WCBM

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
WCBM
Ownership
OwnerWCBM Maryland, Inc.
WQLL
History
First air date
March 28, 1924
Call sign meaning
Randomly assigned from a sequential list
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID4759
ClassB
Power
  • 50,000 watts day
  • 20,000 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
39°22′27″N 76°51′29″W / 39.37417°N 76.85806°W / 39.37417; -76.85806
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websitewcbm.com

WCBM (680

Interstate 695).[2]

By day, WCBM transmits with 50,000 watts, the maximum allowed for United States AM stations. To protect other stations on 680 AM at night, it reduces power to 20,000 watts. It uses a directional antenna at all times, with a six-tower array. The transmitter site is off Marriottsville Road in Randallstown.[3]

Programming

Weekdays on WCBM, local hosts are heard from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. The morning

nationally syndicated shows: Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Todd Starnes, Bill O'Reilly and Frank Morano from WABC New York City
.

Weekends feature shows on money, health, gardening, cars, movies, technology, travel, veterans affairs, real estate and religion. They include The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show, The Lutheran Hour, The RM Travel Show with Rudy Maxa and The Kim Komando Show. Some weekend shows are paid brokered programming. Most hours begin with an update from Townhall News.

History

Early years

WCBM made its debut broadcast beginning at 10:00 p.m. on March 28, 1924.[4]

WCBM was first licensed in March 1924 to Charles Schwarz on 1310 kHz.

North Avenue. The call letters
were randomly assigned from a sequential list of available call signs, although they also could be rendered as standing for "Chateau Baltimore Maryland", the hotel's name.

Following the establishment of the Federal Radio Commission (FRC) in 1927, stations were initially issued a series of temporary authorizations starting on May 3, 1927.[7] 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.[8] On May 25, 1928, the FRC issued General Order 32, which notified 164 stations, including WCBM, 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."[9] 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, and WCBM was assigned to 1370 kHz.[10] In the 1930s, WCBM had moved to the Hearst Tower Building in Baltimore.

NBC Blue Network affiliate for Baltimore, carrying its dramas, comedies, news and sports, during the "Golden Age of Radio." The Blue Network later became ABC
.

Move to 680 AM

WCBM changed transmitting frequencies numerous times. With the 1941 implementation of the

music and personality station. In 1960 WCBM added an FM station, WCBM-FM at 106.5
Audacy
.

Metromedia ownership

Station's 1964 "Legmen" advertisement[13]

WCBM-AM-FM were sold in 1963 to Metromedia, a large New York City-based broadcasting company. Metromedia also owned WTTGWashington, D.C.; WNEW, WNEW-FM and WNEW-TVNew York City; WHK and WHK-FMCleveland; and WIP and WIP-FMPhiladelphia. The studios were moved to Owings Mills, Maryland.

Metromedia helped WCBM establish a reputation for radio news reporting. It affiliated the station with

CBS Radio News and maintained a staff of professional reporters and anchors. An advertisement in the 1964 Broadcasting Yearbook boasted that WCBM aired 32 hours of news each week, and that "WCBM listeners hear it first! WCBM's staff of legmen are first on the scene . . . in Baltimore . . . surrounding counties . . . and at the state capital in Annapolis."[13]

But WCBM had a hard time competing with

Adult Contemporary music
format.

Switch to all-talk

In 1981, WCBM began running talk programming in the evening, while keeping its music and news in the daytime. As fewer people listened to music on AM radio, WCBM evolved to all talk by 1983. It was also the

and Vince Bagli called the action in the broadcast booth.

The station was sold in 1987 to local owners using the corporate name "Magic 680 Inc."

soon after, and was put up for sale.

Rescue from bankruptcy

At about the same time that WCBM was in the middle of bankruptcy, rival AM station 1300 WFBR was sold in 1988 and changed its format from news/talk to 1950s' rock & roll. With the format flip, WFBR let go most of the station's talk show hosts that summer. In October 1988, WCBM was bought by Baltimore area businessman and philanthropist Nick Mangione, Sr. who resurrected it from bankruptcy. A

Les Kinsolving
and Stan "The Fan" Charles.

WCBM originally had The Rush Limbaugh Show on its weekday schedule in the early 1990s, but lost it to competitor 1090 WBAL in 1994. With its stronger signal and higher ratings, Limbaugh's syndicator put the program on WBAL. At the time, WCBM was broadcasting at 10,000 watts by day and 5,000 watts night. WCBM had to scramble to replace Limbaugh in the Noon to 3 p.m. slot, choosing Zoh Heironimus to fill the role. Despite having a following, Zoh Heironimus didn't capture the listeners as well as Limbaugh. So WCBM added Dr. Laura Schlessinger to the 12–3 spot but her ratings dropped further. After WJFK (1300 AM) discontinued his program, WCBM added the syndicated G. Gordon Liddy Show. Liddy improved the ratings numbers for WCBM, although was not as successful as Limbaugh. By the end of 2001, The Sean Hannity Show was added to the 3–6 p.m. time slot, replacing Bob Scherr.

Power boost

In 2001, WCBM completed construction on a new six-

Westwood One
, debuted on the same day as Limbaugh's return, airing from 7 to 9 p.m.

In 2009, WCBM dropped the

station IDs and music accompanied the changes in programming. WCBM's imaging now centers on its affiliation with Fox News. During the end of 2020, WCBM changed national news affiliation from Fox News to Townhall News, part of the Salem Radio Network
.

Lineup changes

On October 31, 2019, veteran personality Frank Luber retired after 31 years with WCBM, 27 of them hosting "Maryland's Wake Up Call."[16] Luber's co-host, Sean Casey, was teamed with former late morning host Bruce Elliott for "The Morning Drive with Casey & Elliott." Derek Hunter, formerly of 1090 WBAL, took Elliott's time slot, 9 to 11:45 a.m. Derek Hunter has been with WCBM since 2019.

With the death of syndicated host Rush Limbaugh in February 2021, WCBM management decided to replace his popular early afternoon show with local programming. Derek Hunter was moved to Limbaugh's early afternoon time slot, with Elliott relocated to late mornings and Casey remaining as the wake-up host.

References

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WCBM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ FCC.gov/WCBM
  3. ^ Radio-Locator.com/WCBM
  4. ^ WCBM (advertisement), Baltimore Sun, April 4, 1924, page 40.
  5. ^ "New stations", Radio Service Bulletin, April 1, 1924, page 4. This source incorrectly lists the last name of "Schwarz" as "Swarz".
  6. ^ "Third Broadcasting Station Opens Here", Baltimore Sun, March 28, 1924, page 40.
  7. ^ "List of broadcasting stations issued temporary permits", Radio Service Bulletin, April 30, 1927, pages 6-14.
  8. ^ "Extension of Broadcasting Station Licenses", Radio Service Bulletin, December 31, 1927, page 7.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ "Broadcasting Stations", Second Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission (June 30, 1928), page 178.
  11. ^ "Directory of Broadcasting Stations of the United States: Maryland: Baltimore"', Broadcasting Yearbook (1935 edition), page 36.
  12. ^ "WCBM to 680" (PDF). Broadcasting. March 22, 1948. p. 32. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  13. ^ a b "WCBM Legmen" (advertisement), Broadcasting Yearbook, (1964 edition), page B-69.
  14. ^ "Directory of Radio Stations in the United States and Canada: Maryland: Baltimore", Broadcasting Yearbook (1988 edition), page B-129.
  15. ^ "FCC Antenna Structure Registration".
  16. ^ "Frank Luber Steps Away from Mornings" InsideRadio.com, October 28, 2019

External links

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