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WCPT (AM)
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WCPT (AM)
WCPT (820 AM) is a commercial progressive talk radio station licensed to Willow Springs, Illinois. Owned by Heartland Signal LLC, the station serves the Chicago metropolitan area. The station's studios and daytime transmitter are located in the Jefferson Park neighborhood on Chicago's Northwest Side, while its nighttime transmitter is located in Joliet.
On June 23, 1923, the station signed on using the call sign WCBD, broadcasting at 870 kHz. The station was located in Zion, Illinois, and was owned by Wilbur Glenn Voliva, who was the "General Overseer" of the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church, and was known for his flat Earth beliefs. WCBD was non-commercial, airing religious programming that reflected Voliva's viewpoints, along with vocal and instrumental music. The station originally ran at 500 watts. On February 2, 1925, its power was increased to 5,000 watts. From April 1924 until November 11, 1928, WCBD shared time on its frequency with WLS. In November 1928, its frequency was changed to 1080 kHz, where it shared time with WMBI. Both WCBD and WMBI were restricted to daytime operations to protect WBT in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In 1934, WCBD's studios were moved to the Karcher Hotel in Waukegan, Illinois, and Gene T. Dyer was appointed station director. The station began to air some Italian language programming. In 1936, the station was sold to Gene T. Dyer and its studios were moved to the Guyon Paradise Ballroom in Chicago. It became a commercial operation, and aired religious, ethnic, and music programming. 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. Its transmitter site was relocated to Addison Township, in what today is part of Elmhurst, Illinois, and its studios were moved to 2400 W. Madison in Chicago. WCBD shared WMBI's transmitter while its new transmitter was being built.
In 1940, Voliva filed suit against WCBD, alleging that the station's insistence that he provide scripts of speeches violated the terms of his contract, which allowed him to speak on the station without censorship. Dyer stated that the requirement was necessary because Voliva had violated his promise not to air his political views. WCBD's frequency was changed to 1110 kHz in March 1941, as a result of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement.
In June 1941, the station's frequency was changed to 820 kHz. It ran 5,000 watts, signing off at sunset in Dallas to protect WBAP in Fort Worth. The call sign was changed to WAIT on September 15, 1941. In 1947, the station began sharing time with a new WCBD, owned by the Christian Catholic Church in Zion, Illinois, which operated on Sundays only. In 1959, WAIT's owners purchased WCBD for $132,000, and WAIT was granted full daytime operations on the frequency. Daddy-O Daylie began his radio career on WAIT in 1948, hosting a jazz program. Daylie remained on the station until 1956, when he began hosting a nighttime show on 670 WMAQ.
In 1951, the station's studios were moved to its transmitter site in Elmhurst. In 1954, it was sold to Robert Oscar Miller and family. Nelson Eddy, the Wayne King Orchestra, Liberace, Coke Time with Eddie Fisher, and The Hour of Charm were heard on WAIT in the 1950s. In the mid-1950s, WAIT published a chart of the top 20 popular songs in Chicago. Reed Farrell and Lloyd 'Spider' Webb were DJs on the station during this period. In 1957, the station's studios were moved to the Steuben Club Building. In 1963, its studios were moved back to its transmitter site in Elmhurst, though its offices remained in the Steuben Club Building.
In 1962, the station was sold to a partnership led by Maurice and Lois Rosenfield, for $1 million. It adopted a beautiful music format in early 1963, which it continued to air through the 1970s. It was branded "The World's Most Beautiful Music" and used the slogan "try a little tenderness". Personalities heard on WAIT during this era included Ken Alexander, Dick Buckley, and John Doremus. In 1967, the station applied to the Federal Communications Commission for a waiver of its clear-channel rules so that it could operate at night. When the FCC denied its application, it appealed to the D.C. Court of Appeals, which upheld the FCC's decision.
In autumn 1976, the station shifted to an adult contemporary format. In October 1977, WAIT switched to a talk format. However, its ratings dropped considerably after it abandoned the beautiful music format, and in August 1978 it returned to the beautiful music format it had long aired. In 1979, the station's license was assigned to Century Chicago Broadcasting, a partnership of Century Broadcasting Corporation and the station's previous owners. In 1980, it applied to the FCC for a construction permit to add nighttime operations at 1,000 watts. The permit was granted in 1981, and it began nighttime operations by 1982. In 1981, the station started carrying Northwestern Wildcats football games.
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WCPT (AM)
WCPT (820 AM) is a commercial progressive talk radio station licensed to Willow Springs, Illinois. Owned by Heartland Signal LLC, the station serves the Chicago metropolitan area. The station's studios and daytime transmitter are located in the Jefferson Park neighborhood on Chicago's Northwest Side, while its nighttime transmitter is located in Joliet.
On June 23, 1923, the station signed on using the call sign WCBD, broadcasting at 870 kHz. The station was located in Zion, Illinois, and was owned by Wilbur Glenn Voliva, who was the "General Overseer" of the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church, and was known for his flat Earth beliefs. WCBD was non-commercial, airing religious programming that reflected Voliva's viewpoints, along with vocal and instrumental music. The station originally ran at 500 watts. On February 2, 1925, its power was increased to 5,000 watts. From April 1924 until November 11, 1928, WCBD shared time on its frequency with WLS. In November 1928, its frequency was changed to 1080 kHz, where it shared time with WMBI. Both WCBD and WMBI were restricted to daytime operations to protect WBT in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In 1934, WCBD's studios were moved to the Karcher Hotel in Waukegan, Illinois, and Gene T. Dyer was appointed station director. The station began to air some Italian language programming. In 1936, the station was sold to Gene T. Dyer and its studios were moved to the Guyon Paradise Ballroom in Chicago. It became a commercial operation, and aired religious, ethnic, and music programming. 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. Its transmitter site was relocated to Addison Township, in what today is part of Elmhurst, Illinois, and its studios were moved to 2400 W. Madison in Chicago. WCBD shared WMBI's transmitter while its new transmitter was being built.
In 1940, Voliva filed suit against WCBD, alleging that the station's insistence that he provide scripts of speeches violated the terms of his contract, which allowed him to speak on the station without censorship. Dyer stated that the requirement was necessary because Voliva had violated his promise not to air his political views. WCBD's frequency was changed to 1110 kHz in March 1941, as a result of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement.
In June 1941, the station's frequency was changed to 820 kHz. It ran 5,000 watts, signing off at sunset in Dallas to protect WBAP in Fort Worth. The call sign was changed to WAIT on September 15, 1941. In 1947, the station began sharing time with a new WCBD, owned by the Christian Catholic Church in Zion, Illinois, which operated on Sundays only. In 1959, WAIT's owners purchased WCBD for $132,000, and WAIT was granted full daytime operations on the frequency. Daddy-O Daylie began his radio career on WAIT in 1948, hosting a jazz program. Daylie remained on the station until 1956, when he began hosting a nighttime show on 670 WMAQ.
In 1951, the station's studios were moved to its transmitter site in Elmhurst. In 1954, it was sold to Robert Oscar Miller and family. Nelson Eddy, the Wayne King Orchestra, Liberace, Coke Time with Eddie Fisher, and The Hour of Charm were heard on WAIT in the 1950s. In the mid-1950s, WAIT published a chart of the top 20 popular songs in Chicago. Reed Farrell and Lloyd 'Spider' Webb were DJs on the station during this period. In 1957, the station's studios were moved to the Steuben Club Building. In 1963, its studios were moved back to its transmitter site in Elmhurst, though its offices remained in the Steuben Club Building.
In 1962, the station was sold to a partnership led by Maurice and Lois Rosenfield, for $1 million. It adopted a beautiful music format in early 1963, which it continued to air through the 1970s. It was branded "The World's Most Beautiful Music" and used the slogan "try a little tenderness". Personalities heard on WAIT during this era included Ken Alexander, Dick Buckley, and John Doremus. In 1967, the station applied to the Federal Communications Commission for a waiver of its clear-channel rules so that it could operate at night. When the FCC denied its application, it appealed to the D.C. Court of Appeals, which upheld the FCC's decision.
In autumn 1976, the station shifted to an adult contemporary format. In October 1977, WAIT switched to a talk format. However, its ratings dropped considerably after it abandoned the beautiful music format, and in August 1978 it returned to the beautiful music format it had long aired. In 1979, the station's license was assigned to Century Chicago Broadcasting, a partnership of Century Broadcasting Corporation and the station's previous owners. In 1980, it applied to the FCC for a construction permit to add nighttime operations at 1,000 watts. The permit was granted in 1981, and it began nighttime operations by 1982. In 1981, the station started carrying Northwestern Wildcats football games.