WIBW (AM)
| Broadcast area | Topeka/Kansas City Metropolitan Area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 580 kHz |
| Branding | The Voice of Kansas AM 580 WIBW |
| Programming | |
| Format | News/Talk/Sports |
| Affiliations | CBS News |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WIBW-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | 1927 |
Call sign meaning | W Indiana Broadcasting Works |
| Technical information | |
| Class | B |
| Power | 5,000 Watts |
| Links | |
| Webcast | http://www.580wibw.com |
| Website | http://www.580wibw.com |
WIBW (580 AM) is a Topeka, Kansas, area news, talk, and sports radio station that airs such local programming such as On the Other Hand with Raubin Pierce and Megan Mosack, Sports Sanity with Bruce Steinbrock, and SportsTalk with Mark Elliott. WIBW also carries national programs such as Glenn Beck, Alan Colmes and Kim Komando. WIBW is owned by Morris Communications.
Due to WIBW's location near the end of the AM dial and the region's flat terrain, the station's 5,000-watt signal decently covers most of the Kansas City metropolitan area during the day, and provides city-grade coverage as far south as Wichita. It provides at least grade B coverage as far north as Omaha and Lincoln and as far south at Tulsa.
Shared frequency
Until the fall of 2002, WIBW shared time with a radio station in Manhattan, Kansas, KKSU, which was owned by Kansas State University. From 1929 to 2002, KKSU and WIBW shared the 580 AM frequency — while it was common for stations to share frequencies in the early days of radio, such a concept became outmoded in the 21st century. During the period the stations shared the frequency, KKSU would be on the air in the afternoons, while WIBW would be on during other times of the day.
Programming
Many Kansans were shocked by the demolishing of KKSU radio, which occurred after Kansas State University officials decided to cancel its long-time relationship with WIBW-AM after WIBW (Morris communications) tendered a much lower bid than the rest of the bidders. K-State officials awarded the contract to a rival broadcaster from Wichita, Kansas. After dueling lawsuits between KSU and WIBW's owners, the school sold its afternoon ownership of the frequency to WIBW, and the station ceased broadcasting Kansas State football. The university hence lost a powerful voice in communicating its programs and farm programming to the station's large rural audience.
Three years after WIBW and KSU parted ways, the station began carrying football and basketball games of the archrival Kansas Jayhawks, much to the chagrin of Wildcat fans. In addition to its extensive coverage of high school sports, WIBW also broadcasts the Washburn Ichabods and the Kansas City Royals. The station carries national broadcasts as well, including the NFL, major league baseball, and college football and basketball, as part of radio networks including ESPN Radio, Westwood One, and Sports USA.
The station is an affiliate of the CBS Radio Network and broadcasts CBS News updates on the hour.
Former hosts
- Greg Sharpe
- Mitch Holthus, radio announcer for the Kansas City Chiefs
See also
- WIBW-TV (television station formerly associated with WIBW AM)
External links
- WIBW official website
- Template:AMQ
- Template:AML
- WIBW in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
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