WCPT (AM)

WCPT
City Willow Springs, Illinois
Broadcast area Chicago, Illinois
Branding WCPT 820
Chicago's Progressive Talk
Slogan "Our Kind of Talk for Our Kind of Town"
"We Are Chicago's Progressive Talk AM/FM"
"Where/Because Facts Matter"
Frequency 820 kHz
First air date June 23, 1923[1][2]
Format Progressive Talk
Power 5,800 watts (day)
2,500 watts (auxiliary day)
1,500 watts (night)
Class B
Facility ID 16849
Transmitter coordinates 41°58′53″N 87°46′20″W / 41.98139°N 87.77222°W / 41.98139; -87.77222
(day)
41°32′30″N 88°2′3″W / 41.54167°N 88.03417°W / 41.54167; -88.03417 (night and auxiliary day)
Callsign meaning We're Chicago's Progressive Talk AM/FM
Former callsigns WCBD (1923-1941)
WAIT (1941-1986)
WCZE (1986-1988)
WXEZ (1988-1990)
WSCR (1992-1997)
WYPA (1997-2001)
WCSN (2001-2005)
WAIT (2005-2007)
Former frequencies 870 kHz (1923-1928)
1080 kHz (1928-1941)
1110 kHz (1941)
Affiliations Westwood One
AP Radio News
Owner Newsweb Corporation
(WYPA, Inc.)
Sister stations WCPY, WCPT-FM
Webcast Listen Live (via TuneIn)
Website wcpt820.com

WCPT (820 AM) is a Progressive Talk radio station licensed to Willow Springs, Illinois, and serving the Chicago area. WCPT is owned by Newsweb Corporation. Newsweb's owner, Fred Eychaner, is a significant donor to Democratic Party causes.[3][4] Studios are located in the Gladstone Park neighborhood on Chicago's Northwest Side.

WCPT airs local and syndicated talk programs including those hosted by Thom Hartmann, Stephanie Miller, and Norman Goldman.[5] WCPT's programs are simulcast on its sister station, 92.5 WCPT-FM 24 hours a day.

History

WCBD

The station began broadcasting on June 23, 1923, holding the call sign WCBD, and broadcast at 870 kHz.[1][2] The station was located in Zion, Illinois and was owned by Wilbur Glenn Voliva, "General Overseer" of the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church, who was known for his flat Earth beliefs.[1][2][6] WCBD aired religious programming that reflected Voliva's viewpoints.[2] The station originally ran 500 watts.[1] On July 14, 1924, its power was increased to 5,000 watts.[1] From April 1924 until November 11, 1928, the station shared time on its frequency with WLS.[1][6] In November 1928, the station's frequency was changed to 1080 kHz, where it shared time with WMBI.[6][1]

In 1936, the station was sold to Gene T. Dyer.[2] The station became a commercial operation, and aired religious, ethnic, and music programming.[2][7][8] On April 2, 1937, the station's transmitter and the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church's Shiloh Tabernacle were destroyed in a fire set by a teenager who believed Voliva had swindled his father.[9][2] The station's transmitter site was relocated to Addison Township, in what today is part of Elmhurst, Illinois.[6] The station shared the transmitter of WMBI while its new transmitter was being built.[6] The station moved to 1110 kHz in March 1941, as a result of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement.[6]

WAIT

In September 1941, the station's callsign was changed to WAIT.[6] Later that year, the station moved to 820 kHz, running 5,000 watts, and signing off at sunset in Dallas, Texas to protect WBAP.[6] From 1947 to 1959 the station shared time on Sundays with a new WCBD in Zion, Illinois, which operated on Sundays only.[2][6][10] In 1948, Daddy-O Daylie began his radio career on WAIT, hosting a jazz program on the station.[11][12] In 1954, the station was sold to Robert Oscar Miller and family.[6][13] In the 1950s, the station published a chart of the top 20 popular songs in Chicago.[14]

In 1962, the station was sold to a partnership led by Maurice and Lois Rosenfield, for $1 million.[15][16] The station adopted to a beautiful music format, which it continued to air through the 1970s.[16][17][18] In 1978, WAIT briefly switched to an all talk format, before returning to the beautiful music format it had long aired.[18] In 1979, the station was sold to Century Broadcasting.[6][19] In 1980, the station applied for a construction permit to add nighttime operations at 1,000 watts.[6] The station added nighttime operations in 1982, and ran 5,000 watts during the day and 1,000 watts at night.[20][21]

In 1982, the station adopted a format featuring the hits of the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.[22][23] The station aired Chuck Schaden's Radio Theatre weekday evenings.[23]

Soft AC era

In April 1986, the station began airing a soft AC format as "Cozy" WCZE, airing Transtar Radio Networks' "Format 41".[24] In 1988, the station's call sign was changed to WXEZ, standing for "Extra Easy", and it became a simulcast of 100.3 WXEZ-FM, airing easy listening music.[25] In 1989, the station shifted back to a soft AC format, playing more vocals and fewer instrumentals.[26]

The Point

On November 16, 1990, the station's call sign was changed to WPNT, and the station briefly aired a hot AC format branded "The Point", simulcasting 100.3 WPNT-FM.[27] Shortly thereafter, the station lost use of its transmitter site in Elmhurst, Illinois, and the station was taken off the air.[28]

The Score

Former studio and transmitter site in Chicago's Cragin neighborhood

In late 1991, the station was sold to Diamond Broadcasting.[29] On January 2, 1992, the station returned to the air from a new site in Chicago's Cragin neighborhood, though without nighttime operations, as WSCR "The Score", becoming the first all-sports station in Chicago.[30][31][32] The station's original hosts included Tom Shaer, Dan Jiggetts partnered with Mike North, and Dan McNeil.[32] McNeil would later be partnered with Terry Boers.[33] Mike Ditka hosted a weekly show in 1992, and served as an analyst during football season until 1997, when he was hired to coach the New Orleans Saints.[33][34]

In 1995, the station was sold to Group W, along with 93.1 WXRT, for $60 million.[35] On April 7, 1997, at 2:30 PM, "The Score" moved to 1160 AM.[36][37]

WYPA

In early 1997, the station was sold to N. John Douglas's Personal Achievement Radio, Inc. for $7.5 million.[38][39][40] On April 7, 1997, the station began airing a motivational talk format as "Personal Achievement Radio", and its call sign was changed to WYPA.[36] In June 1998, "Personal Achievement Radio" moved to 750 WNDZ.[41]

In 1998, the station's owner, Achievement Radio Holdings, merged with Z-Spanish Media.[42] On June 5, 1998, the station adopted a Spanish language talk format as an affiliate of Radio Unica.[43] Personalities heard on Radio Unica included Pedro Sevcec, Isabel Gómez-Bassols, among others.[43] In May 1999, Radio Unica moved to 950 WNTD.[44][45]

In mid-1999, WYPA was purchased by Catholic Family Radio for $10.5 million.[46][47] The station began airing a Catholic talk format.[45][48]

Sporting News Radio

In early 2001, WYPA was purchased by Newsweb for $10.5 million.[49] On March 1, 2001, the station again began airing an all sports format, as an affiliate of Sporting News Radio.[50][51][52] Sporting News Radio, which recently changed its name from One-On-One Sports, moved to the station from 94.3 WJKL.[51][52] The station's call sign was changed to WCSN later that month.[53]

Relevant Radio

In April 2003, Starboard Broadcasting began leasing two hours of airtime a day to air the Relevant Radio Catholic network, and on December 1, 2003, began leasing programming for the entire day.[54] On May 3, 2005, the station's call letters were changed back to WAIT when AM 850 WAIT launched progressive talk with the new call letters WCPT.[53][55][4] In October 2007, Relevant Radio moved to 950 WNTD, though it continued to simulcast on WAIT until November 25.[56][57]

Chicago's Progressive Talk

On November 26, 2007, WCPT moved its frequency from 850 AM to 820 AM, doubling its power and providing coverage to all of Chicago.[55] The WCPT call letters moved along with the format to 820 AM, and the WAIT call letters returned to 850 AM.[55][53][58]

In 2010, the FCC granted the station a license to again transmit 24 hours a day, albeit at reduced power after sunset in order not to interfere with clear channel WBAP in Fort Worth, Texas, the dominant radio station on AM 820.[59][60] In 2016, the station's daytime power was increased to 5,800 watts, and its daytime transmitter was moved to Chicago's Jefferson Park neighborhood.[61][62] While WCPT operates at 5,800 watts by day, it must reduce power to 1,500 watts at sundown, limiting its coverage in some parts of the Chicago area.[63] However, the station also streams its programming online, through multiple options (TuneIn, Triton Digital, Windows Media Player, iTunes, & RealPlayer), on its own website.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hearings Before the United States Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce. Commission on Communications. United States Government Print Office. May 8, 1929. p. 126-129. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "WCBD, The "Flat Earth" Radio Station", Popular Communications. June 1986. p. 31-34. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  3. ↑ Harris, Melissa. "Attention-shy Democratic donor Fred Eychaner opens up", Chicago Tribune. May 1, 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  4. 1 2 Zorn, Eric. "'Air America' return may not be a good thing", Chicago Tribune. May 2, 2005. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  5. ↑ Weekday Schedule", WCPT. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 History Cards for WCPT, fcc.gov. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  7. ↑ Radio Guide. Week ending May 15, 1937. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  8. ↑ Radio Guide. Week ending January 15, 1938. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Youth Confesses to Firing Tabernacle", Cumberland Evening Times. April 5, 1937. p. 1. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Media reports", Broadcasting. May 25, 1959. p. 79. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Holmes 'Daddy-O' Daylie", The History Makers. May 29, 2001. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  12. ↑ Heim, Chris. "Radio Roots", Chicago Tribune. February 12, 1989. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Our Respects to Robert Oscar Miller", Broadcasting/Telecasting. October 4, 1954. p. 20. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  14. ↑ WAIT Platter Pulse, WAIT. December 24, 1956. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Changing hands", Broadcasting. July 2, 1962. p. 44. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  16. 1 2 O'Connor, Richard. (2009). A Brief History of Beautiful Music Radio, Percy Faith Pages. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third Series", Volume 20, Part 6, Number 1; Maps and Atlases, January - June 1966; Copyright Office - The Library of Congress, Washington DC: 1967. pp. 56-57. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  18. 1 2 "Stations, everywhere: a listeners' guide to the AM and FM bands", Chicago Tribune Magazine. March 4, 1979. p. 34. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Ownership Changes", Broadcasting. May 14, 1979. p. 72-73. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  20. ↑ WAIT AM 82 - "Nice 'N Easy Music", The Museum of Classic Chicago Television. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  21. ↑ Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1983, Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1983. p. B-70. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  22. ↑ "'Great Hits' Readied for Syndication", Billboard. November 13, 1982. p. 15. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  23. 1 2 "Chicago Radio Guide. Vol. 1, No. 1. May 1985. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  24. ↑ Boss, Kit; "Radio`s Satellite Networks Beam With Success", Chicago Tribune. July 17, 1986. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  25. ↑ Chicagoland Radio Waves, MediaTies. Summer 1988. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  26. ↑ "WXEZ Moving To Soft AC", Radio & Records. August 18, 1989. pp. 5, 38. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  27. ↑ Feder, Robert (November 15, 1990). "To make its 'Point,' 'XEZ will disappear". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  28. ↑ "Format Changes", The M Street Journal. Vol. 8, No. 1. January 7, 1991. p. 1. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  29. ↑ "New All-Sports AM Set for Chicago Debut", Broadcasting. October 14, 1991. p. 39. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  30. ↑ Public Notice Comment, fcc.gov. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  31. ↑ "Street Talk", Radio & Records, January 3, 1992. p. 20. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  32. 1 2 Feder, Robert. "Sports talk station will kick off Jan. 2", Chicago Sun-Times. December 24, 1991. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  33. 1 2 "History Of The Score: Chapter II – The AM 820 Years", CBS 2 Chicago. January 3, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  34. ↑ Castle, George (2006). Baseball and the Media: How Fans Lose in Today's Coverage of the Game. University of Nebraska Press. p. 224. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  35. ↑ "First- Quarter Trading Up 26%", Radio & Records. April 21, 1995. p. 8. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  36. 1 2 Feder, Robert. "New station joins Chicago radio dial", Chicago Sun-Times. April 8, 1997. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  37. ↑ Hirsley, Michael. "Demand for Ditka May Bring Saints to Chicago - On Radio", Chicago Tribune. April 4, 1997. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  38. ↑ Rathburn, Elizabeth A. "Westinghouse/Infinity make Dallas Trust", Broadcasting & Cable. November 16, 1996. p. 43. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  39. ↑ "Station & Cable Trading", Broadcasting & Cable. February 3, 1997. p. 48. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  40. ↑ Consent to Assignment, fcc.gov. February 26, 1997. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  41. ↑ "Format Changes & Updates", The M-Street Journal. June 10, 1998. Vol. 15 No. 23. p. 1. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  42. ↑ "Z-Spanish merging with Achievement Radio Holdings", Broadcasting & Cable. July 6, 1998. p. 48. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  43. 1 2 Jurado, Nickie. "Radio Unica is 'On the Air' in Chicago on WYPA 820 AM", Business Wire. June 15, 1998. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  44. ↑ Kirk, Jim. "One-On-One Sports Soon Zero For One On AM" Chicago Tribune. February 24, 1999. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  45. 1 2 "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 16 No. 20. May 19, 1999. p. 2. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  46. ↑ Kirk, Jim. "Catholic Radio CEO Keeps The Faith About Family Programming", Chicago Tribune. June 27, 1999. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  47. ↑ "Elsewhere", The M Street Journal. Vol. 16, No. 25. June 23, 1999. p. 10. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  48. ↑ Kirk, Jim. "Investor May Rescue Catholic Radio", Chicago Tribune. May 18, 2000. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  49. ↑ "Hallelujah Chorus", Chicago Tribune. February 25, 2001. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  50. ↑ "Chicago Media Headlines - February". DJ Headlines. February 26, 2001. Archived from the original on May 14, 2004. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  51. 1 2 "M Street Bazaar", The M Street Journal. Vol. 18, No. 09. February 28, 2001. p. 9. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  52. 1 2 Feder, Robert. "One-on-One sports talk goes to WYPA March 1", Chicago Sun Times. February 22, 2001. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  53. 1 2 3 Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  54. ↑ "Starboard Network™ will significantly expand its Chicagoland presence by taking two major steps at the end of this month and the beginning of December". Catholic Citizens of Illinois. November 18, 2003. Archived from the original on December 10, 2013. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  55. 1 2 3 "WCPT/Chicago To Move To 820 AM", All Access Music Group. November 8, 2007. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  56. ↑ Feder, Robert. "Split Personality", Chicago Sun-Times. October 24, 2007. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  57. ↑ Feder, Robert. "Suddenly Santa", Chicago Sun-Times. November 2, 2007. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  58. ↑ Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  59. ↑ "Federal Communications Commission AM Broadcast Station License", FCC.gov. June 18, 2010. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  60. ↑ "WCPT 820 AM Now Broadcasts 24 Hours a Day!!". WCPT. Archived from the original on May 30, 2010. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  61. ↑ "Federal Communications Commission AM Broadcast Station License", FCC.gov. February 17, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  62. ↑ "Application for Construction Permit Information Radio Station WCPT Willow Springs, Illinois", FCC.gov. July 27, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  63. ↑ AM Query Results: WCPT, fcc.gov. Retrieved October 2, 2018.


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