WBBM (AM)
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| City of license | Chicago, Illinois |
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| Broadcast area | Chicago market / Northern Illinois |
| Branding | Newsradio 780, and 105.9 FM, WBBM |
| Frequency | 780 kHz WCFS-FM 105.9 FM mHz, Elmwood Park (FM simulcast) |
| First air date | 1923 (in Lincoln, Illinois; moved to Chicago in 1925) |
| Format | News |
| Power | 50,000 watts |
| Class | A (clear channel) |
| Facility ID | 9631 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 41°59′26.00″N 88°01′39.00″W / 41.99056°N 88.0275°W |
| Callsign meaning | World's Best Battery Maker (referring to Mallory Battery Company) We Broadcast Better Music (from a past slogan) World's Best Broadcast Medium |
| Owner | CBS Radio (CBS Radio East, Inc.) |
| Sister stations | WBBM-TV, WBBM-FM, WCFS-FM, WJMK-FM, WSCR, WUSN, WXRT |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | cbschicago.com |
WBBM is an all-news CBS radio station in Chicago, Illinois broadcasting on the AM dial at 780 kHz. It is owned by CBS along with WBBM-TV.
The station is also simulcast on WCFS-FM, 105.9 to provide better service to Chicago's central business district and better audio quality to the market in general, an arrangement that launched on August 1, 2011 after CBS discontinued WCFS's former AC format to ward off a challenge from new all-news station WIQI (101.1). WCFS's calls under the branding Fresh 105.9 were retained as the current measure of Arbitron ratings, the Portable People Meter, confirms what is being listened to by sound, not call letters via listener diary,[1] and to retain the heritage calls of WBBM's sister rhythmic operation at 96.3; WCFS's former format was retained in an automated form over their HD2 subchannel.
[edit] History
The station traces its history to 1911, when Leslie and Ralph Atlass, owners of the Mallory Battery Company of Lincoln, Illinois began an amateur spark station. In 1923, it received a commercial license and was assigned the frequency of 1300 kHz. It also received its current call letters, which stand for World's Best Battery Maker. In later years, an alternate meaning, "We Broadcast Better Music," was created.[2]
The Atlasses sold their battery company in 1924 to devote their full attention to WBBM, and moved to Chicago that same year. It became a charter CBS affiliate in 1928. The new network liked what it saw in the station, and bought a controlling interest in 1929. Leslie Atlass remained station manager with a 33 percent interest. CBS bought the remaining stock in 1933. As part of the deal, Atlass became vice president of CBS' Central Division while remaining station manager of WBBM—positions he continued to hold until his retirement in 1959. A series of power increases over the years culminated in its current power of 50,000 watts in 1935, allowing the station to cover much of North America after dark. It had studios at various locations in Chicago until 1956. In 1956-2006, it operated from a converted arena on North McClurg Court, and in 2006 it moved to Two Prudential Plaza.
The station has been all-news since 1968. From 1964 until 1968 the format was news/talk, and prior to that, the station had a MOR/Personality-based format. The station has been the flagship station of the Chicago Bears since 2000, and in its history has also aired Chicago White Sox and Chicago Blackhawks games.
Over the years, WBBM fended off all-news competition from McLendon-owned WNUS-AM-FM, NBC's WNIS-FM (a predecessor to current rival WIQI), and from Group W's WMAQ, which came under the CBS umbrella when Westinghouse Electric Corporation purchased CBS in 1995; sports-talk WSCR took over the WMAQ frequency in 2000. For many years, WBBM has been in a spirited battle with rival news/talk/sports station WGN for the number one AM or FM radio station in the Chicago media market. In the June 2009 Arbitron ratings period, WGN held a slight edge over WBBM in PPM metered listenership ratings. However, since the Fall of 2009, WBBM has regained the lead while WGN began to slip.
780 is also known for a couple of trademarks. Typically before a commercial break the current on-air personality will claim, “WBBM news time…(current time of day)" (as is standard procedure with every other all-news station owned and operated by CBS). The station provides updates on traffic and weather "on the eights." Also after any sort of sports update the on-air personality will also proudly claim, “you're listening to the home of the Bears.” The station has also been the longtime flagship of the Chicago Air & Water Show in mid-August every year as the station's anchor and reporting staff describe the sights of jets and airplanes doing stunts above the water off Chicago's lakefront to listeners.
According to the radio industry website, RadioStats (RadioStats.Net), WBBM's website is the most visited radio station website in America.
WBBM's skywave signal was received as far west as Salt Lake City, Utah.[3] Additionally, hobbyists as far east as Scotland and Germany have claimed to have been able to pick up the station's broadcast.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Feder, Robert (15 July 2011). "It’s official: CBS to expand Newsradio brand with FM simulcast". Time Out Chicago. http://timeoutchicago.com/arts-culture/chicago-media-blog/14850277/it’s-official-cbs-to-expand-newsradio-brand-with-fm-simulca. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- ^ The Creswell Chronicle in Creswell, Oregon - Community News and Visitor Information
- ^ Salt Lake City DX log
- ^ "WBBM chicago 780 khz received in scotland 24/9/09 05.59 utc". YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1o0L9bmFLE. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
[edit] External links
- WBBM website
- Query the FCC's AM station database for WBBM
- Radio-Locator Information on WBBM
- Query Arbitron's AM station database for WBBM
- Website for WBBM's 40th anniversary as all-news
Coordinates: 41°59′26″N 88°01′39″W / 41.99056°N 88.02750°W
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