WTAQ-AM
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| Broadcast area | Green Bay, Wisconsin |
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| Branding | "News Radio 1360 WTAQ" |
| Slogan | "Today's 'TAQ" |
| First air date | 1930's |
| Frequency | 1360 (kHz) |
| Format | News/Talk |
| ERP | 10,000 watts day; 5,000 watts night |
| Class | B |
| Former callsigns | WBAY-AM, WGEE-AM |
| Owner | Midwest Communications |
| Website | www.wtaq.com |
News Radio 1360 WTAQ is a news-talk station located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. WTAQ's frequency is 1360 kHz on the AM dial. The station is locally-owned and operated by Midwest Communications. WTAQ's studios and newsroom are located in the WBAY building in downtown Green Bay. The station's transmitter is located on Lost Dauphin Road in De Pere.
On July 18, 2006, Midwest Communications broke ground on their new, $4.725 Million facility in Bellevue. The facility will be located on the WNFL tower site on Bellevue Street. WTAQ and the six other Midwest Communications stations in Northeast Wisconsin will move to the new facility in the Summer of 2007.[1]
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[edit] History
WTAQ was originally licensed to Eau Claire in the 1930s. The Norbertine Fathers of St. Norbert College in De Pere, then-owners of WHBY-AM, bought the station and changed its city of license to Green Bay. They also changed the call letters to WBAY.
When the Norbertine Fathers sold WBAY-AM & WBAY-FM, and WBAY-TV to different owners, WBAY-AM changed its call letters to WGEE.
In 2003, the historical WTAQ calls became available and WGEE decided to bring them back. The official change took place on March 17. Midwest Communications gave the WGEE calls to their ESPN Radio affiliate in Duluth, Minnesota.
In 2005, WTAQ won three awards from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association. WTAQ took first place for Best Locally Originated Newscast in a medium market. WTAQ also received two Merit Awards. One for a news feature and the other for a promotional announcement.
[edit] Programming
WTAQ carries mostly conservative programming including Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, and Michael Reagan. The station also has a local morning show, hosted by Mike Austin and Matt Z., called "Mike, Matt, and the Morning News" and a local political show hosted by WTAQ's Program Director, Jerry Bader.
WTAQ has local news updates every half-hour that are produced by WTAQ's News Department, which is directed by News Anchor Danielle Bina. The station also airs national news updates every hour, courtesy of CBS News. Local weather updates are provided every half-hour courtesy of WGBA-TV NBC26.
WTAQ has a news-sharing agreement with WTMJ-AM of Milwaukee, in which WTMJ reporters cover issues in Milwaukee for WTAQ and WTAQ reporters cover issues in Green Bay for WTMJ. This kind of relationship also exists between all stations owned by Midwest Communications.
[edit] WTAQ personalities
Mike Austin: AG Reports and host of "Mike, Matt, and the Morning News"
Jerry Bader: Host of "The Jerry Bader Show" and Program Director of WTAQ
Danielle Bina: News Director/Morning Anchor
Steve Brown: Weekend weather (from WGBA-TV)
Mark Daniels: Sports
Steve Frazier: Morning weather (from WGBA-TV)
Shawn Kiser: Morning Anchor/Reporter
Chuck Lakefield: Host of "Ask the Expert"
Larry McCarren: Green Bay Packers coverage (Monday mornings)
Cameron Moreland: Afternoon and evening weather (from WGBA-TV)
Scott Patrick: Reporter/Anchor
Tom Tomaszewski: Reporter/Anchor
Matt Z.: Host of "Mike, Matt, and the Morning News"
Several reporters of other Midwest Communications stations and WTMJ can also be heard on occasion, reporting on issues outside of Northeast Wisconsin.
[edit] Slogans
"Green Bay's News, Weather, and Information Station" (Past)
"Depend On It!" (Past - still used from time to time, however)
"The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Choice for Best Newscast of the Year." (Current)
"News Radio 1360: Today's 'TAQ" (Current)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- News Radio 1360 WTAQ
- Midwest Communications
- Query the FCC's AM station database for WTAQ
- Click here to see a map of WTAQ's transmitter site
Green Bay: WOCO 1260 | WTAQ 1360 | WDUZ 1400 | WNFL 1440
Door County, Wisconsin: WDOR 910
Appleton-Oshkosh-Fond du Lac: WVCY 690 | WJOK 1050 | WHBY 1150 | WMRH 1170 | WNAM 1280 | KFIZ 1450 | WOSH 1490 | WMBE 1530 | WRJQ 1570 | WRPN 1600 | WJNW 1700
Sheboygan-Manitowoc: WCLB 950 | WCUB 980 | WOMT 1240 | WHBL 1330 | WJUB 1420 | WTRW 1590
