WBGX

Last updated
WBGX
Wbgx.jpg
Broadcast area Chicago Metropolitan Area
Frequency 1570 kHz
Programming
Format Gospel
Ownership
OwnerGreat Lakes Radio-Chicago, LLC
History
First air date
 1955 [1]
Former call signs
WBEE (1955–1989) [2]
WMNN (1989) [3]
WBEE (1989–2003) [3]
Call sign meaning
"Big Gospel Express"
Technical information [4]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 40147
Class B
Power 1,100 watts day
500 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
 41°36′14.00″N87°40′45.00″W / 41.6038889°N 87.6791667°W / 41.6038889; -87.6791667
Translator(s) 95.9 MHz  W240EI (Harvey)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen Live
Website gospel1570.com

WBGX (1570 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a gospel format. Located in Harvey, Illinois, United States, it serves the Chicago area. The station is currently owned by Great Lakes Radio-Chicago, LLC. [5]

Contents

WBGX is a locally owned radio station that brokers time to churches in order to serve the Chicago and South Suburban areas.

History

The station began broadcasting in 1955, and held the call sign WBEE. [2] [6] It was owned by Rollins Broadcasting and aired an R&B format. [6] [2] Originally running 250 watts during daytime hours only, in 1956 its power was increased to 1,000 watts. [2] In 1968, WBEE adopted an all-jazz format. [6] On September 28, 1989, its call sign was changed to WMNN, and it began airing ten minutes of financial news at the top of the hour, as an affiliate of Money Network Radio. [3] [7] However, its call sign was changed back to WBEE on November 15, 1989. [3]

In October 2003, Great Lakes Radio purchased the station for $2.2 million from owner Charles Sherrell, and its call sign was changed to WBGX. [8] [9] [3] The station switched to a gospel music format. [9] During the following months the entire station was rebuilt. A new tower was added to increase power to serve a larger population. A new building on the corner of 60th and S. Michigan Ave was purchased in December 2003, and new studio was built which opened in May 2004. Gospel Industry Specialist Veronica Williams was the only staff member retained.

In summer 2020, former Cook County Board President Todd Stroger and Maze Jackson joined WBGX as morning hosts, after leaving WVON when they were told by station management that they could no longer discuss Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and to disconnect any callers who were critical of her. [10] [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRLL (1690 AM)</span> Oldies radio station in Berwyn, Illinois, United States (2003–2006)

WRLL was an oldies radio station licensed to Berwyn, Illinois, United States, serving the Chicago market. It was owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications. The station's transmitter was located in Chicago's Ashburn neighborhood, near the Evergreen Park, Illinois border, and operated as a diplexed operation from one of the towers of its sister station, WGCI. The station ran 10,000 watts during the day, and 1,000 watts at night, using a non-directional antenna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLIT-FM</span> Soft adult contemporary radio station in Chicago

WLIT-FM is a radio station in Chicago, Illinois. Owned by iHeartMedia, it broadcasts a soft adult contemporary format. Its studios are located at the Illinois Center complex in the Chicago Loop, while the station transmitter is on top of the Willis Tower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WVAZ</span> Radio station in Chicago, Illinois

WVAZ is an urban adult contemporary radio station serving the Chicago metropolitan area and Northwest Indiana. Licensed to Oak Park, Illinois, WVAZ is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., alongside sister stations WCHI-FM, WGCI-FM, WGRB, WKSC-FM, WLIT-FM and WVON. WVAZ carries the nationally syndicated "Steve Harvey Morning Show" and "The Sweat Hotel with Keith Sweat."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WGCI-FM</span> Urban contemporary radio station in Chicago

WGCI-FM is an urban contemporary radio station that is licensed to Chicago, Illinois, serving the Chicago metropolitan area and Northwest Indiana. It is owned and operated by iHeartMedia.

WHTX – branded as AM 1570 WHTX – is a commercial News Talk AM radio station licensed to serve Warren, Ohio. Owned by Sagittarius Communications, LLC., the station covers the Youngstown metropolitan area and much of the Mahoning Valley. The WHTX studios are located in Mineral Ridge, while the station transmitter resides in Warren. Besides a standard analog transmission, WHTX is available online.

WKTA is a commercial radio station broadcasting a brokered, mixed ethnic format. Licensed to Evanston, Illinois, the station serves the Chicago metropolitan area and is owned by Polnet Communications, Ltd.

WNTD is a radio station licensed to Chicago, Illinois. It is owned by Relevant Radio, Inc., simulcasting a Catholic talk and teaching radio format with sister station WKDM 930 AM in Sandwich, Illinois. Most programming comes from the Relevant Radio Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WVON</span> Radio station in Berwyn, Illinois

WVON is a radio station serving the Chicago market, which airs an African-American-oriented talk format. WVON is operated by Midway Broadcasting Corporation via a local marketing agreement with frequency owner iHeartMedia.

WSRB is an urban adult contemporary radio station serving the Chicago metropolitan area and Northwest Indiana. It is licensed to the Southland suburb of Lansing, Illinois. Weekdays begin with the nationally syndicated Rickey Smiley Morning Show with local DJs heard the rest of the day. The station is owned by Crawford Broadcasting with studios and offices in Hammond, Indiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KNWQ</span> Radio station in Palm Springs, California

KNWQ is a commercial radio station licensed to Palm Springs, California. It simulcasts a talk radio format with sister stations 970 KNWZ and 1250 KNWH. It is owned by Alpha Media. The studios are on North Gene Autry Trail in Palm Springs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WGRB</span> Radio station in Chicago, Illinois

WGRB is a commercial AM radio station in Chicago. It is owned by iHeartMedia and it airs an urban gospel format. On Sundays, the station broadcasts the services of several African-American churches in the area. The studios are at the Illinois Center complex on Michigan Avenue in Downtown Chicago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WYCA</span> Black gospel radio station in Crete, Illinois

WYCA is a commercial radio station licensed to Crete, Illinois, and serving the southern suburbs of the Chicago metropolitan area. It is owned by Dontron, Inc., a subsidiary of the Crawford Broadcasting Company with studios in Hammond, Indiana. WYCA has an urban gospel radio format. Weekdays begin with a syndicated morning show hosted by Erica Campbell. Some local ministers host Christian talk and teaching shows. Services from several churches are broadcast on Sundays.

WCDC is an AM radio station broadcasting a Christian talk and teaching radio format. It is licensed to Moncks Corner, South Carolina, and serves the Charleston metropolitan area. The station owned by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago and it airs programming from the Moody Radio Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCGO</span> Radio station in Evanston, Illinois

WCGO is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Evanston, Illinois, and serving the Chicago metropolitan area's northern suburbs. The station is owned by William Pollack through licensee Evanston Broadcasting LLC. WCGO has a brokered programming radio format where hosts buy time on the station and may use their shows to advertise their services or seek donations. On weekday mornings, the station airs Korean-language Christian radio programming. Russian language shows are heard in the afternoon. Evenings and weekends, WCGO airs brokered talk and ethnic shows. Overnight, it carries the nationally syndicated Coast to Coast AM with George Noory from Premiere Networks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLDX</span> Radio station in Fayette, Alabama

WLDX is a radio station licensed to serve Fayette, Alabama, US. The station is currently licensed to Dean Broadcasting, Inc. but under the lease management of Hometown Radio Partnership of Fayette, AL.

WCFJ was a radio station licensed to Chicago Heights, Illinois, United States. Its transmitter was located south of Crete, Illinois and served Chicago's south suburbs and South Side, as well as Northwest Indiana. The station's original call sign was WMPP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWHN</span> Radio station in Joliet–Irondale–Chicago, Illinois

WWHN is a radio station licensed in Joliet, Illinois, serving the Chicago metropolitan area with an urban adult contemporary format. It operates on AM frequency 1510 kHz and is under ownership of Hawkins Broadcasting Company. Because it shares the same frequency as "clear channel" station WLAC in Nashville, Tennessee, WWHN operates during daytime hours only.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WGFT</span> Radio station in Campbell–Youngstown, Ohio

WGFT – branded Star 94.7 – is a commercial daytime-only urban adult contemporary radio station licensed to Campbell, Ohio. Owned by Helen Bednarczyk through licensee Y-Town Radio Broadcasting, LLC, the station serves the Youngstown metropolitan area as the local affiliate for The Steve Harvey Morning Show; and the home of syndicated personalities Donnie McClurkin, Michael Baisden and Keith Sweat. WGFT also simulcasts over Girard translator W234CH.

WJPJ is a Spanish radio station licensed to serve Humboldt, Tennessee. The station's broadcast license is held by Palmer Johnson, Inc.

WRAP was an historic radio call sign, that was transferred, along with a black-oriented format, between three Hampton Roads stations from 1952 until 1989. WRAP began as one of only a handful of American radio stations broadcasting full-time to the African American community, featuring R&B, soul music and black gospel, along with news and talk programs. Communities that were served included Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton and Virginia Beach.

References

  1. ↑ 1971 Broadcasting Yearbook , Broadcasting, 1971. p. B-64. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 History Cards for WBGX, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WBGX". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  5. ↑ AM Query Results: WBGX, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 Pruter, Robert (1992). Chicago Soul . University of Illinois Press. pp. 16-17. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  7. ↑ "WMNN AM 1570", Radio Chicago. p. 44. Winter 1990. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  8. ↑ Application Search Details – BAL-20030429ABB, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  9. 1 2 Reich, Howard. "Jazz radio experiencing yet another death in the family", Chicago Tribune . May 12, 2003. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  10. ↑ Feder, Robert "Maze Jackson, Todd Stroger quit morning show at WVON", Daily Herald . July 7, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Report: Maze Jackson, Todd Stroger Quit Morning Show At WVON/Chicago", All Access. July 7, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
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.