. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  8. ^ Chicagoland Radio Waves, MediaTies. Summer 1988. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  9. ^ Knopper, Steve. "Ethnic Radio's Potent, Growing Niche", Billboard. December 21, 1996. pp. 77, 78. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  10. ^ "University of Illinois Archives".
  11. ^ Sterling, Christopher H. (2003). Encyclopedia of Radio 3-Volume Set. Routledge. p. 639. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  12. ^ Bracks, Lean'tin (2012). African American Almanac: 400 Years of Triumph, Courage and Excellence. Visible Ink Press. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  13. ^ a b "Dyer Buys WSBC" (PDF). Broadcasting. April 15, 1933. p. 14. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  14. ^ "FCC Approves Sale of WSBC Chicago to J. Miller Adv. Agency for $100,000", Broadcasting. October 2, 1944. p. 66. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  15. ^ "Ownership Changes", Broadcasting. February 1, 1954. p. 88. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  16. ^ Wyman, Bill. "WXRT: Sold Down the River?", Chicago Reader. March 9, 1995. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  17. ^ "Changing Hands", Broadcasting & Cable. May 20, 1996. p. 50. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  18. ^ Application Search Details – BAL-19960501EA, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  19. ^ History Cards for WEDC, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  20. ^ "Federal Communications Commission AM Broadcast License", Federal Communications Commission. April 25, 1997. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  21. ^ Application Search Details – BAL-19971118EA, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  22. ^ "Transactions", Radio & Records. November 7, 1997. p. 6. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  23. ^ "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 15, No. 33. August 19, 1998. p. 2. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  24. ^ "WCFJ 1470 AM Chicago Heights". Access Radio Chicago. Archived from the original on September 20, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  25. ^ Feder, Robert. "Soap opera channel to get trial run here", Chicago Sun-Times. June 9, 1998. p. 37.
  26. ^ Feder, Robert. "Mancow might leave Windy City for Frisco", Chicago Sun-Times. July 17, 2001. p. 49.

External links[]


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