WBOK
Encyclopedia
WBOK is a radio station
broadcasting a Christian radio
format. Licensed to New Orleans, Louisiana
, USA, the station serves the New Orleans area. The station is owned by Bakewell Media of Louisiana, LLC. Its current slogan is "Real Talk for Real Times".
The station was purchased by Danny Bakewell
on behalf of The Bakewell Family in April 2007.
1230 was originally WJBW with a Top 40 format in the late 1950s, but by the end of the decade it switched call letters to WSHO
and became a Broadway music formatted outlet. In 1962 WBOK swapped signals with WSHO and moved its R&B format to the 1230 signal. The R&B format would last until the late 1970s when it evolved to its current format after it was sold to Bishop Levi Willis.
The failure of levees immediately following the landfall of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005 resulted in flooding of WBOK's studio and offices. The station's transmitter site also received flood damage and the broadcast tower was severely damaged.
WBOK has returned to the air as of 11/3/2007 with an urban music and talk format, the station would work as an outlet for black political leaders to voice their opinion on matters because they felt as thought he other outlets were supporting whites only.
WBOK is owned by the Bakewell Media Company. Its principals, Danny Bakewell Sr. and Danny Bakewell Jr. are native New Orleanians who reside and operate a number of businesses in Los Angeles, CA, including being owners of the Los Angeles Sentinel. “The new broadcast outlet offers a window into the rapidly changing African American political consciousness in post-Katrina New Orleans. The new format, “Talk Back: Talk Black” marks a significant development in African American political life post-Katrina. Bakewell’s comments on today’s broadcast made it clear that his goal is to make WBOK a voice for African Americans in New Orleans and the Diaspora.
“WBOK listeners will hear elements of a political discourse that is emerging in the post-Katrina black community—marked by trenchant critique of racism in the recovery, a relentless attack on the current governing black political class, and a forthright discussion of destructive behaviors that are undermining black community regeneration. With virtually all the New Orleans electronic media controlled by white elites, one can expect WBOK to become an important forum for a black dialogue and alternative perspectives on race, class, and the recovery. Whether or not the “Talk Back Talk Black” radio format can find advertisers to ensure economic viability remains to be seen, especially given the decimation of the New Orleans black middle class and black businesses. But Bakewell seems to be guided by more a sense of justice than a desire for profit,” writes Lance Hill. Ph.D., Executive Director of the Southern Institute for Education and Research at Tulane University.
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...
broadcasting a Christian radio
Christian radio
Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
format. Licensed to New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, USA, the station serves the New Orleans area. The station is owned by Bakewell Media of Louisiana, LLC. Its current slogan is "Real Talk for Real Times".
The station was purchased by Danny Bakewell
Danny Bakewell
Daniel "Danny" Joseph Bakewell is an American civil rights activist and entrepreneur. He is the owner of The Bakewell Company, which includes among its holdings the New Orleans radio station WBOK and the Los Angeles Sentinel newspaper...
on behalf of The Bakewell Family in April 2007.
History
AMAM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
1230 was originally WJBW with a Top 40 format in the late 1950s, but by the end of the decade it switched call letters to WSHO
WSHO
WSHO is a radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format. Licensed to New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, the station serves the New Orleans area. The station is currently owned by Shadowlands Communications, L.L.C...
and became a Broadway music formatted outlet. In 1962 WBOK swapped signals with WSHO and moved its R&B format to the 1230 signal. The R&B format would last until the late 1970s when it evolved to its current format after it was sold to Bishop Levi Willis.
The failure of levees immediately following the landfall of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005 resulted in flooding of WBOK's studio and offices. The station's transmitter site also received flood damage and the broadcast tower was severely damaged.
WBOK has returned to the air as of 11/3/2007 with an urban music and talk format, the station would work as an outlet for black political leaders to voice their opinion on matters because they felt as thought he other outlets were supporting whites only.
WBOK is owned by the Bakewell Media Company. Its principals, Danny Bakewell Sr. and Danny Bakewell Jr. are native New Orleanians who reside and operate a number of businesses in Los Angeles, CA, including being owners of the Los Angeles Sentinel. “The new broadcast outlet offers a window into the rapidly changing African American political consciousness in post-Katrina New Orleans. The new format, “Talk Back: Talk Black” marks a significant development in African American political life post-Katrina. Bakewell’s comments on today’s broadcast made it clear that his goal is to make WBOK a voice for African Americans in New Orleans and the Diaspora.
“WBOK listeners will hear elements of a political discourse that is emerging in the post-Katrina black community—marked by trenchant critique of racism in the recovery, a relentless attack on the current governing black political class, and a forthright discussion of destructive behaviors that are undermining black community regeneration. With virtually all the New Orleans electronic media controlled by white elites, one can expect WBOK to become an important forum for a black dialogue and alternative perspectives on race, class, and the recovery. Whether or not the “Talk Back Talk Black” radio format can find advertisers to ensure economic viability remains to be seen, especially given the decimation of the New Orleans black middle class and black businesses. But Bakewell seems to be guided by more a sense of justice than a desire for profit,” writes Lance Hill. Ph.D., Executive Director of the Southern Institute for Education and Research at Tulane University.