WKDM

Last updated
WKDM
WKDM am1380.PNG
Broadcast area New York metropolitan area
Frequency 1380 kHz
Programming
Format
Ownership
Owner
WPAT, WWRU, WZRC
History
First air date
September 25, 1926
Former call signs
  • WKBQ (1926–1930)
  • WBNX (1930-1984)
  • WKDM (1984-2000)
  • WNNY (2000–2002)
  • WLXE (2002–2003) [1]
Technical information
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 71137
Class B
Power
  • 5,000 watts days
  • 13,000 watts nights
Transmitter coordinates
 40°49′13″N74°04′09″W / 40.82028°N 74.06917°W / 40.82028; -74.06917
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website WKDM 1380AM Online

WKDM (1380 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to New York, New York. The station is owned by Multicultural Broadcasting and broadcasts on weekdays in Mandarin Chinese. Most shows are brokered programming, where the host pays for the time and may sell commercials to support the broadcasts. On weekends, programming switches to Spanish language Christian radio.

Contents

WKDM operates at 5,000 watts by day, using a directional antenna to protect other stations on 1380 AM. After being granted a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) construction permit to increase night power, it operates at 13,000 watts after sunset, using a different directional pattern. [2] The station's transmitter is located in Carlstadt, New Jersey.

History

The station began operation in 1926 as WKBQ. [3] The original call sign was randomly assigned from a sequential roster of available call letters. One of the station's first permanent homes was inside Starlight Park, an amusement park located on the east bank of the Bronx River just south of East 177th Street. This tenancy lasted until 1932, when the Great Depression forced the park's closure, which then led to the station's eviction from its studios. [4]

Beginning in the 1920s, there were significantly more radio stations operating in the New York City area than could be given exclusive frequency assignments. WKBQ changed frequencies several times during its early years. On November 11, 1928, the Federal Radio Commission made a major nationwide reallocation under its General Order 40, and WKBQ was moved to 1350 kHz, sharing this frequency with three other local stations: WBNY, WMSG and WCDA. [5]

In 1930 the WKBQ call letters were changed to WBNX, reflecting the station's location in the borough of The Bronx. In 1933, the owners of WCDA worked to consolidate the four time-sharing stations on 1350 kHz into a single station, to serve as the primary affiliate for the currently forming Amalgamated Broadcasting System. Eventually only three of the stations were merged, which continued operation under the WBNX call letters. In addition, Amalgamated quickly failed, and ended operations at midnight on November 1, 1933. [6]

The holdout from the 1933 consolidation was the former WBNY, now WAWZ. WBNX operated 18 hours a day with general entertainment and brokered programming. In March 1941 WBNX and WAWZ were moved to 1380 kHz, as part of the implementation of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement. [7]

In 1960 WBNX was sold to United Broadcasting. By the mid-1960s, the station was airing a Spanish contemporary music format during most of its hours, with some Jewish-oriented and Italian-language programming on weekends.

In 1984, WBNX changed call letters to WKDM. It became a full-time operation after United paid WAWZ owner Pillar of Fire to give up its portion of the time-share (WAWZ continued to operate on FM). It remained successful until the advent of a full-time Spanish language format on WSKQ-FM in 1989, which pulled away listeners. As a result, in the early 1990s the station began to carry more leased-access/brokered shows. In 1992 it went completely brokered, and was sold to Multicultural in 1994.

In 1999 Multicultural transferred WKDM to Mega Communications in exchange for cash and various Washington D.C. area stations. Mega changed the call letters to WNNY and instituted an all news Spanish format (Noticas 1380). Eventually, the all-news evolved into a news/talk format. This format was not successful, and by 2002 Mega had changed the call letters to WLXE and the format to Mexican pop music as "X-1380". A few months later, Multicultural bought the station back and reinstated the WKDM call sign and the brokered programming policy. Since 2007, WKDM has broadcast in Mandarin Chinese 24 hours a day Monday through Friday, featuring drama, popular music, talk shows, news program, children’s programs and sports, as well as programs from China and Taiwan. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WAOK</span> Radio station in Atlanta, Georgia

WAOK is a commercial radio station, owned by Audacy, Inc., in Atlanta, Georgia. WAOK broadcasts from studios at Colony Square in Midtown Atlanta. It is Atlanta's third-oldest continuously licensed broadcast station and the fifth oldest in Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WAMG</span> Radio station in Dedham–Boston, Massachusetts

WAMG is a radio station in the Boston market licensed to Dedham, Massachusetts. It is owned by Gois Broadcasting. It broadcasts in Spanish, and plays bachata, merengue, salsa and pop music. WLS in Chicago is the dominant station on 890 AM; WAMG must reduce power during the nighttime hours and uses a directional antenna to protect the nighttime skywave signal of WLS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WKBF (AM)</span> Radio station in Rock Island, Illinois (1925–2018)

WKBF was a radio station licensed to Rock Island, Illinois, which last carried a regional Mexican format. The station's frequency was 1270 kHz, and was broadcast at a power of 5 kW. It last broadcast in Autumn 2018, and its license was cancelled on June 1, 2020. Its transmitter was located on 22nd Avenue in Moline, alongside the Moline–East Moline border just off 53rd Street and Avenue of the Cities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNYM</span> Conservative talk radio station in Hackensack, New Jersey

WNYM – branded "AM 970 The Answer" – is a commercial radio station licensed to Hackensack, New Jersey, and serving the New York metropolitan area. The station is owned by Salem Media Group and programs a conservative talk radio format. Its studios are shared with co-owned WMCA on Broadway in Lower Manhattan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WADO</span> Radio station in New York City

WADO is a commercial radio station licensed to New York City. It is owned by Latino Media Network. It broadcasts a Spanish-language sports radio format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WZRC</span> Cantonese radio station in New York City

WZRC, known on-air as "AM1480", is a radio station licensed to New York City. The station is owned by Multicultural Broadcasting and airs Cantonese programming. It is one of two Cantonese radio stations serving the New York metropolitan area, the other is Chung Wah Chinese Broadcasting Company. WZRC's transmitting facility is located in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WAWZ</span> Radio station in Zarephath, New Jersey

WAWZ is a contemporary Christian music radio station located in Zarephath, New Jersey. It is a listener-supported/commercial radio station owned by the Pillar of Fire International. The station's target demographic is 25 to 54 year–olds. The Class B, 28,000-watt signal based in Bridgewater, New Jersey, serves the New York City market along with northern and central New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLLH</span> Radio station in Lawrence, Massachusetts

WLLH is a commercial radio station in Lawrence, Massachusetts, serving the Merrimack Valley region. The station is owned by Gois Broadcasting, LLC, and airs a tropical music radio format. The transmitter site is on Common Street, near the Lawrence Police Department Headquarters.

WHJJ is a commercial radio station in Providence, Rhode Island. It carries a talk radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios and offices are on Oxford Street in Providence.

KRNT is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. Serving the Des Moines, Iowa, United States, area, the station is owned by Saga Communications through licensee Saga Communications of Iowa, LLC; it operates as part of Saga's Des Moines Radio Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRCR</span> Radio station in Haverstraw, New York

WRCR is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Haverstraw, New York, and serving Rockland County. WRCR broadcasts an adult contemporary music format with weekday talk and brokered programming shows. The station is owned by Alexander Broadcasting, Inc. Studios and offices are at 144 Ramapo Road in Garnerville.

WNBF is a commercial radio station in Binghamton, New York. It airs a talk radio format and is owned by Townsquare Media. The studios and offices are on Court Street in Binghamton.

KALI is a commercial AM radio station licensed to West Covina, California, and serving the eastern suburbs of Los Angeles. The station is owned by Multicultural Broadcasting and broadcasts Mandarin Chinese and other ethnic programming.

KRKO is a commercial radio station licensed to Everett, Washington. The station broadcasts a classic hits radio format to the Seattle metropolitan area. The station was established in 1922, and is currently owned by S-R Broadcasting Co., Inc., a locally-based company.

WFAS is a commercial digital-only radio station licensed to serve White Plains, New York. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts with 1,000 watts from a transmitter site on Secor Road, in Hartsdale, New York. WFAS airs a conservative talk radio format with programming from Westwood One, which is itself owned by Cumulus Media. News updates are supplied by USA Radio News.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KBJA</span> Radio station in Sandy, Utah

KBJA is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Sandy, Utah, and serving the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The station is owned by United Broadcasting Company. KBJA broadcasts a talk radio format. Much of its schedule is paid brokered programming where the host buys time on the station and can sell advertising to support the show. KBJA's programming had once been heard on AM 630 KTKK "K-Talk" until that co-owned station ceased broadcasting and its programming was shifted over to AM 1640.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRSB (AM)</span> Spanish music radio station in Brockport, New York, United States

WRSB is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Brockport, New York, and serving the Rochester metropolitan area. The station broadcasts a Spanish Contemporary radio format and is owned by Brian McGlynn, through licensee Genesee Media Corporation. It is operated by William Santiago through his company Uno Communications.

WTTM is a radio station broadcasting a Latin music and Spanish-language talk format to the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The station has its studios and offices in Philadelphia and its transmitter site in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The station is owned by Multicultural Radio Broadcasting, Inc and licensed to Multicultural Radio Broadcasting Licensee, LLC.

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

WSOY is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a Talk radio format. Licensed to Decatur, Illinois, the station is owned by Neuhoff Corp., through licensee Neuhoff Media Decatur, LLC. Neuhoff owns four other local radio stations, WCZQ, WDZ, WDZQ and WSOY-FM. Studios and offices are located on North Water Street and the transmitter site is near St. Louis Bridge Road, sharing the same tower as WDZ.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSKQ-FM</span> Tropical music radio station in New York City

WSKQ-FM, known on-air as "La Mega 97.9", is a radio station licensed to New York City and is owned and operated by Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS). The station has a tropical format, which consists of such musical styles as salsa, merengue, bachata, and reggaeton. WSKQ-FM's transmitter is located at the Empire State Building.

References

  1. ↑ "Call Sign History". fcc.gov. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  2. ↑ "FCC Construction Permit". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. ↑ "New Stations", Radio Service Bulletin, September 30, 1926, page 3.
  4. ↑ Ultan, Lloyd  ; written in collaboration with the Bronx County Historical Society (1979). The Beautiful Bronx (1920-1950) (print). New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House Publishers. p. 34. ISBN   0-87000-439-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ "Revised list of broadcasting stations, by frequencies, effective 3 a. m., November 11, 1928, eastern standard time", Second Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission for the Year Ended June 30, 1928, Together With Supplemental Report for the Period From July 1, 1928 to September 30, 1928, pages 200-214.
  6. ↑ "Broadcasting's Biggest Bomb" by Tom Kneitel, Popular Communications, August 1989, pages 32-35. (worldradiohistory.com)
  7. ↑ "North American B. C. Stations by Frequencies", Radio Index, May–June 1941, page 63.
  8. ↑ "MRBI Official Site". MRBI Official Site.
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.