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WJBC (AM)
Encyclopedia
WJBC is an AM
radio station
based in the twin cities of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois
.
In 2006, Janae Jontry, the station manager, said a focus on localism differentiated WJBC from most of the competition. Part of a five-station cluster owned by Regent Communications, WJBC was the only AM station of the group. It had five full-time news people and an agribusiness director. The station continues to be owned by what is now Townsquare Media.
The station calls itself "The Voice of McLean County
".
WJBC has been the longtime home to the Illinois State Redbirds
, as well as local high school sports and the St. Louis Cardinals
.
in May 1925 with 1000 watt
s on 1280 kHz. Its call letters were apparently assigned arbitrarily during the AM radio expansion era of the 1920s. The station was initially music-oriented, and for a while it adopted the mnemonic
slogan "Where Jazz Becomes Classic". The station was originally at the Hummer Furniture Store, then at the Kaskaskia Hotel. During the years in LaSalle, it moved to 1320 kHz, then 1200 kHz. The Great Depression
eventually closed both the companies backing the station in LaSalle, and the owner of Hummer Furniture owner moved the station to Bloomington-Normal
.
On , WJBC began transmitting from its new facilities, making it the first radio station in Bloomington-Normal
. The transmitter was in Normal
and its main studio was at Illinois Wesleyan University
in Bloomington; other studios were at Illinois State Normal School
and the Illinois Farm Bureau
. At first it was only on the air a few hours a day, with eight daily newscasts, weather twice a day, and the Western Union time announced at the top of each hour.
On the morning of August 25, 1971, the station broadcast the last radio program of the Reverend R.J. Zehr, who died later that morning. Zehr's first broadcast on the station was on a Sunday in October 1934; shortly thereafter, he was given a daily slot, which he continued - without missing a day - until the mid-1960s. Almost all of Zehr’s broadcasts were live, not prerecorded. In 1949, he began doing the program from his house, via telephone. His program’s time slot varied over the years, but normally aired between 5:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., and lasted 15 to 30 minutes.
In 2005, the station won the Marconi Award from the National Association of Broadcasters for Best Small Market Radio Station in the United States.
AM 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...
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...
based in the twin cities of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois
Bloomington-Normal, Illinois
Bloomington-Normal refers to the twin municipalities of Bloomington and Normal in McLean County, in Central Illinois. The combined population of the two communities in a special census in 2006 was 125,000.-Sports:...
.
In 2006, Janae Jontry, the station manager, said a focus on localism differentiated WJBC from most of the competition. Part of a five-station cluster owned by Regent Communications, WJBC was the only AM station of the group. It had five full-time news people and an agribusiness director. The station continues to be owned by what is now Townsquare Media.
The station calls itself "The Voice of McLean County
McLean County, Illinois
McLean County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. McLean County is included in the Bloomington–Normal, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 169,572, which is an increase of 12.7% from 150,433 in 2000. Its county seat is...
".
WJBC has been the longtime home to the Illinois State Redbirds
Illinois State Redbirds
The Illinois State Redbirds are the athletic teams that represent Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. Teams play at the NCAA Division I level . The football team competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference while most other teams compete in the Missouri Valley Conference...
, as well as local high school sports and the 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...
.
History
The station began broadcasting from La Salle, IllinoisLa Salle, Illinois
LaSalle is a city in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States, located at the intersection of Interstates 39 and 80. It is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area. Originally platted in 1837 over one square mile, the city has grown to...
in May 1925 with 1000 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 on 1280 kHz. Its call letters were apparently assigned arbitrarily during the AM radio expansion era of the 1920s. The station was initially music-oriented, and for a while it adopted the mnemonic
Mnemonic
A mnemonic , or mnemonic device, is any learning technique that aids memory. To improve long term memory, mnemonic systems are used to make memorization easier. Commonly encountered mnemonics are often verbal, such as a very short poem or a special word used to help a person remember something,...
slogan "Where Jazz Becomes Classic". The station was originally at the Hummer Furniture Store, then at the Kaskaskia Hotel. During the years in LaSalle, it moved to 1320 kHz, then 1200 kHz. The Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
eventually closed both the companies backing the station in LaSalle, and the owner of Hummer Furniture owner moved the station to Bloomington-Normal
Bloomington-Normal, Illinois
Bloomington-Normal refers to the twin municipalities of Bloomington and Normal in McLean County, in Central Illinois. The combined population of the two communities in a special census in 2006 was 125,000.-Sports:...
.
On , WJBC began transmitting from its new facilities, making it the first radio station in Bloomington-Normal
Bloomington-Normal, Illinois
Bloomington-Normal refers to the twin municipalities of Bloomington and Normal in McLean County, in Central Illinois. The combined population of the two communities in a special census in 2006 was 125,000.-Sports:...
. The transmitter was in Normal
Normal, Illinois
Normal is an incorporated town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It had a population of 52,497 as of the 2010 census. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
and its main studio was at Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University is an independent undergraduate university located in Bloomington, Illinois. Founded in 1850, the central portion of the present campus was acquired in 1854 with the first building erected in 1856...
in Bloomington; other studios were at Illinois State Normal School
Illinois State University
Illinois State University , founded in 1857, is the oldest public university in Illinois; it is located in the town of Normal. ISU is considered a "national university" that grants a variety of doctoral degrees and strongly emphasizes research; it is also recognized as one of the top ten largest...
and the Illinois Farm Bureau
Illinois Farm Bureau
The Illinois Farm Bureau is a nonprofit U.S. organization controlled by farmers who join IFB through one of the 96 county farm bureaus in Illinois. The organization's legal name is the Illinois Agricultural Association...
. At first it was only on the air a few hours a day, with eight daily newscasts, weather twice a day, and the Western Union time announced at the top of each hour.
On the morning of August 25, 1971, the station broadcast the last radio program of the Reverend R.J. Zehr, who died later that morning. Zehr's first broadcast on the station was on a Sunday in October 1934; shortly thereafter, he was given a daily slot, which he continued - without missing a day - until the mid-1960s. Almost all of Zehr’s broadcasts were live, not prerecorded. In 1949, he began doing the program from his house, via telephone. His program’s time slot varied over the years, but normally aired between 5:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., and lasted 15 to 30 minutes.
In 2005, the station won the Marconi Award from the National Association of Broadcasters for Best Small Market Radio Station in the United States.
Current
- Steve Fast
- Greg Halbleib
- Scott Laughlin
- R.C. McBride
- Carrie Muehling
- Colleen Reynolds
- Ron Ross
- Eric Stock
- Beth Whisman
- Dick Luedke
- Mike Matthews
- Zach Parcell
- Jim Fitzpatrick
- Stephanie Pawlowski
Former
- Denny Adkins
- Bob Arya
- Bones Bach
- Ken Behrens
- Nancy Blair
- Mike Bradd
- Dara Brockmeier
- Jim Browne
- Adam "Cha-Cha" Chandler
- Elizabeth Estes Cooper
- Sarah Curtis
- L.A. Decker
- Mark Dennis
- Paul Dunn
- Jim Durham
- Karen Erks
- John Fitzgerald
- Lee Hall
- Cameron D. James
- Mark Johnson
- Willis Kern
- Art Kimball
- Gene Lyle
- Don Munson
- Lori Nelson
- Don Newberg
- Royal Norman
- Don Norton
- Howard Packowitz
- L.P. Phillips
- Scott Robbins
- Daune Robinson
- Scott Ross
- Stew Salowitz
- Art Sechrest
- Alan Sender
- Harvey J. Steele
- Dan Swaney
- Dick Templeton
- Steve Vogel
- Bill Walberg
- Larry Whittaker
- Jim Cheney
- Amy Meyer
External links
- WJBC.com — official website
- Highlights in WJBC History — overview of WJBC timeline
- WJBC Radio Collection — McLean County Museum of History overview and archives