WYBC (AM)
WYBC (1340 AM) is a radio station operating on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The station is owned by Yale Broadcasting Company, Inc.; however, it is programmed by Sacred Heart University under a time brokerage agreement. WYBC is a public radio station, airing a news/talk format.
Setellite of WSHU, Westport | |
---|---|
City | New Haven, Connecticut |
Frequency | 1340 kHz |
Programming | |
Format | News/talk |
Affiliations | NPR Public Radio International American Public Media |
Ownership | |
Owner | Yale Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
Operator | Sacred Heart University |
History | |
First air date | December 1944 |
Former call signs | WNHC (1944–1998) |
Call sign meaning | Yale Broadcasting Company |
Technical information | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
Facility ID | 72820 |
Class | C |
Power | 1,000 watts day 880 watts night |
Transmitter coordinates | 41°17′33″N 72°57′12″W |
Links | |
Public license information | Profile LMS |
Webcast | Listen live |
Website | www |
History
The 1340 AM frequency first signed-on in December 1944[1] as WNHC, under the ownership of the Elm City Broadcasting Corporation. Elm City was principally controlled by Patrick J. Goode, U.S. postmaster for New Haven and former co-owner of WELI radio; and Aldo DeDominicis, a former WELI sales person.[2] Triangle Publications acquired the station, along with WNHC-FM (99.1, now WPLR) and WNHC-TV (channel 8, now WTNH), from Elm City in 1956.[3]
Triangle had sold its stations, including WNHC-AM-FM-TV, to Capital Cities Communications in 1971.[4][5] However, the new owners were forced by the Federal Communications Commission to spin-off the radio stations to comply with then-current ownership limits; WNHC was sold to Westerly Broadcasting Company.[6] By this time, the station had a contemporary format;[7] this gave way in 1976 to a middle-of-the-road/talk format.[8]
WNHC again attempted a top 40 format starting in June 1979 in an attempt to compete against WAVZ; however, just weeks later, WAVZ swapped formats with its sister station, WKCI.[9] With minimal promotion, WNHC struggled to compete with WKCI's stronger FM signal, and in March 1980 it flipped to an urban format.[9][10] However, the station ran into financial problems during the 1990s, forcing owner Willis Communications to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 1997.[11][12] The bankruptcy resulted in a battle between Yale Broadcasting Company, which wanted to eliminate a competitor to WYBC-FM, and Buckley Broadcasting over the sale of WNHC, as well as protests against Yale Broadcasting in New Haven's African American community.[12][13] The dispute ended on June 3, 1998, when Yale Broadcasting purchased the station in bankruptcy court; the next morning, WNHC was shut down at the order of a United States bankruptcy judge for the District of Connecticut.[14] It returned to the air under Yale Broadcasting's control on September 15;[15] on October 5, the callsign was changed to WYBC.[16] Starting in 1941, Yale students had operated an unofficial AM radio station using weak-signal carrier current technology tolerated by the FCC and common among student-run stations at the time, renamed WYBC and changed to 640 AM in 1945, but that station ceased operations by the early 1980s.[17]
In the station's first decade as WYBC, unlike many college campus radio stations, it featured both student and non-student programming, some professional. However, interest in the station eventually dwindled (in sharp contrast, sister station WYBC-FM, largely programmed by Cox Radio, is one of the highest-rated urban adult contemporary stations in the country), and its college radio programming was transitioned to an Internet radio station, WYBCX, by 2010.[18] WYBC then adopted its current public radio programming, provided by Sacred Heart University, on April 4, 2011 (WYBC-FM continues to operate as a commercial station).[19] The time brokerage agreement with Sacred Heart University provides funding for WYBCX's operations.[20] The AM station uses a small ValCom fiberglass antenna in place of the original metal tower which stood on the site.[21]
See also
- WSHU (AM) — 1260 AM, licensed to Westport, Connecticut
- WSHU-FM — 91.1 FM, licensed to Fairfield, Connecticut
References
- "WNHC takes the air." Broadcasting - Broadcast Advertising, December 4, 1944, pg. 14.
- "FCC grants FM, standard permits." Broadcasting - Broadcast Advertising, August 21, 1944, pg. 66.
- "Triangle makes 4th purchase in year, buys WNHC-AM-FM-TV for $5.4 million." Broadcasting - Telecasting, May 28, 1956, pg. 82.
- "Capcities buys 9 Triangle outlets." Broadcasting, February 16, 1970, pg. 9.
- "Last minute clearance for Capcities." Broadcasting, March 1, 1971, pp. 19-20.
- "WNHC-AM-FM sold." Broadcasting, April 6, 1970, pp. 9-10.
- Broadcasting Yearbook 1972 (PDF). 1972. p. B-46. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
- Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 (PDF). 1977. p. C-36. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2010. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
- "WNHC (AM)". CT Broadcast History. Retrieved February 24, 2011.
- Fybush, Scott (May 30, 1998). "WNEQ, R.I.P?". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
- "Application Search Details". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
- Mele, Linda (February 23, 1998). "Air War". Business New Haven. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
- Fybush, Scott (January 29, 1998). "A Sinclair Sale". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
- Fybush, Scott (June 4, 1998). "Tornado Topples WIVT". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
- Fybush, Scott (September 18, 1998). "WERS Makes the Big Move". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
- "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
- see WYBC, Yale University Archives
- Lewis, Miranda (April 23, 2010). "WYBC makes waves, draws serious fans". The Yale Herald. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
- Brensilver, David (April 7, 2011). "WSHU Programs Airing On WYBC". Breaking Arts. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
- Fybush, Scott (April 11, 2011). "WBEN Adds FM". NorthEast Radio Watch. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
- https://www.hobbybroadcaster.net/community/index.php?topic=870.0
External links
- WSHU Public Radio Group official website — includes WYBC schedule
- WYBC in the FCC's AM station database
- WYBC on Radio-Locator
- WYBC in Nielsen Audio's AM station database