| |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 910kHz |
| Branding | NewsTalk 93.9 & 910 WSBA |
| Programming | |
| Format | News-Talk |
| Network | Fox News Radio |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WARM-FM,WIOV-FM,WSOX | |
| History | |
First air date | September 1, 1942; 82 years ago (1942-09-01) |
Call sign meaning | Susquehanna Broadcasting Associates (former owner) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 73979 |
| Class | B |
| Power |
|
Transmitter coordinates | 39°59′57.35″N76°44′41.88″W / 39.9992639°N 76.7449667°W /39.9992639; -76.7449667 (WSBA) |
| Translator(s) | 93.9 W230CQ (York) |
| Repeater(s) | 96.1WSOX-HD2 (Red Lion) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | |
| Website | www |
WSBA (910kHz, "NewsTalk 93.9 & 910 WSBA") is acommercialAMradio stationlicensed toYork, Pennsylvania. The station is owned byCumulus Media, through licensee Radio License Holding SRC, LLC. It broadcasts anews-talkradio format. Thestudios are on Susquehanna Plaza Drive nearU.S. Route 30.
During the day, WSBA is powered at 5,000watts. At night, however, to protect other stations on910 AM from interference, WSBA reduces power to 1,000 watts. It uses adirectional antenna with a four-tower array at all times.[2] Thetransmitter is on Susquehanna Trail in York.[3] The towers are at 121.3 meters (398 ft) elevation with a height of 75.3 meters (247 ft). Their tops are 196.6 meters (645 ft) above sea level. Programming is also heard on 250-wattFM translatorW230CQ at 93.9MHz.[4] It is alsosimulcast on theHD Radiosubchannel ofsister station 96.1WSOX-HD2.
Most of the weekday schedule isnationally syndicatedconservative talk shows, includingMichael DelGiorno,Brian Kilmeade,Dan Bongino,Ben Shapiro,Michael Knowles,Matt Walsh,Mark Levin,Dave Ramsey,Red Eye Radio andAmerica in the Morning. Most hours begin with world and national news fromFox News Radio.
Weekends feature shows on money, health, gardening, technology, home improvement and the outdoors. Syndicated weekend programs includeThe Kim Komando Show,In the House with Jason Chaffetz,The Brett Baier Show,The Chris Plante Show, America at Night with Rick Valdes andThe Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. WSBA also carriesBaltimore Oriolesbaseball games andBaltimore Ravensfootball games.[5]
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On July 24, 1942, an article in theGazette and Daily discussed a new radio station, saying it would goon air in York sometime in the late summer. Otis Morse would be theProgram Director and Willis Weaver would be the chief engineer.[6]
In August, theGazette and Daily ran an advertisement that stated "On the air soon - 900 the mid-point on your dial."[7] A September announcement came in The Gazette and Daily on August 31, 1942.[8] The September 1, 1942 Gazette and Daily Page 2 article announced, 'WSBA On the Air Today'.[9]
The stationsigned on the air with a prayer by the Reverend Paul E. V. Shannon of the first United Brethren Church. York Mayor Harry B. Anstine read his Heroes Day proclamation. Much of the programming reflected that the nation was nearing the end of the first year ofWorld War II.
The station had a 240-footantenna and a 1,000 watt transmitter. An advertisement on page 3 that day called WSBA "York's own radio station."[10]
Nearby, 580WHP inHarrisburg went on the air in 1925, predating WSBA by 17 years. WLXW (nowWHYL) inCarlisle went on the air in 1948, six years after WSBA andWGET inGettysburg first aired August 27, 1950.WHVR AM inHanover went into operation on January 7, 1949 on 1280 kHz with a power of 1000 watts.
Other stations in York in the 1950-1970 period includedWORK and WNOW-FM and WNOW (AM) which was mainlycountry.
WSBA moved from 900 to 910 kHz on October 21, 1949. It still continued to be listed in radio listings as the old frequency 900 kHz through the middle of the 50s when the Gazette and Daily discontinued the radio listings.[11]
The move allowed WSBA to increase its daytime power to 5,000 watts. WSBA's move to 910 is discussed in more detail in the publication "Susquehanna First 50 Years" by Phillip K. Eberly.[12]
During the 1950-1980 period, WSBA carried afull service,middle of the road (MOR) format ofpopular music, news, and sports. Ed Wickenheiser was one of the newscasters in the earliest reporting of the "Three Mile Island accident" in 1979 and is cited in the bookTMI by investigative reporterMark Lane.
During HurricanesAgnes andEloise, snowstorms, and other weather events, WSBA had frequent updates and information. When disasters hit, regular programming stopped. During the late 50s and early 60s, the station did a rundown of that week's Top 40 Hits on Saturday afternoons.
Ralph Lockwood was a long term morning host during that period and had a fictional sidekick Luscious Laverne.Ed Lincoln was another personality at that time who had a feature, the hit of the week, which was played every night on his program. The feature was available in Sol Kessler's Hi Fi Shop for $.59 during that week.[13]
WSBA management decided to add an FM station. On November 21, 1947, manager Otis Morse IV[14] spoke to the York Exchange Club aboutfrequency modulation (FM) radio.WSBA-FM first appears in a programming guide on February 28, 1949, in theHanover Sun. The station was on the air at 103.3 MHz.
A seminar was presented featuring Otis Morse from WSBA, with others from WNOW-AM, WORK-AM, and WRZE-FM 98.3 (per radio listingThe Evening Sun May 12, 1953) participating.[15]
During the 1960s and 1970s, WSBA was a leadingtop 40 music station in the Harrisburg-York-Lancaster area. It was also theflagship station ofSusquehanna Radio's top 40 stations (which also includedWHLO,WARM, andWICE).
On October 31, 2005,Cumulus Media announced the creation of a new private partnership, Cumulus Media Partners, LLC, formed withBain Capital,The Blackstone Group andThomas H. Lee Partners, to purchase Susquehanna Radio Corporation for approximately $1.2 billion.[16] The purchase was completed on May 5, 2006.[17]
At that time, the license for WSBA was transferred to Radio License Holding SRC, LLC., a division of Cumulus Media Partners Susquehanna Corporation.[18]
On July 20, 2017, translator W253AC (now W230CQ), licensed to York, began simulcasting WSBA programming.
WSBA programming is simulcast on the followingtranslator:
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | HAAT | Class | Transmitter coordinates | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W230CQ | 93.9 FM | York, Pennsylvania | 39873 | 250 | 200 m (656 ft) | D | 39°59′56.4″N76°41′41.9″W / 39.999000°N 76.694972°W /39.999000; -76.694972 (W230CQ) | LMS |