WBRB (Michigan)

Last updated
WBRB
WBRB radio station - circa 1977.jpg
The WBRB facility in 1977
Frequency 1430kHz
Programming
Format Motivational speeches
Ownership
OwnerWolpin Broadcasting Company
History
First air date
May 18, 1957 (1957-05-18) [1]
Last air date
January 15, 1990 (1990-01-15)
Former call signs
WWHK (1982–1984)
Technical information
Power 500 watts

WBRB was a radio station on 1430 kHz AM in Mount Clemens, Michigan, United States. Operating from 1957 to 1990, the station primarily served as the radio voice of Macomb County. In its last years of operation, its format consisted of motivational speeches and adult contemporary music.

History

On June 27, 1955, Mt. Clemens Broadcasting Company (later renamed WBRB, Inc.) applied to the Federal Communications Commission for permission to build a new 500-watt station, to broadcast directionally during daytime hours, which was granted by the FCC on December 14. [2] The new station began broadcasting on May 18, 1957, [1] from studios on South Gratiot Street. [2]

Wright & Maltz Incorporated, the partnership that later became Malrite Communications, acquired WBRB in 1959. [2] An FM counterpart, WBRB-FM 102.7, began broadcasting on November 6, 1960; [3] this station began broadcasting country music at night, when WBRB was off the air on AM, in 1965. [4] Under Malrite, WBRB continued its intensive focus on programming about and for Macomb County. The WBRB stations were still Macomb County's only commercial outlets in 1976, and they offered hard-hitting local news and feature programming, including high school sports, tradio, and local news. [5] [6]

Malrite put the WBRB stations on the market in the late 1970s, and the FM and AM operations were sold to separate owners. Inner City Broadcasting Corporation acquired the FM outlet, with its signal more capable of reaching Metro Detroit, in 1978, whereupon it became WLBS. [7] [8] After a buyout attempt by the WBRB general manager failed to materialize, [9] Radcom, Inc., a company owned equally by comedian Gilda Radner, her brother, and two other business partners, purchased the AM station the next year. [10] The Radcom years were unhappy for WBRB, which saw advertising revenues decline, and for Radner's business ventures. The format was changed to big band music in 1982—using Primetime Radio, a satellite-delivered service of Taft Broadcasting [11] [12] —with new WWHK call letters, though ratings did not improve. [13] By 1983, the Radners and Detroit financier Neil Goodman had sued each other over the management of several co-investments, which included WBRB, an apartment complex, and a Detroit parking garage. [14] The station then ceased broadcasting in February 1984 while the FCC evaluated an application made to move WWHK to 1160 kHz. [15] [13]

After a sale to a group led by retired physician Harley Robinson, WBRB returned to the air—and to its former call letters—in November 1985 after an absence of some 18 months. [13] The new ownership group returned WBRB to its roots as a station with a community focus alongside "non-offensive rock" titles (adult contemporary music). [16] The hope was that advertising would improve; by the end of the decade, WBRB's format had changed to motivational speeches mixed with adult contemporary music. However, the loss of the FM frequency limited the AM's reach severely. [6] The station's final day of broadcasting was January 15, 1990; after its evening sports talk show, WBRB left the air for good, and 25 full- and part-time employees lost their jobs. [6]

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References

  1. 1 2 "WBRB(AM)" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1989. p. B-152. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-11-24. Retrieved 2022-10-31– via World Radio History.
  2. 1 2 3 "FCC history cards for WBRB". Federal Communications Commission. Archived from the original on 2020-11-19. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  3. ↑ "A Complete Free Press Tour Of Detroit's Dial". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. May 15, 1966. p. Detroit 16, 17, 18, 22. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Now You Have a Choice, Direct from the Bar-B Ranch". Detroit Free Press. February 21, 1965. p. 11-C. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ Morris, Julie (November 22, 1976). "WBRB Proud of Provincial Sound: Macomb Radio Likes Cows, Cornball". Detroit Free Press. p. 3A, 14A. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  6. 1 2 3 Schabath, Gese (January 16, 1990). "'Mighty Voice of Macomb' silenced: Struggling radio station signs off—at least until a buyer is found". The Detroit News. p. 3B. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2022– via GenealogyBank.
  7. ↑ "New Sound: Macomb finds its voice is changing; station sold". Detroit Free Press. July 13, 1978. p. 3A. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Pearson, Carol (March 29, 1984). "Offbeat home for new music". Detroit Free Press. p. MS-1A, 7A. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Clearance: FM first, now WBRB- AM put on the block by owners". Detroit Free Press. July 16, 1978. p. 4C. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Now Gilda's got a radio station". Detroit Free Press. March 13, 1979. p. 9B. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Recapture the Rapture: Hear the Best Songs in Popular Music". Detroit Free Press. October 6, 1982. p. 13C. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Taft to offer 24-hour satellite radio feed" (PDF). Broadcasting. March 22, 1982. p. 75. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-08. Retrieved 2022-10-31– via World Radio History.
  13. 1 2 3 Wowk, Mike (January 8, 1990). "Macomb radio station fails to motivate listeners to listen". The Detroit News. p. 4B. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022– via GenealogyBank.
  14. ↑ "Gilda Radner And Brother File Countersuit In Detroit". The Herald-Palladium. Saint Joseph, Michigan. Associated Press. April 11, 1983. p. 16. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Briefly". Detroit Free Press. February 17, 1984. p. 12D. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ Solomon, Linda M. (November 7, 1985). "Voice of Macomb to return". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. p. MN-6A. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
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