WKBM

Last updated

WKBM
Broadcast area Chicago metropolitan area
Frequency 930 kHz
Programming
Language English
Format Catholic radio
Network Relevant Radio
Ownership
Owner
  • Relevant Radio
  • (Relevant Radio, Inc.)
History
First air date
May 1986 (1986-05)
Former call signs
  • WBYG (1986–1988) [1]
  • WAUR (1988–2014) [1]
Technical information [2]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 48240
Class B
Power
  • 2,500 watts (day)
  • 4,200 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
 41°36′26″N88°27′11″W / 41.60722°N 88.45306°W / 41.60722; -88.45306
Translator 99.1 W256DU (Cloverdale)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen Live
Website www.relevantradio.com

WKBM (930 AM) is a noncommercial radio station licensed to Sandwich, Illinois, United States, and serving much of the Chicago metropolitan area. It carries a Catholic radio format as an owned-and-operated station of Relevant Radio, largely simulcasting WNTD (950 AM). [3] [4]

Contents

WKBM's transmitter is sited on Legion Road at Immanuel Road in Yorkville, Illinois. Programming is also heard on 34-watt FM translator W256DU at 99.1 MHz in Cloverdale, Illinois.

History

Full service era

The station began broadcasting in May 1986. [5] The original call sign was WBYG. [1] [5] The station was originally owned by Larry Nelson. [6] [7] On April 11, 1988, the station's call sign was changed to WAUR. [1] From the late 1980s until 1990 aired a full service format with country music and news, information, and talk programming. [8] [9] [10] In 1990 the country music was replaced with Oldies, with the station airing full-service format with a strong emphasis on local issues. [11] [6] [5] It continued to air this format until its sale to the Children's Broadcasting Corporation in 1997. [12] [13]

Children's Broadcasting Corporation

On February 5, 1997, the station was purchased by Children's Broadcasting Corporation for $3.9 million, and it became the Chicago affiliate of the "Radio AAHS" network, airing children's programming. [14] [13] [15] After Radio AAHS discontinued operations in January 1998, Children's Broadcasting Corporation, began leasing time on its stations until it could find buyers. [16] In February 1998, WAUR, along with the other nine CBC stations, became an outlet for "Beat Radio", which broadcast electronic dance music 12 hours each night. [17] [16] [18]

Catholic Radio Network

In late 1998, the station was sold to Catholic Radio Network, later known as Catholic Family Radio, and it began airing a Catholic oriented talk format. [19] [20] [21] In late 1999, Catholic Radio Network had entered into an agreement to the station to Saul Acquisition Co. for $4.4 million. [22] [23] [24] The plans were for the station to be operated by Radio Center for People with Disabilities, with Catholic Family Radio continuing to air temporarily during certain time-slots. [22] However, the sale was never consummated, ownership reverted to Catholic Family Radio, and the station was taken off the air temporarily in spring of 2001. [25]

Victory 930

In spring 2001, Catholic Family Radio entered into a local marketing agreement with Michigan based religious broadcaster Midwest Broadcasting (now known as Christian Broadcasting System), [26] and the station returned to the air broadcasting a religious format. [27] [28] The station was branded "Victory 930". In late 2001, Midwest Broadcasting entered into an agreement to purchase the station for $4 million. [29] However, the Radio Center for People with Disabilities filed a challenge with the Federal Communications Commission to block the sale of the station, on the basis that the purchaser was not a member of a minority, and the sale was never consummated. [30]

Relevant Radio

Former logo WAUR logo.PNG
Former logo

In 2004, WAUR was sold to Starboard Broadcasting for $3.5 million, and the station began airing its current Catholic format as an affiliate of Relevant Radio. [31] [32] [33] The station changed its call sign to the current WKBM on June 18, 2014. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WKBM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ↑ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Summer 2009. Archived from the original on September 23, 2009. Retrieved November 10, 2009.
  4. ↑ "WKBM Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved November 10, 2009.
  5. 1 2 3 The Broadcasting Yearbook 1991 , Broadcasting. 1991. p. B-96. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  6. 1 2 Doyle, Mary K. "On The Air - Larry Nelson Stations Himself At The Forefront In Local Broadcasting", Chicago Tribune . January 31, 1993. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  7. ↑ Ghrist, John R. (1996). Valley Voices: A Radio History. Crossroads Communications. p. 78.
  8. ↑ Chicagoland Radio Waves , MediaTies. Summer 1988 & Spring/Summer 1989. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  9. ↑ "WAUR AM 930", Radio Chicago. Fall 1989. p. 8. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  10. ↑ "WAUR AM 930", Radio Chicago. Summer 1990. p. 38. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  11. ↑ "WAUR AM 930", Radio Chicago. p. 40. Fall 1990. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  12. ↑ Feder, Robert. "Kids get their own 24-hour radio station". Chicago Sun-Times . October 16, 1996.
  13. 1 2 "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 14 No. 1. January 8, 1997. p. 2. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Children's broadcasting acquires radio broadcast license of WAUR-AM, Chicago.", Business Wire. January 31, 1997. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Station & Cable Trading", Broadcasting & Cable. February 3, 1997. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  16. 1 2 "M Street Bazaar: People Products and Programming", The M Street Journal. Vol. 14 No. 1. February 25, 1998. p. 10. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 14 No. 1. February 25, 1998. p. 1. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  18. ↑ "About Beat Radio", Beat Radio. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  19. ↑ Kirk, Jim. "Catholic Radio Network Seeks Stronger Signal", Chicago Tribune . January 27, 1999. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  20. ↑ Kirk, Jim. "Catholic Radio CEO Keeps The Faith About Family Programming", Chicago Tribune . June 27, 1999. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 15 No. 44. November 4, 1998. p. 1. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  22. 1 2 Feder, Robert. "New station to offer training for disabled", Chicago Sun-Times . October 26, 1999. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  23. ↑ Public Notice Comment, fcc.gov. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  24. ↑ "Elsewhere", The M Street Journal. Vol. 16 No. 43. October 27, 1999. p. 8. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  25. ↑ WAUR-AM speculation strong after sale deal falls though Hazen, Don. The Beacon News. April 28, 2001. Retrieved December 30, 2013
  26. ↑ WLCM AM 1390 Holt/Lansing, Michiguide.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  27. ↑ "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 18 Issue 17. May 2, 2001. p. 5. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  28. ↑ "Transaction Brief", The M Street Journal. Vol. 18 Issue 20. June 13, 2001. p. 15. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  29. ↑ "Transaction Brief", The M Street Journal. Vol. 18 Issue 31. November 14, 2001. p. 14. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  30. ↑ "Group to challenge station sale", Crain's Chicago Business . December 1, 2001. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  31. ↑ "Catholic radio network expands, buys Minneapolis station for $7 million", Catholic News Agency. January 26, 2004. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  32. ↑ "Asset Purchase Agreement", fcc.gov. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  33. ↑ "Advance Acquisition, Inc. Ownership", fcc.gov. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
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