WSBC

Quality 0.50 · 1 view · Updated 2 months ago

title: "WSBC" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["radio-stations-in-chicago", "radio-stations-established-in-1925", "1925-establishments-in-illinois", "brokered-programming"] topic_path: "general/radio-stations-in-chicago" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WSBC" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox radio station"]

FieldValue
nameWSBC
cityChicago, Illinois
countryUS
areaChicago metropolitan area
brandingAccess Radio Chicago
frequency1240 kHz
airdate
formatEthnic brokered programming
power1,000 watts unlimited
classC
facility_id16847
coordinates
callsign_meaningWorld Storage Battery Company
ownerHeartland Signal LLC
licensing_authorityFCC
sister_stationsWCPT
::

| name = WSBC | logo = | logo_size = | city = Chicago, Illinois | country = US | area = Chicago metropolitan area | branding = Access Radio Chicago | frequency = 1240 kHz | repeater = | airdate = | format = Ethnic brokered programming | power = 1,000 watts unlimited | class = C | facility_id = 16847 | coordinates = | callsign_meaning = World Storage Battery Company | former_callsigns = | owner = Heartland Signal LLC | licensee = | licensing_authority = FCC | sister_stations = WCPT | webcast = | website = | affiliations =

WSBC (1240 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Chicago, Illinois. It broadcasts brokered programming, mostly ethnic and religious. It is owned by Heartland Signal LLC.

WSBC transmits with 1,000 watts. Its transmitter site is on North Milwaukee Avenue at West Catalpa Avenue in Chicago. It shares its tower with sister station WCPT (820 AM).

Programming

WSBC features programming aimed at ethnic communities including Russian, Ukrainian, Latino, Italian, Latvian and Irish. Hosts buy time on the station and may offer their services or seek donations during their shows.

From its beginning, the station has featured a variety of ethnic programming. The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music holds the Frank Scheibenreif Slovak, Czech, and Romi Sound Recording Collection, ca. 1930-1950. This collection includes 1,001 recordings, including 753 78-R.P.M., 140 45-R.P.M., and 108 LPs; and one book documenting Eastern Europe music prior to World War II, principally from Czechoslovakia and used by Scheibenreif for the WSBC show, "Slovak American Radio Review".

History

Early years

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/WCPT's_studio_building_and_daytime_tower.jpg" caption="WSBC's tower on Milwaukee Ave."] ::

WSBC was first licensed on June 26, 1925, to the World Battery Company at 1219 South Wabash Avenue in Chicago, transmitting on 1430 kHz. Its call sign stood for "World Storage Battery Company". In 1926, its frequency was changed to 1040 kHz and in 1927 it was changed to 1290 kHz.

Following the establishment of the Federal Radio Commission (FRC), stations were initially issued a series of temporary authorizations starting on May 3, 1927. In addition, they were informed that if they wanted to continue operating, they needed to file a formal license application by January 15, 1928, as the first step in determining whether they met the new "public interest, convenience, or necessity" standard. On May 25, 1928, the FRC issued General Order 32, which notified 164 stations, including WSBC, that "From an examination of your application for future license it does not find that public interest, convenience, or necessity would be served by granting it." However, the station successfully convinced the commission that it should remain licensed.

On November 11, 1928, the FRC implemented a major reallocation of station transmitting frequencies, as part of a reorganization resulting from its implementation of General Order 40. WSBC was assigned to 1210 kHz, sharing time with WCRW and WEDC. Its studios and transmitter were located at the New Southern Hotel (later known as the Hotel Crillon) at 13th and Michigan Avenue.

WSBC hired the nation's first full-time African-American radio announcer, Jack Cooper, who on November 3, 1929, began hosting The All-Negro Hour, a vaudevillesque entertainment program.

On April 1, 1933, Gene Dyer purchased WSBC from C.J. Gordon, who had operated it since August 1932. At the time, Dyer also owned WGES in Chicago. In 1936, the station's studios and transmitter were moved to the West Town State Bank Building at 2400 W. Madison. In March 1941, the station, along with WCRW and WEDC, was moved to 1240 kHz, as part of the implementation of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement.

In 1944, WSBC was sold to the J. Miller Advertising Agency for $100,000. In 1954, the station was sold to Louis Lee for $180,000. In 1976, control of the station was passed to Louis Lee's son, Danny Lee.

1990s to today

WSBC's owners purchased timeshare partner WCRW for $564,375, plus $160,000 for a non-compete agreement, and WCRW signed off for the last time on June 17, 1996. The second timeshare partner, WEDC, ceased operations in 1997, and WSBC began broadcasting fulltime from WEDC's transmitter site.

In 1998, WSBC was sold to Newsweb Corporation for $5,550,000. Some of the station's programs were simulcast on 1470 WCFJ in Chicago Heights, Illinois. In June 1998, WSBC began airing LesBiGay Radio weekday evenings. The program was heard on WSBC until April 2001, and was simulcast on WCFJ.

In 2024, Newsweb transferred WSBC, along with station WCPT, to Heartland Signal for one dollar.

References

References

  1. ''Broadcasting Yearbook'']], 1971. p. B-62. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  2. "WSBC Facility Record". United States [[Federal Communications Commission]], audio division.
  3. "WSBC Station Information Profile". [[Arbitron]].
  4. [https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?sr=Y&s=C&call=Wsbc&nav=home Radio-Locator.com/WSBC]
  5. Billboard]]''. December 21, 1996, pp. 77-78. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  6. "University of Illinois Archives".
  7. [https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=66932 FCC History Cards for WSBC], fcc.gov. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  8. [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Progress/Radio-Progress-1925-08-15.pdf#page=42 "Radio Programs"], ''Radio Progress''. August 15, 1925. p. 40. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  9. [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433066451406&seq=648 "Corrected List of Broadcasting Stations"], ''Radio Age''. August 1925. p. 102. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  10. [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112106763060&view=1up&seq=125 "New Stations"], ''Radio Servcice Bulletin'', July 1, 1925, page 3.
  11. [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Station-Albums/Chicago-Trib-1979-Mar-About-Chi-Radio.pdf#num=16 "What those letters on the dial mean"], ''[[Chicago Tribune Magazine]]''. March 4, 1979. p. 16. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  12. ''[https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Other-Documments/City-Magazines-Misc/Chicagoland-Radio-Waves-Two-Issues.pdf Chicagoland Radio Waves]'', MediaTies. Summer 1988. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  13. [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112106763078&view=1up&seq=60 "List of broadcasting stations issued temporary permits"], ''Radio Service Bulletin'', April 30, 1927, pages 6-14.
  14. [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112106763078&view=1up&seq=205 "Extension of Broadcasting Station Licenses"], ''Radio Service Bulletin'', December 31, 1927, page 7.
  15. [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015011384305&view=1up&seq=182 "Appendix F (2): Letter to and list of stations included in General Order No. 32, issued May 25, 1928"], ''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 146-149.
  16. [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015011384305&view=1up&seq=211 "Broadcasting Stations"], ''Second Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission'' (June 30, 1928), page 175.
  17. [[Christopher H. Sterling
  18. Bracks, Lean'tin (2012). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=TUIHbempHkUC&pg=PT436 African American Almanac: 400 Years of Triumph, Courage and Excellence]''. [[Visible Ink Press]]. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  19. (April 15, 1933). "Dyer Buys WSBC".
  20. "[https://archive.org/details/broadcasting27unse/page/n1155/mode/1up FCC Approves Sale of WSBC Chicago to J. Miller Adv. Agency for $100,000]", ''[[Broadcasting & Cable. Broadcasting]]''. October 2, 1944. p. 66. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  21. "[https://archive.org/details/broadcastingtele46unse/page/n577/mode/1up Ownership Changes]", ''[[Broadcasting & Cable. Broadcasting]]''. February 1, 1954. p. 88. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  22. Wyman, Bill. "[https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/wxrt-sold-down-the-river/Content?oid=886877 WXRT: Sold Down the River?]", ''[[Chicago Reader]]''. March 9, 1995. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  23. "[https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1996/BC-1996-05-20.pdf#page=50 Changing Hands]", ''[[Broadcasting & Cable]]''. May 20, 1996. p. 50. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  24. [http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=224152 Application Search Details – BAL-19960501EA], fcc.gov. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  25. [https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=733 "In re: WCRW (AM), Chicago, IL"], correspondence from James D. Bradshaw, FCC Deputy Chief, Audio Division, Media Bureau, June 21, 2006.
  26. [https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=52006 History Cards for WEDC], fcc.gov. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  27. "[http://licensing.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/Auth_Files/241339.pdf Federal Communications Commission AM Broadcast License]", [[Federal Communications Commission]]. April 25, 1997. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  28. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190921052117/http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl%3FApplication_id%3D257002 Application Search Details – BAL-19971118EA], fcc.gov. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  29. "[https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1997/RR-1997-11-07.pdf#page=8 Transactions]", [[Radio & Records]]. November 7, 1997. p. 6. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  30. "[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1998-08.pdf#page=2 Format Changes & Updates]", ''The M Street Journal''. Vol. 15, No. 33. August 19, 1998. p. 2. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  31. "WCFJ 1470 AM Chicago Heights". Access Radio Chicago.
  32. [[Robert Feder. Feder, Robert]]. "Soap opera channel to get trial run here", ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]''. June 9, 1998. p. 37.
  33. [[Robert Feder. Feder, Robert]]. "Mancow might leave Windy City for Frisco", ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]''. July 17, 2001. p. 49.
  34. (February 12, 2024). "Heartland Signal Acquires WCPT/WSBC". RadioInsight.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

radio-stations-in-chicagoradio-stations-established-in-19251925-establishments-in-illinoisbrokered-programming