WMBD is the oldest 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 Peoria, Illinois

Peoria, Illinois

Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...

. It broadcasts on 1470 kHz with 5000 watt

Watt

The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...

s day and night, with a 2-tower pattern during the day and a 4-tower pattern at night.

The station started broadcasting in 1927. The call letters WMBD are associated with the phrase "World's Most Beautiful Drive", referring to Grandview Drive

Grandview Drive

Grandview Drive is a two and a half mile scenic road with adjacent park areas through Peoria and Peoria Heights, Illinois. Major portions of the road give a view of the Illinois River and its valley as well as clear views of the some of the most prestigious and historic homes in the area...

 where the original station was located.

Though marketed as a news-talk station now, WMBD has traditionally been a full service radio station, broadcasting a variety of programs. Past announcers included Bob Carlton, Farmer Bill, Milton Budd, and John Williams

John Williams (radio personality)

John Williams is an American talk radio show host at WGN in Chicago, Illinois. He has held several timeslots on WGN, including the 1–4 p.m. John Williams Experience until December 2008, Spike O'Dell's old 5–9 a.m...

, who is now at WGN (AM)

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...

. The station always had strong agri-business coverage, and for many years had a noon farm show, which has now moved to sister station WIRL. Colleen Callahan

Colleen Callahan

Colleen Callahan is an agribusiness news reporter and Illinois Director of USDA Rural Development. She was the Democratic nominee for Illinois' 18th congressional district in 2008....

 was the long-time agriculture

Agriculture

Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...

 news director. The station was a long-time 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 affiliate until 2001.

WMBD's on-air staff include Dan DiOrio, Greg Batton, and Scott Robbins. The station carries 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...

and is a radio affiliate of Fox News Radio

Fox News Radio

Fox News Radio is an American radio network programmed by Fox News Channel.- History :In 2003, Fox News began syndicating one minute radio updates to radio stations via syndication service Westwood One. On June 1, 2005, Fox News Radio employed 60 people and provided five minute newscasts at the top...

. WMBD has broadcast Bradley University

Bradley University

Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....

 basketball games for over 60 years. Current Bradley announcer is Dave Snell

Dave Snell

Dave Snell is the radio play-by-play voice of Bradley Braves men's basketball in Peoria, Illinois. He has been the voice of Bradley basketball since 1979, partnering with former Bradley player and head coach Joe Stowell since 1985 on WMBD . During the 2008-2009 season Snell broadcast his 900th...

 who has been doing Bradley play-by-play for over 25 years. WMBD also carries St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...

 baseball games.

Ownership

WMBD (AM) is no longer co-owned with WMBD-TV

WMBD-TV

WMBD-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Central Illinois licensed to Peoria. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 30 from a transmitter on Pinecrest Drive in Groveland Township's East Peoria section. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 7 and in...

 channel 31; Midwest Television, who owned WMBD (AM), WPBG

WPBG

WPBG is an FM broadcasting station with a Classic Hits format. Licensed for Peoria, Illinois, USA, the station serves the Bloomington, Peoria, LaSalle-Peru area...

, and WMBD-TV for decades, divested itself of all its stations outside of San Diego in the 1990s, selling WMBD-TV to Nexstar Broadcasting and the radio stations to JMP Radio Group, a local division of Triad Broadcasting

Triad Broadcasting

Triad Broadcasting Company, LLC is a large owner of radio stations in small and medium markets in the United States with over 40 radio stations. Based in Monterey, California, the company is one of the largest radio station owners after Clear Channel Communications, CBS Radio, Cox Radio, and...

; Triad has since bought WIRL, WSWT

WSWT

WSWT is a radio station broadcasting an Adult Contemporary format. It is licensed to Peoria, Illinois in the Peoria radio market. The station is currently owned by Monterey Licenses, LLC. Mornings are hosted by Randy Rundle and Stacy Campbell...

, WXCL

WXCL

WXCL is a country music radio station licensed to Pekin, Illinois and owned by JMP Media, a subsidiary of Triad Broadcasting.-History:104.9 signed on the air in the early 70's as WZRO with an oldies format...

, and WDQX

WDQX

WDQX is an FM radio station, licensed to 102.3 MHz in Morton, Illinois near Peoria. It is owned by JMP Media, a part of Triad Broadcasting of California...

.

External links

• 1470 WMBD — official site

— message thread about W262BY; includes comments from engineer