WBBM-FM
Rhythmic Top 40 | |
Subchannels | HD2: Channel Q |
---|---|
Ownership | |
Owner |
|
WBBM, WBMX, WCFS-FM, WSCR, WUSN, WXRT[1] | |
History | |
First air date | November 1941[2] |
Former call signs | W67C (1941–43)[3] |
Former frequencies | |
Call sign meaning | calls randomly assigned to WBBM (AM) with multiple backronyms: "We Broadcast Broadmoor Music"[4][5] "World's Best Broadcast Medium"[4][5] "Where Better Broadcasts Materialize"[6] |
Technical information[7] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
Facility ID | 9613 |
Class | B |
ERP | 3,300 watts |
HAAT | 474 meters (1,555 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 41°52′44″N 87°38′10″W / 41.879°N 87.636°W |
Links | |
Public license information | |
Webcast | Listen live (via Audacy) |
Website | www |
WBBM-FM (96.3
History
Early years
The station began experimental broadcasts in November 1941, as W67C, broadcasting on 46.7 MHz.
In 1943, the station's
The Young Sound
In 1966, WBBM-FM split from simulcasting the AM and flipped to "The Young Sound", a format pioneered by John DeWitt for co-owned WCBS-FM in New York City.[9][10][11] Bud Kelly was the announcer for "The Young Sound" on WBBM-FM.[9]
"The Young Sound" aired instrumental cover versions of recent hits, contemporary pop instrumentals from artists like Herb Alpert, and contemporary vocal hits from artists like Petula Clark.[9][11] Every hour's playlist was designed so that each song would complement the titles that preceded and followed it.[9][10] Initially, the station had a three to one instrumental to vocal ratio.[10] However, its playlist was skewed towards a young audience, which distinguished it from most easy listening and beautiful music stations of the era.[9][10]
Chicago's Favorite Rock
By the early 1970s, the station was airing a format consisting of top 40, album cuts, and past hits.[12] The station was branded as "Stereo 96 WBBM-FM, Chicago's Favorite Rock!"[13] Bob Johnston served as program director.[14]
In 1971, the station's transmitter was moved to the John Hancock Center.[3]
Mellow sound
By 1977, WBBM-FM and several other FM stations owned by CBS had adopted an
B96
In May 1982, WBBM-FM began airing a Top 40/CHR format known as "Hot Hits", which was created by consultant Mike Joseph.[23] Concurrent with the format change was the phase-out of all automation.[23] Hot Hits was a high-energy format, playing only current hits, and featured numerous jingles to reinforce the station's identity.[23] The station was branded B96 the following year.[24]
When late 1986 rolled along, B96's format began to tweak slowly towards a
In October 2008, the station's slogan was changed from "Chicago's Hits and Hip-Hop" to "Chicago's #1 Hit Music Station", as its format shifted back to mainstream Top 40.[28][29]
On April 21, 2023, WBBM-FM shifted to a rhythmic-oriented gold-leaning Top 40 format, combining many Top 40/CHR currents and re-currents with a larger and older gold library. This follows the trend of other struggling Top 40/CHRs flipping to the format, such as
Since 1992, the station has presented the B96 SummerBash concert.[31]
Morning shows
B96's longtime morning program was the "
On January 5, 2009, Julian Nieh and Jamar "J. Niice" McNeil started a new morning show, "J. Niice & Julian on the Radio". The two were previously together at iHeartMedia's WIHT in Washington, D.C. Nieh stayed with the show until December 2012.[36] The show continued as "The J Show", with J. Niice as the host alongside Showbiz Shelly and Gabe.[37][38] J. Niice left in March 2018 and in April, B96 debuted "DreX & Nina" with Gabe Ramirez still being kept on.[39][40][41] DreX left B96 in February 2019 and the show became "Gabe and Nina in the Morning", hosted by Gabe Ramirez and Nina Hajian. In September 2021, Hajian left the station, with Ramirez continuing to host the show, which was renamed "B96 Mornings".[41][42] In April 2022, 'The Morning Mess', hosted by Joey ‘Nachoo’ Rodriguez, Aneesh, Jeana and Karla, moved from Phoenix sister station KALV-FM to host mornings on WBBM-FM.[43]
Ownership changes
CBS had owned WBBM-FM since its beginnings. In 1995, CBS was acquired by Westinghouse.[44] Infinity Broadcasting Corporation was acquired in December 1996, and shortly thereafter Westinghouse's name was changed to CBS Corp.[44] Through its CBS Radio division, the CBS Corporation owned WBBM-FM for 76 years.
On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced it would merge with
HD Radio
WBBM-FM broadcasts in the
In January 2006, the station officially launched its HD2 FM subcarrier, airing a
References
- ^ Janowski, Thaddeus P. (September 29, 2010). "FCC 316: Application for Consent to Assign Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License or to Transfer Control of Entity Holding Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License (BTCH-20100930AFL)". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
- ^ a b "FM Outlet Histories", Broadcasting — Telecasting. A Continuing Study of Major Radio Markets: Study No. 7: Chicago. October 25, 1948. p. 14. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j History Cards for WBBM-FM, fcc.gov. Retrieved September 23, 2018.
- ^ a b Schaden, Chuck (1988). "WBBM Yesterday & Today. WBBM. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- ^ a b Jacob, Mark. "10 things you might not know about Chicago radio", Chicago Tribune. September 14, 2008. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- ^ "AM Histories", Broadcasting — Telecasting. A Continuing Study of Major Radio Markets: Study No. 7: Chicago. October 25, 1948. pp. 14, 17. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WBBM-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ FM Query Results: WBBM-FM, fcc.gov. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "What is 'The Young Sound'?", All That Is Music. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
- ^ a b c d "'Young Sound' to Hit New York on Oct. 1", Billboard. October 1, 1966. p. 22. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
- ^ a b CBS-FM Offers Service to Aid Small Markets With Separation", Billboard. December 16, 1966. pp. 26, 32. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
- ^ "WBBM-FM Cuts Swath With Oldie LP Tracks", Billboard. July 10, 1971. p. 20. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
- ^ WBBM/FM Stereo 96 Chicago's Favorite Rock, WBBM-FM. May 12, 1973. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
- ^ "Chicago Retailers, Stations Push Sansui 'Q'", Billboard. January 6, 1973. p. 19. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- ^ a b Tiegel, Eliot. "Marshall Cross-Pollinates Ideas", Billboard. October 8, 1977. pp. 36, 40. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- Chicago Tribune Magazine. March 4, 1979. p. 35. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1978, Broadcasting, 1978. p. C-62. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
- ^ Media Decisions, Volume 12, Part 1. N. Glenn Publications. 1977. p. 43.
- ^ "Northern FM DX", WTFDA Mailbox. November 1980. p. 17. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- ^ Ghrist, John R. (1996). Valley Voices: A Radio History. Crossroads Communications. p. 44.
- ^ "Billboard Arbitron DJ Rating Performance", Billboard. September 30, 1978. p. 32. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
- ^ Hall, Doug. "Vox Jox", Billboard. August 11, 1979. p. 18. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
- ^ a b c Penchansky, Alan. "WBBM-FM to Shift to 'Hot Hits' Format", Billboard. April 24, 1982. pp. 25, 36. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
- ^ Bornstein, Rollye. "Vox Jox", Billboard. June 18, 1983. p. 24. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- The Advocate. January 21, 1997. p. 81-82. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ a b Ross, Sean. "PD of the week", Billboard. May 19, 1990. pp. 19, 22. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ Carter, Kevin. "PD Cavanah Sees Success By Broadening B96's List", Billboard. September 23, 1995. p. 100. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ "Chicago's Hits and Hip-Hop". WBBM-FM. Archived from the original on October 24, 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ "Chicago's #1 Hit Music Station". WBBM-FM. Archived from the original on October 31, 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ Venta, Lance (April 21, 2023). "B96 Moves Back To Its Roots". RadioInsight. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ "2011 B96 Pepsi SummerBash Guide", CBS 2 Chicago. June 9, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ^ a b c Chicago's WJMK-FM flipping to KHITS", Radio & Television Business Report. March 10, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ Freeman, Kim. "Vox Jox", Billboard. August 9, 1986. p. 14. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ Ross, Sean. "Vox Jox", Billboard. November 5, 1988. p. 15. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- Rosenthal, Phil. "Eddie and Jobo out at WBBM-FM", Chicago Tribune. November 21, 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ "Julian Nieh Exits B96", Chicagoland Radio and Media. November 28, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- Time Out Chicago. November 28, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ "The J. Show with Showbiz Shelly". WBBM-FM. Archived from the original on June 20, 2013. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ Goldsborough, Bob. "J Niice, former WBBM-FM morning host, sells Near South Side condo for $370,500", Chicago Tribune. August 24, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ "Changes At WBBM-F (B96)/Chicago As J Niice And Showbiz Shelly Exit Mornings; 'DreX' Rumored To Return", All Access Music Group. March 29, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ a b "DreX Out At Chicago's 'B96' After Less Than A Year", Inside Radio. February 8, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- ^ "Gabe & Nina", Chicago's B96. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- ^ Live 101.5 Phoenix's Morning Mess to Move to B96 Chicago
- ^ a b "Westinghouse to Change Name to CBS After Spinoff", Bloomberg News. Los Angeles Times. February 6, 1997. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- ^ Venta, Lance. "CBS Radio to Merge with Entercom", RadioInsight. February 2, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- Entercom. November 2, 2017. Archived from the originalon November 11, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ Venta, Lance (November 17, 2017). "Entercom Completes CBS Radio Merger". Radio Insight. Archived from the original on November 18, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ a b c "Channel Q Expands To Six More Markets" RadioInsight. February 26, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
- ^ "Major Radio Groups Announce HD2 Formats", All Access Music Group. January 19, 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ Entercom’s ‘Channel Q’ Expands To Six New Markets Via HD Side Channels, Inside Radio. February 27, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
External links
- Official website
- WBBM in the FCC FM station database
- WBBM in Nielsen Audio's FM station database