WBAP
Encyclopedia
WBAP is a news
and talk formatted
-AM
radio
station in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. WBAP broadcasts on 820 kHz with 50,000 watts from a transmitter site in southern Arlington and its night
time signal can be heard throughout the Southern, Central, and Midwest states.
WBAP is one of many Disney
/ABC Radio stations that was transferred to Citadel Broadcasting
in 2007; the station is now owned by Cumulus Media
and remains an affiliate of ABC
. Despite different owners, WBAP and WFAA-TV
maintain a strong partnership (as WFAA is the local ABC television affiliate). WBAP and sister station KSCS are responsible for activation of the North Texas
Emergency Alert System
when hazardous weather alerts
, Disaster area
declarations, and child abductions
are issued. As of September 16, 2011, WBAP is currently under ownership of Cumulus Media
.
This is one of the few U.S. stations west of the Mississippi River
that carries a "W" as the first letter in its call sign
.
The station has simulcast on WBAP-FM (96.7 FM) since March 15, 2010 reducing the number of formats heard in the D/FW area by one.
. It was the first station in the United States
to have an audible logo signal similar to the NBC chimes
, the WBAP cowbell
. According to Herbert Hoover
, the station's call letters stood for "We Bring A Program". (see callsign meaning)
On May 15, 1923, the Federal Radio Commission expanded the broadcast band, and WBAP and WFAA moved to 630 kHz. Another expansion moved WBAP to 600 kHz effective April 15, 1927, and this frequency was shared with WOAI
in San Antonio. On November 11, 1928
, WBAP moved to 800 kHz, and on June 1, 1929, WFAA also moved to 800 kHz, sharing time (and NBC Red network affiliation) with WBAP. Station owner Amon G. Carter
was unhappy with having to share time on 800 kHz with WFAA. In May 1938, Carter Publishing purchased KGKO Wichita Falls
(570 kHz) and moved it to Fort Worth as an affiliate of the NBC Blue network
(which became ABC), and more importantly as a second frequency to be used when 800 kHz was not available. On March 29, 1941, as a consequence of the Treaty of Havana
, WBAP and WFAA moved one last time, to 820 kHz.
Carter eventually sold half of KGKO to A.H. Belo
, owners of WFAA, and on April 27, 1947, KGKO was replaced by a second shared frequency between WBAP and WFAA.
The dual frequency sharing arrangement between WBAP and WFAA continued through the 1950s and 1960s, with the stations switching frequencies several times a day. When WBAP changed frequencies, it signaled the change with a cowbell, which became widely associated with the station.
Even though the stations swapped frequencies several times each day, the network affiliations remained constant: NBC network programming stayed on 820 kHz and ABC network programming stayed on 570 kHz. This frequently proved confusing for announcers and listeners alike.
On May 1, 1970, the unique dual split-frequency lives of WBAP and WFAA ended when WBAP paid $3.5 million to WFAA in exchange for sole occupancy of 820 kHz (and the NBC affiliation). WFAA took on 570 kHz (and the ABC affiliation) fulltime. Once the frequency-sharing with WFAA ended in 1970, both stations were free to program musical formats, and WBAP began programming country music
. After a series of network affiliation changes in the late 1970s among WBAP, KRLD and WFAA, WBAP switched affiliations to ABC.
WBAP changed to a news
/talk
format in 1993. It was also the former broadcast home of the Texas Rangers
.
Local television station KXAS channel 5, currently part of the NBC
network, was also originally known as WBAP-TV.
Morning show host Hal Jay recently celebrated his 25 year anniversary with WBAP by organizing a charity fund-raising event for Cook Children's Hospital ("Hal Jay's Celebrity Roast"). Among those who attended were Baseball Hall-of-Famer Nolan Ryan
and syndicated radio talk show host Sean Hannity
.
According to the Arbitron Ratings, WBAP remains the top news/talk station in the DFW area to this day.
WBAP transmitted iBiquity HD Radio
(digital) during the daytime and when not airing sports programming, until abruptly ending the "HD" digital transmission in early December 2008.
For many years, WBAP was the flagship station for Dallas Stars
hockey games, but will be relinquishing these rights beginning in the 2009-2010 season, as on January 16, 2009, the Dallas Stars named KTCK Sportsradio 1310 The Ticket
as its new flagship station for the next 5 years. Ironically, with Cumulus Media's recent acquisition of Citadel, WBAP and KTCK are now sister stations.
Sister station KPMZ (now WBAP-FM) has commenced simulcasting WBAP on March 15, 2010.http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/72148/wbap-dallas-gets-fm-simulcast-with-flip-of-kpmz Although broadcasting at a rimshot frequency
, the staff at WBAP claims that KPMZ will provide "crystal-clear FM fidelity" for their listeners within 96.7's pre-determined coverage area.
is heard middays from 8:30 A.M to 11:00 A.M. The station then relies on syndicated programming for the remainder of the day, carrying The Rush Limbaugh Show
(11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.), The Sean Hannity Show
(2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.) and The Mark Levin
Show (5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.), all in their entirety and live. The Laura Ingraham
Show airs tape-delayed from 8:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M., followed by the final hour of The John Batchelor
Show.
Overnights are locally originated as WBAP is the flagship station
of the nationally syndicated Midnight Radio Network
, a trucking show that traces its roots to Bill Mack
's overnight show back in 1969. WBAP producer Eric Harley hosts the show along with political talker Gary McNamara and is heard live locally from 12:00 A.M. (midnight Central Time) to 5:00 A.M. on weeknights, and airs "Best Of" segments during weekend overnights with current weather and news information.
Weekends provide a combination of various local specialty programs along with a few nationally syndicated programs such as Bob Brinker
, Dean Edell
, and John Batchelor
.
Prior to Citadel's takeover of the station in August 2007, Davis's show was a full three hours, 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. As a result, Limbaugh, Hannity and Levin were all forced to air on a one hour tape delay; in the case of Limbaugh, this is especially rare. However, with Citadel's assumption of the station, Davis's show was both cut in length and shifted back by a half-hour, to carry the top-rated talkers live.
Live and local news/weather/traffic updates air from the "WBAP 24/7 Newsroom" at the top and bottom of every hour, with live traffic breaks taking place during afternoon drive commercial breaks, roughly at :20 and :50 past the hour from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.
In the fall of 2010, WBAP began an agreement with Texas Christian University
to air live play-by-play of TCU Horned Frogs football
and TCU Horned Frogs men's basketball
. The station carried every game of the undefeated football team
in that first season.
comedy bits during the 6:53 A.M. and 7:53 A.M until late 2008 for unknown reasons. The comedy bits were often written by Jay or producer Sean Chastain unless pre-empted by a major event. If Jay was off, the program often aired "Best Of" replays of previously aired segments.
The characters are divided into two main groups, each performed by a different individual. Some of the "parody
" characters are performed by WBAP overnight host and producer Eric Harley, while the remaining characters were performed by staff member John Hanson.
All-news radio
All-news radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcast of news.All-news radio is available in both local and syndicated forms, and is carried in some form on both major US satellite radio networks...
and talk formatted
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
-AM
Amplitude modulation
Amplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent...
radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
station in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. WBAP broadcasts on 820 kHz with 50,000 watts from a transmitter site in southern Arlington and its night
Night
Night or nighttime is the period of time when the sun is below the horizon. This occurs after dusk. The opposite of night is day...
time signal can be heard throughout the Southern, Central, and Midwest states.
WBAP is one of many Disney
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
/ABC Radio stations that was transferred to Citadel Broadcasting
Citadel Broadcasting
Citadel Broadcasting Corporation was a Las Vegas, Nevada-based broadcast holding company. Citadel owned 243 radio stations across the United States and was the third-largest radio station owner in the country...
in 2007; the station is now owned by Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
and remains an affiliate of ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. Despite different owners, WBAP and WFAA-TV
WFAA-TV
WFAA, channel 8, is an ABC-affiliated television station serving the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, one of the top ten media markets in North America. The station is the flagship of Belo Corporation and the largest ABC affiliate not owned and operated by the network...
maintain a strong partnership (as WFAA is the local ABC television affiliate). WBAP and sister station KSCS are responsible for activation of the North Texas
North Texas
North Texas is a distinct cultural and geographic area forming the central-northeastern section of the U.S. state of Texas. North Texas is generally considered to include the area south of Oklahoma, east of Abilene, and north of Waco...
Emergency Alert System
Emergency Alert System
The Emergency Alert System is a national warning system in the United States put into place on January 1, 1997, when it superseded the Emergency Broadcast System , which itself had superseded the CONELRAD System...
when hazardous weather alerts
Severe weather terminology (United States)
This article describes the United States National Weather Service severe weather terminology. The NWS defines precise meanings for nearly all its weather terms. This article describes NWS terminology and related NWS weather scales...
, Disaster area
Disaster area
A disaster area is a region or a locale heavily damaged by either natural hazards, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, technological hazards including nuclear and radiation accidents, or sociological hazards like riots, terrorism or war. The population living there often...
declarations, and child abductions
AMBER Alert
An AMBER Alert or a Child Abduction Emergency is a child abduction alert bulletin in several countries throughout the world, issued upon the suspected abduction of a child, since 1996...
are issued. As of September 16, 2011, WBAP is currently under ownership of Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
.
This is one of the few U.S. stations west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
that carries a "W" as the first letter in its call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
.
The station has simulcast on WBAP-FM (96.7 FM) since March 15, 2010 reducing the number of formats heard in the D/FW area by one.
Station history
WBAP began broadcasting May 2, 1922 at a wavelength of 360 meters (about 833 kHz), changing to 400 meters (750 kHz) in August 1922. The station shared time with Dallas stations WFAA and WRRKTCK
KTCK , is a sports talk radio station based in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The station, currently owned by Cumulus Media, has been made popular by the incorporation of humor alongside the sports talk....
. It was the first station in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to have an audible logo signal similar to the NBC chimes
NBC chimes
The NBC chimes, named for the radio and television network on which they have been used, consists of a succession of three distinct pitches: G3, E4, and C4 , sounded in that order, creating an arpeggiated C-major chord in the second inversion, within about two seconds time, and reverberating for...
, the WBAP cowbell
Cow bell
A cowbell or cow bell is a bell worn by freely roaming livestock, so that they do not run away or wander off without being heard. While bells were used on various types of animals, they are typically referred to as "cowbells" due to their extensive use with cattle.A trychel is a large cow bell...
. According to Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
, the station's call letters stood for "We Bring A Program". (see callsign meaning)
On May 15, 1923, the Federal Radio Commission expanded the broadcast band, and WBAP and WFAA moved to 630 kHz. Another expansion moved WBAP to 600 kHz effective April 15, 1927, and this frequency was shared with WOAI
WOAI (AM)
WOAI is a San Antonio, Texas, news/talk formatted radio station operating with 50,000 Watts non-directional day and night from a transmitter site near Marion, Texas. Current owner and operator San Antonio based Clear Channel Communications acquired the station in 1975 which founded the now...
in San Antonio. On November 11, 1928
General Order 40
General Order 40 was an order issued on August 30, 1928 by the new Federal Radio Commission under the Radio Act of 1927 which provided for a reallocation of the commercial broadcast radio spectrum....
, WBAP moved to 800 kHz, and on June 1, 1929, WFAA also moved to 800 kHz, sharing time (and NBC Red network affiliation) with WBAP. Station owner Amon G. Carter
Amon G. Carter
Amon G. Carter, Sr. was the creator and publisher of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and a nationally known civic booster for Fort Worth, Texas. A legacy in his will was used to create Fort Worth's Amon Carter Museum....
was unhappy with having to share time on 800 kHz with WFAA. In May 1938, Carter Publishing purchased KGKO Wichita Falls
Wichita Falls, Texas
Wichita Falls is a city in and the county seat of Wichita County, Texas, United States, United States. Wichita Falls is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay and Wichita counties. According to the U.S. Census estimate of 2010,...
(570 kHz) and moved it to Fort Worth as an affiliate of the NBC Blue network
Blue Network
The Blue Network, and its immediate predecessor, the NBC Blue Network, were the on-air names of an American radio production and distribution service from 1927 to 1945...
(which became ABC), and more importantly as a second frequency to be used when 800 kHz was not available. On March 29, 1941, as a consequence of the Treaty of Havana
North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement
The North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement, usually referred to as NARBA, is a treaty that took effect in March 1941 and set out the bandplan and interference rules for mediumwave AM broadcasting in North America. Although mostly replaced by other agreements in the 1980s, the basic bandplan...
, WBAP and WFAA moved one last time, to 820 kHz.
Carter eventually sold half of KGKO to A.H. Belo
Belo
Belo Corp. is a Dallas-based media company that owns 20 commercial broadcasting television stations and two regional 24-hour cable news television channels. The company was previously known as A.H. Belo Corp. after one of the early owners of the company, Alfred Horatio Belo, now the name of the...
, owners of WFAA, and on April 27, 1947, KGKO was replaced by a second shared frequency between WBAP and WFAA.
The dual frequency sharing arrangement between WBAP and WFAA continued through the 1950s and 1960s, with the stations switching frequencies several times a day. When WBAP changed frequencies, it signaled the change with a cowbell, which became widely associated with the station.
Even though the stations swapped frequencies several times each day, the network affiliations remained constant: NBC network programming stayed on 820 kHz and ABC network programming stayed on 570 kHz. This frequently proved confusing for announcers and listeners alike.
On May 1, 1970, the unique dual split-frequency lives of WBAP and WFAA ended when WBAP paid $3.5 million to WFAA in exchange for sole occupancy of 820 kHz (and the NBC affiliation). WFAA took on 570 kHz (and the ABC affiliation) fulltime. Once the frequency-sharing with WFAA ended in 1970, both stations were free to program musical formats, and WBAP began programming country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
. After a series of network affiliation changes in the late 1970s among WBAP, KRLD and WFAA, WBAP switched affiliations to ABC.
News
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
/talk
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
format in 1993. It was also the former broadcast home of the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
.
Local television station KXAS channel 5, currently part of the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
network, was also originally known as WBAP-TV.
Morning show host Hal Jay recently celebrated his 25 year anniversary with WBAP by organizing a charity fund-raising event for Cook Children's Hospital ("Hal Jay's Celebrity Roast"). Among those who attended were Baseball Hall-of-Famer Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
and syndicated radio talk show host Sean Hannity
Sean Hannity
Sean Hannity is an American radio and television host, author, and conservative political commentator. He is the host of The Sean Hannity Show, a nationally syndicated talk radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks. Hannity also hosts a cable news show, Hannity,...
.
According to the Arbitron Ratings, WBAP remains the top news/talk station in the DFW area to this day.
WBAP transmitted iBiquity HD Radio
HD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
(digital) during the daytime and when not airing sports programming, until abruptly ending the "HD" digital transmission in early December 2008.
For many years, WBAP was the flagship station for Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
hockey games, but will be relinquishing these rights beginning in the 2009-2010 season, as on January 16, 2009, the Dallas Stars named KTCK Sportsradio 1310 The Ticket
KTCK
KTCK , is a sports talk radio station based in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The station, currently owned by Cumulus Media, has been made popular by the incorporation of humor alongside the sports talk....
as its new flagship station for the next 5 years. Ironically, with Cumulus Media's recent acquisition of Citadel, WBAP and KTCK are now sister stations.
Sister station KPMZ (now WBAP-FM) has commenced simulcasting WBAP on March 15, 2010.http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/72148/wbap-dallas-gets-fm-simulcast-with-flip-of-kpmz Although broadcasting at a rimshot frequency
Rimshot (broadcasting)
A rimshot is a radio and television broadcasting term for a station that attempts to reach a larger media market from a distant suburban, exurban, or even rural location. The term is primarily used with FM stations, and mainly in North America...
, the staff at WBAP claims that KPMZ will provide "crystal-clear FM fidelity" for their listeners within 96.7's pre-determined coverage area.
Current programming
WBAP features local programming beginning with "The WBAP Morning News" during morning drive, 5:00 A.M. to 8:30 A.M., and is hosted by Hal Jay and Brian Estridge, news anchor Amy Chodroff, Steve Lamb with sports, and husband and wife traffic reporters Monty Cook and Laura Houston. Local top-rated political talker Mark DavisMark Davis (talk show host)
Mark Davis is an American radio host, newspaper columnist, and political commentator. His local talk show, The Mark Davis Show, airs on weekdays from 8:30 AM to 11 AM on WBAP in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex, and his popular column is published in The Dallas Morning News...
is heard middays from 8:30 A.M to 11:00 A.M. The station then relies on syndicated programming for the remainder of the day, carrying The Rush Limbaugh Show
The Rush Limbaugh Show
The Rush Limbaugh Show is an American talk radio show hosted by Rush Limbaugh on Premiere Radio Networks...
(11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.), The Sean Hannity Show
The Sean Hannity Show
The Sean Hannity Show is a talk radio show hosted by Sean Hannity on Citadel Media and Premiere Radio Networks. The program is broadcast live every weekday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m...
(2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.) and The Mark Levin
Mark Levin
Mark Reed Levin is a lawyer, author and the host of American syndicated radio show The Mark Levin Show. Levin served in the cabinet of President Ronald Reagan and was a chief of staff for Attorney General Edwin Meese...
Show (5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.), all in their entirety and live. The Laura Ingraham
Laura Ingraham
Laura Anne Ingraham is an American radio host, author, and conservative political commentator. Her nationally syndicated talk show, The Laura Ingraham Show, airs throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network...
Show airs tape-delayed from 8:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M., followed by the final hour of The John Batchelor
John Batchelor
John Calvin Batchelor is an author and host of The John Batchelor Show radio news magazine. Based at WABC radio in New York for five years from early 2001 to September, 2006; the show was syndicated nationally on the ABC radio network. On October 7, 2007, Batchelor returned to radio on WABC New...
Show.
Overnights are locally originated as WBAP is the flagship station
Flagship station
In broadcasting, a flagship is the broadcast which originates a television network, or a particular radio show or TV show, primarily in the United States and Canada. This includes both direct network feeds and broadcast syndication, but generally not backhauls...
of the nationally syndicated Midnight Radio Network
Midnight Radio Network
The Midnight Trucking Radio Network is a talk radio program currently hosted by Eric Harley and Gary McNamara...
, a trucking show that traces its roots to Bill Mack
Bill Mack
Bill Mack is one of the most recognizable voices in country music radio. For many years, Mack was best known as the host of The Country Roads Show, the overnight country music show on WBAP, a clear channel station in Fort Worth...
's overnight show back in 1969. WBAP producer Eric Harley hosts the show along with political talker Gary McNamara and is heard live locally from 12:00 A.M. (midnight Central Time) to 5:00 A.M. on weeknights, and airs "Best Of" segments during weekend overnights with current weather and news information.
Weekends provide a combination of various local specialty programs along with a few nationally syndicated programs such as Bob Brinker
Bob Brinker
Bob Brinker is the host of the radio show Moneytalk, which has been on the air nationally since 1986. He previously had a show on local New York radio on WMCA. Prior to that Brinker hosted talkradio programs on WCAU and WWDB in Philadelphia...
, Dean Edell
Dean Edell
Doctor Dean Edell is an American physician and broadcaster who hosted the Dr. Dean Edell radio program, a syndicated radio talk show which aired live from 1979 until December 10, 2010.- Private life :...
, and John Batchelor
John Batchelor
John Calvin Batchelor is an author and host of The John Batchelor Show radio news magazine. Based at WABC radio in New York for five years from early 2001 to September, 2006; the show was syndicated nationally on the ABC radio network. On October 7, 2007, Batchelor returned to radio on WABC New...
.
Prior to Citadel's takeover of the station in August 2007, Davis's show was a full three hours, 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. As a result, Limbaugh, Hannity and Levin were all forced to air on a one hour tape delay; in the case of Limbaugh, this is especially rare. However, with Citadel's assumption of the station, Davis's show was both cut in length and shifted back by a half-hour, to carry the top-rated talkers live.
Live and local news/weather/traffic updates air from the "WBAP 24/7 Newsroom" at the top and bottom of every hour, with live traffic breaks taking place during afternoon drive commercial breaks, roughly at :20 and :50 past the hour from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.
In the fall of 2010, WBAP began an agreement with Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
to air live play-by-play of TCU Horned Frogs football
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
and TCU Horned Frogs men's basketball
TCU Horned Frogs men's basketball
The TCU Horned Frogs basketball team represents Texas Christian University, located in Fort Worth, Texas, in NCAA Division I basketball competition. They play their home games at Daniel–Meyer Coliseum and are members of the Mountain West Conference...
. The station carried every game of the undefeated football team
2010 TCU Horned Frogs football team
The 2010 TCU Horned Frogs football team represented Texas Christian University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by tenth year head coach Gary Patterson and played its home games at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas...
in that first season.
WBAP Morning News "Characters"
"The WBAP Morning News" featured several fictitious charactersFictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
comedy bits during the 6:53 A.M. and 7:53 A.M until late 2008 for unknown reasons. The comedy bits were often written by Jay or producer Sean Chastain unless pre-empted by a major event. If Jay was off, the program often aired "Best Of" replays of previously aired segments.
The characters are divided into two main groups, each performed by a different individual. Some of the "parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
" characters are performed by WBAP overnight host and producer Eric Harley, while the remaining characters were performed by staff member John Hanson.
Parody Characters
- Andy Rooney (commentator for 60 Minutes60 Minutes60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
) (Performed by Eric Harley) (asks questions such as "Ever notice that . . . " or "Have you ever..."; Rooney always answering "I know I have"). - Gene RobinsonGene RobinsonVicki Gene Robinson is the ninth bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Robinson was elected bishop in 2003 and entered office in March 2004...
(Performed by Eric Harley) (often features homosexual stereotypingStereotypeA stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
of a high pitched male voice and an elongated "S" pronunciation, similar to a slithering snakeSnakeSnakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
). - "Harry CarayHarry CarayHarry Caray, born Harry Christopher Carabina, was an American baseball broadcaster on radio and television. He covered four Major League Baseball teams, beginning with a long tenure calling the games of the St...
" (Performed by Eric Harley) (the late Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
broadcaster, who usually gives updates from HeavenHeavenHeaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
about famous people who have recently died and regularly mentions his love for beer). - "Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
" (Performed by John Hanson) (asks the morning crew to guess where he is – the running gag is they always answer either GracelandGracelandGraceland is a large white-columned mansion and estate that was home to Elvis Presley in Memphis, Tennessee. It is located at 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard in the vast Whitehaven community about 9 miles from Downtown and less than four miles north of the Mississippi border. It currently serves as...
or Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
but neither are correct; he then usually discusses foodFoodFood is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
in reference to the overweight Elvis of later years). - Former President George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
(who usually makes up a nonsensical word) - Former Presidents George H. W. BushGeorge H. W. BushGeorge Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
and Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
(often featured together, Clinton will usually make a sexually suggestive reference, whereupon Bush responds by calling him "perv boy") - Jackie StewartJackie StewartSir John Young Stewart, OBE , better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scotsman, is a Scottish former racing driver and team owner. He competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. He also competed in Can-Am...
(usually featured around when Texas Motor SpeedwayTexas Motor SpeedwayTexas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....
is having a race, generally refers to others as "crack smokersCrack cocaineCrack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
" and signs off with "stand on it until you smell stink")
WBAP Unique Characters
- "Sam from Sales" (Performed by John Hanson) (a high-pressure salesSalesA sale is the act of selling a product or service in return for money or other compensation. It is an act of completion of a commercial activity....
man, Samuel Poteet--EsquireEsquireEsquire is a term of West European origin . Depending on the country, the term has different meanings...
--with humorous stories about his very large familyFamilyIn human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
of cousinCousinIn kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
s; this was the original WBAP character; he is not featured at the 7 AM broadcast). - "Breakfast with Betty" (Performed by Eric Harley) (a sex-crazed wannabe chefChefA chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
who repeatedly hits on sportscaster Steve Lamb, encouraging him to divorce his wife – KXAS-TV reporter Deborah Ferguson – or, at the least, have an affair with her). - "Leif Raker" (Performed by Eric Harley) (a stand-up comedian/gardener featuring corny jokes).
- "Mystic Chuck" (Performed by Eric Harley) (an alleged psychicPsychicA psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
who has "visions" but never answers the initial question as posed by Hal Jay; instead, Mystic Chuck gives an unrelated answer to a question, and then follows it with the question as the Punch linePunch lineA punch line is the final part of a joke, comedy sketch, or profound statement, usually the word, sentence or exchange of sentences which is intended to be funny or to provoke laughter or thought from listeners...
; the bit is a spoofParodyA parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of the Johnny CarsonJohnny CarsonJohn William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987...
sketch Carnac the MagnificentCarnac the MagnificentCarnac the Magnificent was a recurring comedic role played by Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. One of Carson's most well known characters, Carnac was a "mystic from the east" who could psychically "divine" unseen answers to unknown questions...
). - "This Reporter" (Performed by Eric Harley) (a newsNewsNews is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
reporter who always gets confused or terribly off subject; the name "This Reporter" spoofs the fact that reporters often refer to themselves in third personGrammatical personGrammatical person, in linguistics, is deictic reference to a participant in an event; such as the speaker, the addressee, or others. Grammatical person typically defines a language's set of personal pronouns...
while reporing a news story). - "Shorty Lavender" (Performed by Eric Harley) (the adventures of a jockeyJockeyA jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
from nearby Lone Star ParkLone Star ParkLone Star Park is a horse racing track located in Grand Prairie, Texas.-History:Lone Star Park opened in 1997. The track offers separate meets for Thoroughbred racing and Quarter Horse racing. In October 2002, Magna Entertainment Corp. , based in Aurora, Ontario, leased the facility and acquired...
who proclaims himself the crew's "Four Feet of Fun Guy" and associates with a similarly named jockey, "Thigh High Johnson"). - "Professor Lester T. Besterfester" (Performed by John Hanson) (a fictitious professorProfessorA professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at Texas Christian UniversityTexas Christian UniversityTexas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
, Hal Jay's alma materAlma materAlma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, is billed as the Chairman of the Speech Therapy department – despite his own slurred speech, specializing in "16th century grammar appreciation"). - "Rusty Springs" (Performed by John Hanson) (an auto mechanic operating "Rusty Springs House of Pings", the alleged repair shop for WBAP's fleet, who creates nonsensical mechanical terms supposedly involved in auto repair – while charging outrageous prices).
- "The Reverend Robert Jiltem" (Performed by John Hanson) (a parody of Robert TiltonRobert TiltonRobert Tilton is an American televangelist who achieved notoriety in the 1980s and early 1990s through his infomercial-styled religious television program Success-N-Life, which at its peak in 1991 aired in all 235 American TV markets , brought in nearly $80 million per year, and was described as...
, a televangelist promoting his latest scheme while claiming that the idea "won't cost much – no, only a tiny amount – simply send me your five, ten, fifteen, or twenty THOUSAND dollarsUnited States dollarThe United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
" and offering a religious trinket in exchange). - "Doctor Ben Golfin" (Performed by John Hanson) (a fictitious medical doctor – the name is a parody of the stereotype that doctors are more interested in golfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
than patientPatientA patient is any recipient of healthcare services. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, veterinarian, or other health care provider....
s) - "Chief Wilbur Wetfeather" (Performed by Eric Harley) (a Native AmericanIndigenous peoples of the AmericasThe indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
meteorologist, often apologizes for bad weather claiming that he accidentally performed a Native American dance which caused it, and warns the crew of what they believe to be bad weather – such as "Strong Wind", only to learn that Wilbur is warning them of one of his relatives). - "Pedro from Payroll" (Performed by Eric Harley) (a HispanicHispanicHispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
character who purportedly works in WBAP's payrollPayrollIn a company, payroll is the sum of all financial records of salaries for an employee, wages, bonuses and deductions. In accounting, payroll refers to the amount paid to employees for services they provided during a certain period of time. Payroll plays a major role in a company for several reasons...
department, but is portrayed as anti-stereotypical – for example, he opposed the Great American BoycottGreat American BoycottThe Great American Boycott was a one-day boycott of United States schools and businesses by immigrants, both legal and illegal, of mostly Latin American origin that took place on May 1, 2006.The date was chosen by boycott organizers to coincide with May Day, the International Workers Day observed...
). - "Willie Landum" (Performed by John Hanson) (the self-proclaimed "Fishing Guide to the Stars" -- the name is a spoof of "will he land them?" -- who provides oddly-named, and sometimes sexually suggestive, fishingFishingFishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
lure names; this character is featured exclusively on Fridays just prior to 7 AM so that the morning news crew may receive the "Weekend Fishing Report", though in recent periods does not appear every Friday as before). - "Akmed Dangerfield, the 'Wacky Iraqi'", (Performed by John Hanson) who generally provides updates on the goings on in IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, and will often have to change his report in midstream due to the subject being bombed out of existence (once, Akmed complained that the bombings destroyed his country's main industry, the Seven-Eleven Training Center); and - "Grit Sissle" (Performed by Eric Harley) (the "Great American Truck Driver", who does reports while on the road; he is known by his CB handle "Naner Puddin" and finishes every sentence with "come back?" and two short blasts of his air horn).
- "Tug McCord" (a cowboy character who reports on "life on the range", which usually involves exotic foods not normally found in traditional cowboy cuisine)
- "Captain Steve Lightning" (a fictitious pilot for American AirlinesAmerican AirlinesAmerican Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
who, when he speaks, uses elongated "ahs", some of which get "stuck") - "Natural Howard", (Performed by Eric Harley) a spoof of local "Dirt Doctor" weekend gardening show host, Howard Garrett, who believes all gardening issues are best handled with "natural" solutions and cannot pronounce the word "herb" (Garrett, whose show was a weekend fixture on WBAP, later moved his program to rival station KSKY and is thus no longer featured).
- "Ze Inspector", a spoof of Inspector ClouseauInspector ClouseauChief Inspector Jacques Clouseau is a fictional character in Blake Edwards' The Pink Panther series. In most of the films, he was played by Peter Sellers, with one film in which he was played by Alan Arkin and one in which he was played by an uncredited Roger Moore...
(Performed by John Hanson) who would insult the hosts regularly (his introductory line was "Greetings, you American swine"); no reason has been given for his departure. - "Dusty Plains", would "guest host" a segment called "Tales of the Old West with John Wayne". Hal Jay would introduce the bit and inform listeners that "John Wayne couldn't be with us this morning" and give an often humorous explanation for what the long-dead Wayne was busy with that day (example: "John Wayne couldn't be with us this morning. He's out skiing with [the then recently deceased] Michael Kennedy.") He would then introduce "our guest host" Dusty Plains, who would spend the rest of the bit telling a story of the old west that took place "in the rootin' tootin' town of Dodge City." The story would usually involve Marshall Dillon, Miss Kitty, and other characters from the GunsmokeGunsmokeGunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West....
series. The story would end with a violent confrontation between Marshall Dillon and another character, which would typically result in bloodshed and dozens, if not hundreds, of people laying dead "when the smoke cleared." - "Heywood Yousueme" - a spoof of an attorney (the name is a parody of "hey, would you sue me?") who would provide (bad) legal advice to listeners.