WKBF (AM)

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This article is about the radio station in Rock Island, Illinois; for the old television station in Cleveland, Ohio, see WKBF-TV.
WKBF
First air date February 1925
Frequency 1270 kHz
Broadcast area   Rock Island, Illinois; Quad Cities
Style talk and music radio; Christian;
Group Quad Cities Media

WKBF is a radio station licensed to Rock Island, Illinois, and carries a Christian talk and music format. The station's frequency is 1270 kHz, and broadcasts at a power of 5 kW.

WKBF was formerly known as "Progressive Talk Radio" when it was owned by Mercury Broadcasting, and was operated by a joint sales agreement with Clear Channel Communications. Studios are located in Davenport, Iowa. Other stations located in the same complex are KMXG-FM, KUUL-FM, WLLR-FM, KCQQ-FM, WFXN and WOC.

Contents

[edit] History of 1270 kHz

[edit] Early history

The history of the Rock Island allocation for WKBF dates to 1925, when businessman Calvin Beardsley purchased an experimental radio transmitter that operated in Cambridge, Illinois. He took the equipment and set it up at the rear of his store in Rock Island.

Beardsley went on the air in February 1925, using the callsign WHBF and broadcasting at 100 watts. The letters were said to stand for "Where Historic Blackhawk Fought."

The station moved to the Harms Hotel in Rock Island in 1932. In November of that year, Beardsley sold interest in his station to the John Potter family, which operated the Rock Island Argus. Later during the 1930s, the station moved to its current home at 1270 kHz, and had its power boosted to 5 kW.

WHBF was joined by a sister FM radio station - WHBF-FM, the first in the Quad Cities - in October 1947, and a television station went on the air in July 1950. By now, all three facilities were located in the Telco Building in downtown Rock Island.

WHBF underwent many format changes since the end of the Golden Age of Radio. For instance, listeners tuning into the station during the 1960s and early 1970s found a middle-of-the-road, adult standards format.

[edit] 1974-1995: 'Country Sunshine' Era

The station's signature format for many years was country music. WHBF was known as "Country Sunshine Radio" and brought current and classic country music to listeners 24 hours a day.

WHBF first adopted the country format in 1974, and for years was among the top-rated stations in the Quad Cities market, alongside powerhouses KSTT and KIIK 104.

But by the mid-1980s and the explosive growth of FM radio, WHBF's listenership began to wane. WLLR-FM, which began broadcasting its country format at the Quad-Cities market's 101.3 MHz in 1983, began to erode WHBF's listenership and by the end of the 1980s, WLLR was the overall top-rated overall station in the market. Meanwhile, 1270 kHz - which changed to WKBF in 1987 - would never regain its former popularity.

WKBF's country format struggled through the early 1990s, getting most of its programming from the ABC Radio Networks' "Real Country" satellite service. By 1995, with WKBF at the bottom of the ratings for several years, station managers finally decided to lay the country station to rest.

[edit] Format shuffle

For more than a year, WKBF simulcasted WHTS-FM's Top 40 format. By September 1996, the station premiered an adult standards/MOR format at the frequency, although virtually all of its programming was from ABC Radio Networks. However, this format's listenership remained minimal.

In February 2004, programmers with the Quad-City Radio Group - which by now was operating the station - decided to use the frequency for a country recurrents format. WKBF played country favorites from the 1970s through 1990s, but the station's format failed to entice listeners.

WKBF's next format - a progressive liberal talk format - premiered on the frequency in March 2005. The station's primary programming came from Air America Radio, with hosts including Al Franken, Stephanie Miller and Mark Riley.

Despite all the recent format changes, one carryover program remained: "Croonerville", a Sunday morning program of adult standards hosted by local personality Charlie Honold; the program premiered on WKBF in 1996. The station also features local high school and Iowa State University sports broadcasts, and Swing of the Quad Cities baseball games.

[edit] 2006-Present: Christian Talk era

In October 2006, it was announced the station would be acquired by Quad Cities Media and would go Christian talk by the end of the year[1]. On December 5th, at 10:47 AM, the station switched to an all-Christmas format, and in January roled out its lineup with a primary focus on Christian preaching and teaching. In February, the station was the first in the market to go digital, with the CAM-D technology.

[edit] Sources

[edit] External links


Broadcast radio in the Quad Cities market  (Arbitron DMA #143)

By Frequency: (FM) 88.1 | 88.5 | 89.3 | 90.3 | 91.7 | 92.5 | 93.5 | 94.5 | 96.1 | 96.9 | 98.9 | 99.7 | 101.3 | 102.1 | 102.7 | 103.7 | 104.9 | 105.5 | 106.5 | 107.9

(AM) 600 | 960 | 1170 | 1230 | 1270 | 1420

By Callsign: K233AA | K271AF | K288CY | KALA | KBEA | KBOB | KCQQ | KJOC | KMXG | KQCS | KRQC | KSUI | KTJT | KUUL | WAXR | WDLM | WDLM | WFXN | WGVV | WKBF | WLKU | WLLR | WMT | WOC | WVIK | WXLP
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