WKBM
Relevant Radio station in Sandwich, Illinois
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
WKBM (930 AM) is a noncommercial radio station licensed to Sandwich, Illinois, United States, and serving much of the Chicago metropolitan area. It carries a Catholic radio format as an owned-and-operated station of Relevant Radio, largely simulcasting [[WSFS (AM)}WSFS]] (950 AM).[3][4]
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| Broadcast area | Chicago metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 930 kHz |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Format | Catholic radio |
| Network | Relevant Radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| History | |
First air date | May 1986 |
Former call signs | |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 48240 |
| Class | B |
| Power |
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Transmitter coordinates | 41°36′26″N 88°27′11″W |
| Translator | 99.1 W256DU (Cloverdale) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | www |
WKBM's transmitter is sited on Legion Road at Immanuel Road in Yorkville, Illinois. Programming is also heard on 34-watt FM translator W256DU at 99.1 MHz in Cloverdale, Illinois.
History
Full service era
The station began broadcasting in May 1986.[5] The original call sign was WBYG.[1][5] The station was originally owned by Larry Nelson.[6][7] On April 11, 1988, the station's call sign was changed to WAUR.[1] From the late 1980s until 1990 aired a full service format with country music and news, information, and talk programming.[8][9][10] In 1990 the country music was replaced with Oldies, with the station airing full-service format with a strong emphasis on local issues.[11][6][5] It continued to air this format until its sale to the Children's Broadcasting Corporation in 1997.[12][13]
Children's Broadcasting Corporation
On February 5, 1997, the station was purchased by Children's Broadcasting Corporation for $3.9 million, and it became the Chicago affiliate of the "Radio AAHS" network, airing children's programming.[14][13][15] After Radio AAHS discontinued operations in January 1998, Children's Broadcasting Corporation, began leasing time on its stations until it could find buyers.[16] In February 1998, WAUR, along with the other nine CBC stations, became an outlet for "Beat Radio", which broadcast electronic dance music 12 hours each night.[17][16][18]
Catholic Radio Network
In late 1998, the station was sold to Catholic Radio Network, later known as Catholic Family Radio, and it began airing a Catholic oriented talk format.[19][20][21] In late 1999, Catholic Radio Network had entered into an agreement to the station to Saul Acquisition Co. for $4.4 million.[22][23][24] The plans were for the station to be operated by Radio Center for People with Disabilities, with Catholic Family Radio continuing to air temporarily during certain time-slots.[22] However, the sale was never consummated, ownership reverted to Catholic Family Radio, and the station was taken off the air temporarily in spring of 2001.[25]
Victory 930
In spring 2001, Catholic Family Radio entered into a local marketing agreement with Michigan based religious broadcaster Midwest Broadcasting (now known as Christian Broadcasting System),[26] and the station returned to the air broadcasting a religious format.[27][28] The station was branded "Victory 930". In late 2001, Midwest Broadcasting entered into an agreement to purchase the station for $4 million.[29] However, the Radio Center for People with Disabilities filed a challenge with the Federal Communications Commission to block the sale of the station, on the basis that the purchaser was not a member of a minority, and the sale was never consummated.[30]
Relevant Radio
In 2004, WAUR was sold to Starboard Broadcasting for $3.5 million, and the station began airing its current Catholic format as an affiliate of Relevant Radio.[31][32][33] The station changed its call sign to the current WKBM on June 18, 2014.[1]