WBBM-FM

Last updated

WBBM-FM
WBBM-FM B96 logo.png
Broadcast area Chicago metropolitan area
Frequency 96.3 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingB96
Programming
Language(s) English
Format Gold-leaning/Rhythmic Top 40
Subchannels HD2: Channel Q
Ownership
Owner
  • Audacy, Inc.
  • (Audacy License, LLC, as Debtor-in-Possession)
WBBM, WBMX, WCFS-FM, WSCR, WUSN, WXRT [1]
History
First air date
November 1941;82 years ago (1941-11) [2]
Former call signs
W67C (1941–43) [3]
Former frequencies
  • 46.7 MHz (1941–46) [3]
  • 99.3 MHz (1946–47) [3]
  • 97.1 MHz (1947–53) [3]
Call sign meaning
calls randomly assigned to WBBM (AM) with multiple backronyms:
"We Broadcast Broadmoor Music" [4] [5]
"World's Best Broadcast Medium" [4] [5]
"Where Better Broadcasts Materialize" [6]
Technical information [7]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 9613
Class B
ERP 3,300  watts
HAAT 474 meters (1,555 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
 41°52′44″N87°38′10″W / 41.879°N 87.636°W / 41.879; -87.636
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live (via  Audacy)
Website www.audacy.com/b96

WBBM-FM (96.3 MHz, "B96") is a rhythmic/gold-leaning Top 40 radio station in Chicago, Illinois. It is owned by Audacy, Inc. The station has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 3,300 watts, broadcasting from a transmitter atop the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower). [8] The studios and offices are located at Two Prudential Plaza in the Loop. WBBM-FM's main competition is 103.5 WKSC-FM, owned by iHeartMedia.

Contents

History

Early years

The station began experimental broadcasts in November 1941, as W67C, broadcasting on 46.7 MHz. [2] [3] The station's transmitter was located atop the American National Bank Building, at 33 N. LaSalle Street. [3] It simulcast co-owned WBBM (780 AM), carrying its CBS Radio Network schedule of dramas, comedies, news, sports, game shows, soap operas and big band broadcasts during the "Golden Age of Radio".

In 1943, the station's call sign was changed to WBBM-FM. [3] In 1946, the station began broadcasting on 99.3 MHz. [3] In 1947, the station's frequency was changed to 97.1 MHz, and in 1953, WBBM-FM moved to its current frequency of 96.3 MHz. [3] In the 1950s, as network programming moved from radio to television, WBBM-AM-FM carried a full service middle of the road format of popular music, news and talk. After 1964, most of the music was eliminated, in favor of talk and news.

The Young Sound

In 1966, WBBM-FM split from simulcasting the AM and flipped to "The Young Sound", a format pioneered by John DeWitt for co-owned WCBS-FM in New York City. [9] [10] [11] Bud Kelly was the announcer for "The Young Sound" on WBBM-FM. [9]

"The Young Sound" aired instrumental cover versions of recent hits, contemporary pop instrumentals from artists like Herb Alpert, and contemporary vocal hits from artists like Petula Clark. [9] [11] Every hour's playlist was designed so that each song would complement the titles that preceded and followed it. [9] [10] Initially, the station had a three to one instrumental to vocal ratio. [10] However, its playlist was skewed towards a young audience, which distinguished it from most easy listening and beautiful music stations of the era. [9] [10]

Chicago's Favorite Rock

By the early 1970s, the station was airing a format consisting of top 40, album cuts, and past hits. [12] The station was branded as "Stereo 96 WBBM-FM, Chicago's Favorite Rock!" [13] Bob Johnston served as program director. [14]

In 1971, the station's transmitter was moved to the John Hancock Center. [3]

Mellow sound

By 1977, WBBM-FM and several other FM stations owned by CBS had adopted an adult contemporary format defined as the "mellow sound", playing contemporary music but without the harder-edged titles. [15] [16] [17] During this era, the station was branded as "The Mellow Sound of Chicago" [18] and "Soft Rock 96". [19] Initially, all of CBS's "mellow sound" stations were automated. [15]

Dick Bartley, who later became a popular syndicated radio personality, spent time at WBBM-FM as program director and morning disc jockey in the late 1970s. [20] [21] WBBM-FM briefly carried American Top 40 with Casey Kasem during the soft rock years. [22]

B96

In May 1982, WBBM-FM began airing a Top 40/CHR format known as "Hot Hits", which was created by consultant Mike Joseph. [23] Concurrent with the format change was the phase-out of all automation. [23] Hot Hits was a high-energy format, playing only current hits, and featured numerous jingles to reinforce the station's identity. [23] The station was branded B96 the following year. [24]

When late 1986 rolled along, B96's format began to tweak slowly towards a rhythmic top 40 direction, and a couple of years later during the late 1980s began to embrace dance products. Despite those moves at the time, the station retained a selection of mainstream titles during both of their runs. [25] [26] In May 1990, the station became known as "The Killer Bee: B96". [26] In 1995, the station began to add more R&B and hip hop as the dance scene diminished. [27]

In October 2008, the station's slogan was changed from "Chicago's Hits and Hip-Hop" to "Chicago's #1 Hit Music Station", as its format shifted back to mainstream Top 40. [28] [29]

On April 21, 2023, WBBM-FM shifted to a rhythmic-oriented gold-leaning Top 40 format, combining many Top 40/CHR currents and re-currents with a larger and older gold library. This follows the trend of other struggling Top 40/CHRs flipping to the format, such as WFLC in Miami and KLIF-FM in Dallas-Fort Worth to attract a wider listener base. The station also reverted to its heritage logo used throughout the 2000s and 2010s. [30]

Since 1992, the station has presented the B96 SummerBash concert. [31]

Morning shows

B96's longtime morning program was the "Eddie & JoBo" morning zoo show. Joe Colborn (air name "Bohannon") first signed on at B96 in 1984 hosting evenings as "JoBo In Chicago". [32] Ed Volkman started at B96 in 1986 hosting morning drive along with Karen Hand and Mike Elston. [32] [33] When Elston left B96 in 1988, Bohannon was moved to mornings along with Volkman and Hand, launching the "Eddie & JoBo" show. [34] [32] Outside of a three-year period between 1994 and 1997, morning show ran for two decades but was canceled on November 21, 2008. [35]

On January 5, 2009, Julian Nieh and Jamar "J. Niice" McNeil started a new morning show, "J. Niice & Julian on the Radio". The two were previously together at iHeartMedia's WIHT in Washington, D.C. Nieh stayed with the show until December 2012. [36] The show continued as "The J Show", with J. Niice as the host alongside Showbiz Shelly and Gabe. [37] [38] J. Niice left in March 2018 and in April, B96 debuted "DreX & Nina" with Gabe Ramirez still being kept on. [39] [40] [41] DreX left B96 in February 2019 and the show became "Gabe and Nina in the Morning", hosted by Gabe Ramirez and Nina Hajian. In September 2021, Hajian left the station, with Ramirez continuing to host the show, which was renamed "B96 Mornings". [41] [42] In April 2022, 'The Morning Mess', hosted by Joey ‘Nachoo’ Rodriguez, Aneesh, Jeana and Karla, moved from Phoenix sister station KALV-FM to host mornings on WBBM-FM. [43]

Ownership changes

CBS had owned WBBM-FM since its beginnings. In 1995, CBS was acquired by Westinghouse. [44] Infinity Broadcasting Corporation was acquired in December 1996, and shortly thereafter Westinghouse's name was changed to CBS Corp. [44] Through its CBS Radio division, the CBS Corporation owned WBBM-FM for 76 years.

On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced it would merge with Entercom, no longer a part of the CBS Corporation. [45] The merger was approved on November 9, 2017, and was consummated on November 17. [46] [47]

HD Radio

WBBM-FM broadcasts in the HD Radio format. The HD2 subchannel carries a national LGBTQ talk and EDM radio format called "Channel Q". [48]

In January 2006, the station officially launched its HD2 FM subcarrier, airing a Dance Top 40 format as "B96 Dance". [49] That format moved to a subchannel on co-owned 105.9 WCFS-FM in February 2019 and rebranded as "Energy". [48] WBBM-FM's HD2 subchannel then switched to an Entercom format known as "Channel Q", a talk and EDM format, aimed at the LGBTQ community and heard in many radio markets served by Entercom FM stations. [48] [50]

Related Research Articles

CBS Radio was a radio broadcasting company and radio network operator owned by CBS Corporation and founded in 1928, with consolidated radio station groups owned by CBS and Westinghouse Broadcasting/Group W since the 1920s, and Infinity Broadcasting since the 1970s. The broadcasting company was sold to Entercom on November 17, 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSTR (FM)</span> Radio station in Smyrna, Georgia

WSTR is an FM radio station licensed to Smyrna, Georgia, and serving the Atlanta metropolitan area. Owned by Audacy, Inc., it broadcasts a rhythmic adult contemporary format. Its studios are located at Colony Square in Midtown Atlanta, while the station transmitter resides in Atlanta's Reynoldstown neighborhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBBM (AM)</span> Radio station in Illinois, United States

WBBM – branded Newsradio 780 WBBM – is a commercial all-news AM radio station licensed to serve Chicago, Illinois. Owned by Audacy, Inc., its studios are located at Two Prudential Plaza in the Chicago Loop, while the station transmitter—diplexed with sister station WSCR—resides in the nearby suburb of Bloomingdale.

WCKL is a non-commercial FM radio station licensed to Chicago, Illinois, featuring a Christian contemporary format via the K-Love network. Owned and operated by Educational Media Foundation (EMF), WCKL serves the Chicago metro area with a transmitter located atop the John Hancock Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KNX-FM</span> Radio station in Los Angeles, California

KNX-FM is a commercial radio station in Los Angeles, California, United States. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. and airs an all-news radio format in a full-time simulcast with KNX. The station has studios at the intersection of Wilshire and Hauser Boulevards in the Miracle Mile district of Los Angeles, and the transmitter on Mount Wilson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WIAD</span> FM radio station in Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.

WIAD is a commercial radio station licensed to Bethesda, Maryland, and serving the Washington metropolitan area. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc., through licensee Audacy License, LLC, and broadcasts a classic hits radio format, branded as "94.7 The Drive". The studios and offices are on Half Street SE near the Navy Yard in Southeast Washington.

WXTU is a commercial radio station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Owned by Beasley Broadcast Group, the station broadcasts a country music format. Its studios and offices are located at 1 Bala Plaza on East City Avenue in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, while its transmitter is located in the Roxborough section of the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBMX</span> Classic hip hop radio station in Chicago

WBMX is a commercial radio station in Chicago, Illinois, serving the Chicago metropolitan area and Northwest Indiana. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. and airs a classic hip hop radio format.

KOOL-FM is a commercial classic hits radio station in Phoenix, Arizona. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. The station is branded as Big 94.5 and features mostly hits of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, and is one of the top-performing stations in Phoenix. The station primarily competes with Riviera-owned 95.1 KOAI, which concentrates on the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s hits. KOOL-FM's studios are located in downtown Phoenix, and its transmitter is in South Mountain Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WUSN</span> Country music radio station in Chicago

WUSN is a country radio station in Chicago, Illinois. Owned by Audacy, Inc. and branded as "US✶99", it is based at Two Prudential Plaza in the Loop, and transmits from atop the John Hancock Center with an HD Radio signal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WKSC-FM</span> Contemporary hit radio station in Chicago

WKSC-FM – branded "103.5 Kiss FM" – is a commercial Top 40/CHR radio station licensed to Chicago, Illinois. Owned by iHeartMedia, its studios are located at the Illinois Center complex on Michigan Avenue in Downtown Chicago, and its transmitter is located at Willis Tower. WKSC is the flagship station of the syndicated morning show The Fred Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCFS-FM</span> All-news radio station in Elmwood Park–Chicago, Illinois

WCFS-FM – branded Newsradio 105.9 WBBM – is a commercial all-news radio station licensed to the Chicago suburb of Elmwood Park, Illinois. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station services the Chicago metropolitan area, operating as a full-time simulcast of WBBM.

WLEY-FM is a radio station licensed to Aurora, Illinois, serving Aurora, Chicago, Naperville, Joliet and much of surrounding Northeast Illinois. Owned by Spanish Broadcasting System, it broadcasts a regional Mexican format branded as La Ley 107.9. WLEY's studios are located in the Crain Communications Building in the Loop, while its transmitter is located in Bloomingdale, with its antenna located atop WSCR's tower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPOW</span> Contemporary hit radio station in Miami

WPOW – branded Power 96 – is a commercial rhythmic top 40 radio station licensed to Miami, Florida. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station serves Miami-Dade County, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metropolitan area, and much of surrounding South Florida. The WPOW studios are located in Audacy's Miami office on Northeast Second Avenue, while the station transmitter is located in the Miami Gardens neighborhood of Andover. Besides a standard analog transmission, WPOW broadcasts over three HD Radio channels, and is available online via Audacy.

KJKK is a commercial radio station in Dallas, Texas and serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. It is owned by Audacy, Inc., and airs an adult hits radio format known as "Jack FM". The station's studios and offices are along the North Central Expressway in Uptown Dallas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KKHH</span> Radio station in Houston, Texas

KKHH is a radio station in Houston, Texas. It is owned by Audacy, Inc. and airs an adult hits radio format. The studios and offices are located in the Greenway Plaza district of Houston.

WOMX-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Orlando, Florida. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. and airs a hot adult contemporary radio format known as Mix 105.1. WOMX-FM's studios and offices are located on Pembrook Drive in Maitland and its transmitter tower is off Fort Christmas Road in Bithlo.

WHBQ-FM is a commercial radio station broadcasting a Top 40 (CHR) format. It is licensed to Germantown, Tennessee, and serves Greater Memphis. It is owned by Flinn Broadcasting with studios on Mount Moriah Road in Southeast Memphis. Despite sharing call letters, WHBQ-FM is not co-owned with WHBQ-TV.

KMVQ-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to San Francisco, California. It is owned by Salt Lake City–based Bonneville International and it broadcasts a Top 40/CHR format branded as 99.7 Now. The studios are at 2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard in Daly City. KMVQ is one of two Top 40/CHR stations in the San Francisco, the other being iHeartMedia's KYLD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KSON (FM)</span> Radio station in California, United States

KSON is a commercial radio station licensed to San Diego, California. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station broadcasts a country music format.

References

  1. ↑ Janowski, Thaddeus P. (September 29, 2010). "FCC 316: Application for Consent to Assign Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License or to Transfer Control of Entity Holding Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License (BTCH-20100930AFL)". Federal Communications Commission . Retrieved March 15, 2011.
  2. 1 2 "FM Outlet Histories", Broadcasting — Telecasting . A Continuing Study of Major Radio Markets: Study No. 7: Chicago. October 25, 1948. p. 14. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 History Cards for WBBM-FM, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 23, 2018.
  4. 1 2 Schaden, Chuck (1988). " WBBM Yesterday & Today . WBBM. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  5. 1 2 Jacob, Mark. "10 things you might not know about Chicago radio", Chicago Tribune . September 14, 2008. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  6. ↑ "AM Histories", Broadcasting — Telecasting . A Continuing Study of Major Radio Markets: Study No. 7: Chicago. October 25, 1948. pp. 14, 17. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WBBM-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  8. ↑ FM Query Results: WBBM-FM, fcc.gov. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "What is 'The Young Sound'?", All That Is Music. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "'Young Sound' to Hit New York on Oct. 1", Billboard . October 1, 1966. p. 22. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  11. 1 2 CBS-FM Offers Service to Aid Small Markets With Separation", Billboard . December 16, 1966. pp. 26, 32. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  12. ↑ "WBBM-FM Cuts Swath With Oldie LP Tracks", Billboard . July 10, 1971. p. 20. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  13. ↑ WBBM/FM Stereo 96 Chicago's Favorite Rock, WBBM-FM. May 12, 1973. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Chicago Retailers, Stations Push Sansui 'Q'", Billboard . January 6, 1973. p. 19. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  15. 1 2 Tiegel, Eliot. "Marshall Cross-Pollinates Ideas", Billboard . October 8, 1977. pp. 36, 40. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Stations, everywhere: a listeners' guide to the AM and FM bands", Chicago Tribune Magazine . March 4, 1979. p. 35. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  17. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1978 , Broadcasting, 1978. p. C-62. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  18. ↑ Media Decisions, Volume 12, Part 1. N. Glenn Publications. 1977. p. 43.
  19. ↑ "Northern FM DX", WTFDA Mailbox. November 1980. p. 17. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  20. ↑ Ghrist, John R. (1996). Valley Voices: A Radio History. Crossroads Communications. p. 44.
  21. ↑ "Billboard Arbitron DJ Rating Performance", Billboard . September 30, 1978. p. 32. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  22. ↑ Hall, Doug. "Vox Jox", Billboard . August 11, 1979. p. 18. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  23. 1 2 3 Penchansky, Alan. "WBBM-FM to Shift to 'Hot Hits' Format", Billboard . April 24, 1982. pp. 25, 36. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  24. ↑ Bornstein, Rollye. "Vox Jox", Billboard . June 18, 1983. p. 24. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  25. ↑ Hoffman, Wayne. "After years of indifference, radio stations are actively courting gay men—some more openly than others", The Advocate . January 21, 1997. p. 81-82. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  26. 1 2 Ross, Sean. "PD of the week", Billboard . May 19, 1990. pp. 19, 22. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  27. ↑ Carter, Kevin. "PD Cavanah Sees Success By Broadening B96's List", Billboard . September 23, 1995. p. 100. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  28. ↑ "Chicago's Hits and Hip-Hop". WBBM-FM. Archived from the original on October 24, 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  29. ↑ "Chicago's #1 Hit Music Station". WBBM-FM. Archived from the original on October 31, 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  30. ↑ Venta, Lance (April 21, 2023). "B96 Moves Back To Its Roots". RadioInsight. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  31. ↑ "2011 B96 Pepsi SummerBash Guide", CBS 2 Chicago. June 9, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  32. 1 2 3 Chicago's WJMK-FM flipping to KHITS", Radio & Television Business Report. March 10, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  33. ↑ Freeman, Kim. "Vox Jox", Billboard . August 9, 1986. p. 14. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  34. ↑ Ross, Sean. "Vox Jox", Billboard . November 5, 1988. p. 15. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  35. ↑ Rosenthal, Phil. "Eddie and Jobo out at WBBM-FM", Chicago Tribune . November 21, 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  36. ↑ "Julian Nieh Exits B96", Chicagoland Radio and Media. November 28, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  37. ↑ Feder, Robert. "B96 reboots morning show after Julian jumps", Time Out Chicago . November 28, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  38. ↑ "The J. Show with Showbiz Shelly". WBBM-FM. Archived from the original on June 20, 2013. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  39. ↑ Goldsborough, Bob. "J Niice, former WBBM-FM morning host, sells Near South Side condo for $370,500", Chicago Tribune . August 24, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  40. ↑ "Changes At WBBM-F (B96)/Chicago As J Niice And Showbiz Shelly Exit Mornings; 'DreX' Rumored To Return", All Access Music Group. March 29, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  41. 1 2 "DreX Out At Chicago's 'B96' After Less Than A Year", Inside Radio. February 8, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  42. ↑ "Gabe & Nina", Chicago's B96. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  43. ↑ Live 101.5 Phoenix's Morning Mess to Move to B96 Chicago
  44. 1 2 "Westinghouse to Change Name to CBS After Spinoff", Bloomberg News. Los Angeles Times . February 6, 1997. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  45. ↑ Venta, Lance. "CBS Radio to Merge with Entercom", RadioInsight. February 2, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  46. ↑ "Entercom Receives FCC Approval For Merger With CBS Radio". Entercom. November 2, 2017. Archived from the original on November 11, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  47. ↑ Venta, Lance (November 17, 2017). "Entercom Completes CBS Radio Merger". Radio Insight. Archived from the original on November 18, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  48. 1 2 3 "Channel Q Expands To Six More Markets" RadioInsight. February 26, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
  49. ↑ "Major Radio Groups Announce HD2 Formats", All Access Music Group. January 19, 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  50. ↑ Entercom’s ‘Channel Q’ Expands To Six New Markets Via HD Side Channels, Inside Radio. February 27, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.