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WBBM (AM)
Encyclopedia
WBBM is an all-news
CBS
radio station
in Chicago, Illinois broadcasting on the AM
dial at 780 kHz. It is owned by CBS
along with WBBM-TV
.
The station is also simulcast
on WCFS-FM, 105.9 to provide better service to Chicago's central business district and better audio quality to the market in general, an arrangement that launched on August 1, 2011 after CBS discontinued WCFS's former AC format to ward off a challenge from new all-news station WWWN (101.1). WCFS's calls under the branding Fresh 105.9 were retained as the current measure of Arbitron
ratings, the Portable People Meter
, confirms what is being listened to by sound, not call letters via listener diary , and to retain the heritage calls of WBBM's sister rhythmic operation
at 96.3.
began an amateur spark station. In 1923, it received a commercial license and was assigned the frequency of 1300 kHz. It also received its current call letters, which stand for World's Best Battery Maker. In later years, an alternate meaning, "We Broadcast Better Music," was created.
The Atlasses sold their battery company in 1924 to devote their full attention to WBBM, and moved to Chicago that same year. It became a charter CBS affiliate in 1928. The new network liked what it saw in the station, and bought a controlling interest in 1929. Leslie Atlass remained station manager with a 33 percent interest. CBS bought the remaining stock in 1933. As part of the deal, Atlass became vice president of CBS' Central Division while remaining station manager of WBBM—positions he continued to hold until his retirement in 1959. A series of power increases over the years culminated in its current power of 50,000 watts in 1935, allowing the station to cover much of North America after dark. It had studios at various locations in Chicago until 1956. In 1956-2006, it operated from a converted arena on North McClurg Court, and in 2006 it moved to Two Prudential Plaza
.
The station has been all-news since 1968. From 1964 until 1968 the format was news/talk, and prior to that, the station had a MOR/Personality-based format. The station has been the flagship station of the Chicago Bears
since 2000, and in its history has also aired Chicago White Sox
and Chicago Blackhawks
games.
Over the years, WBBM fended off all-news competition from McLendon-owned WNUS and from WMAQ Radio, which came under the CBS umbrella when Westinghouse Electric Corp. purchased CBS in 1997; sports-talk WSCR took over the WMAQ frequency in 2000. For many years, WBBM Newsradio 780 has been in a spirited battle with rival news/talk/sports station WGN
for the number one AM or FM radio station in the Chicago media market. In the June 2009 Arbitron
ratings period, WGN held a slight edge over WBBM in PPM metered listenership ratings. However, since the Fall of 2009, WBBM has regained the lead while WGN began to slip.
780 is also known for a couple of trademarks. Typically before a commercial break the current on-air personality will claim, “WBBM news time…(current time of day)" (as is standard procedure with every other all-news station owned and operated by CBS). The station provides updates on traffic and weather "on the eights." Also after any sort of sports update the on-air personality will also proudly claim, “you're listening to the home of the Bears.” The station has also been the longtime flagship of the Chicago Air & Water Show
in mid-August every year as the station's anchor and reporting staff describe the sights of jets and airplanes doing stunts above the water off Chicago's lakefront to listeners.
According to the radio industry website, RadioStats (RadioStats.Net), WBBM's website is the most visited radio station website in America.
WBBM's skywave signal was received as far west as Salt Lake City, Utah. Additionally, hobbyists as far east as Scotland and Germany have claimed to have been able to pick up the station's broadcast.
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...
CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
in Chicago, Illinois broadcasting on the 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...
dial at 780 kHz. It is owned by CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
along with WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
.
The station is also simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
on WCFS-FM, 105.9 to provide better service to Chicago's central business district and better audio quality to the market in general, an arrangement that launched on August 1, 2011 after CBS discontinued WCFS's former AC format to ward off a challenge from new all-news station WWWN (101.1). WCFS's calls under the branding Fresh 105.9 were retained as the current measure of Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
ratings, the Portable People Meter
Portable People Meter
The Portable People Meter is a system developed by Arbitron to measure how many people are listening to individual radio stations and television stations, including cable TV. The PPM is worn like a pager, and detects hidden audio tones within a station or network's audio stream, logging each...
, confirms what is being listened to by sound, not call letters via listener diary , and to retain the heritage calls of WBBM's sister rhythmic operation
WBBM-FM
WBBM-FM, known on air as "B96", is a Rhythmic Contemporary outlet in Chicago, Illinois with a Rhythmic based playlist. The station is owned by CBS Radio and broadcasts at 96.3 MHz with an ERP of 4.2 kW. WBBM's main competition is WKSC-FM "103.5 Kiss FM", as well as urban rivals WGCI-FM &...
at 96.3.
History
The station traces its history to 1911, when Leslie and Ralph Atlass, owners of the Mallory Battery Company of Lincoln, IllinoisLincoln, Illinois
Lincoln is a city in Logan County, Illinois, United States. It is the only town in the United States that was named for Abraham Lincoln before he became president; he practiced law there from 1847 to 1859. First settled in the 1830s, Lincoln is home to three colleges and two prisons. The three...
began an amateur spark station. In 1923, it received a commercial license and was assigned the frequency of 1300 kHz. It also received its current call letters, which stand for World's Best Battery Maker. In later years, an alternate meaning, "We Broadcast Better Music," was created.
The Atlasses sold their battery company in 1924 to devote their full attention to WBBM, and moved to Chicago that same year. It became a charter CBS affiliate in 1928. The new network liked what it saw in the station, and bought a controlling interest in 1929. Leslie Atlass remained station manager with a 33 percent interest. CBS bought the remaining stock in 1933. As part of the deal, Atlass became vice president of CBS' Central Division while remaining station manager of WBBM—positions he continued to hold until his retirement in 1959. A series of power increases over the years culminated in its current power of 50,000 watts in 1935, allowing the station to cover much of North America after dark. It had studios at various locations in Chicago until 1956. In 1956-2006, it operated from a converted arena on North McClurg Court, and in 2006 it moved to Two Prudential Plaza
Two Prudential Plaza
Two Prudential Plaza is a super-tall skyscraper that was built in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois, United States in 1990. At 995 feet tall, it is currently the sixth-tallest building in Chicago and the thirteenth tallest in the United States. The building was designed by the firm Loebl,...
.
The station has been all-news since 1968. From 1964 until 1968 the format was news/talk, and prior to that, the station had a MOR/Personality-based format. The station has been the flagship station of the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
since 2000, and in its history has also aired Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
and Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
games.
Over the years, WBBM fended off all-news competition from McLendon-owned WNUS and from WMAQ Radio, which came under the CBS umbrella when Westinghouse Electric Corp. purchased CBS in 1997; sports-talk WSCR took over the WMAQ frequency in 2000. For many years, WBBM Newsradio 780 has been in a spirited battle with rival news/talk/sports station WGN
WGN (AM)
WGN is a radio station in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is the only radio station owned by the Tribune Company, which also owns the flagship television station WGN-TV, the Chicago Tribune newspaper and Chicago magazine locally. WGN's transmitter is located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois...
for the number one AM or FM radio station in the Chicago media market. In the June 2009 Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
ratings period, WGN held a slight edge over WBBM in PPM metered listenership ratings. However, since the Fall of 2009, WBBM has regained the lead while WGN began to slip.
780 is also known for a couple of trademarks. Typically before a commercial break the current on-air personality will claim, “WBBM news time…(current time of day)" (as is standard procedure with every other all-news station owned and operated by CBS). The station provides updates on traffic and weather "on the eights." Also after any sort of sports update the on-air personality will also proudly claim, “you're listening to the home of the Bears.” The station has also been the longtime flagship of the Chicago Air & Water Show
Chicago Air & Water Show
The Chicago Air & Water Show is an annual air show held on the shore of Lake Michigan in Chicago, Illinois. The show has been held each year since 1959 and is Chicago's second most popular festival...
in mid-August every year as the station's anchor and reporting staff describe the sights of jets and airplanes doing stunts above the water off Chicago's lakefront to listeners.
According to the radio industry website, RadioStats (RadioStats.Net), WBBM's website is the most visited radio station website in America.
WBBM's skywave signal was received as far west as Salt Lake City, Utah. Additionally, hobbyists as far east as Scotland and Germany have claimed to have been able to pick up the station's broadcast.