 | |
| Broadcast area | |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1300kHz |
| Programming | |
| Language | Polish |
| Format | Silent (was Polish) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | October 11, 1950 (74 years ago) (1950-10-11) |
Former call signs | WTAQ (1950–1998) |
Call sign meaning | Radio Disney (Former owner and affiliation) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 28309 |
| Class | B |
| Power |
|
Transmitter coordinates | 41°40′29″N87°45′45″W / 41.67472°N 87.76250°W /41.67472; -87.76250 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
WRDZ (1300kHz) is asilent AM radio station licensed toLa Grange, Illinois, and serving theChicago metropolitan area and [[Milwaukee metropolitan are. The station, which began broadcasting in 1950, is owned and operated by Walter Kotaba's Polnet Communications.[2]
By day, WRDZ is powered at 4,500 watts. At night, it reduces power to 4,000 watts.[3] Adirectional antenna is used full-time.
The station's originalcall sign was WTAQ, with the meaning "Western Towns Along the Q".[4] The "Q" referred to theChicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, which ran through the center of the station's coverage area.[4] WTAQ first went on the air on October 11, 1950.[5] The station was originally owned by La Grange Broadcasting Co.[5][6] The station initially ran 500 watts and operated during daytime hours only.[5][6]
WTAQ was abrokered time station and was branded "Chicago's Personality Station".[7][8] The heart of this format was weekend ethnic polka programs, serving the large Eastern European population around Chicago. "Lil Wally" Jagiello, Uncle Henry Cukierka, Chet Schafer,Chet Gulinski,Eddie Blazonczyk, Johnny Hyzny, Eddie Korosa, Eddie Arenz, Art Schlaman, Jim Marwood, John Psczola, and many other polka shows made their home there.[8][9][10][11]
In June 1984, William Wardle and Ralph Faucher purchased the station for $1,640,000.[7]
In 1985,Lotus Communications Corporation purchased the station for $3,000,000, and it became a full-time Spanish language station.[7] The station adopted a Spanish languageadult contemporary format as "Radio Fiesta",[12][13][14] and the station began broadcasting inAM stereo using theC-QUAM system.[15][16]
On July 17, 1989, the station's branding was changed to "La Mexicana", and the station broadcast amúsica norteña format.[17] The station's "La Mexicana" format was simulcast with several other stations Lotus Communications owned.[18] During the station's period as a Spanish language station, it carried the Spanish-language broadcasts of theChicago White Sox.[19]
In July 1998, ABC Radio bought WTAQ 1300 and sister stationWTAU 1500 inZion, Illinois, and theirRadio Disney network began to air on the stations on July 16 of that year,[20] the station still remaining the AM stereo system.
WTAQ and WTAU's call signs were later changed to WRDZ and WDDZ (this allowedthe original call holders inGreen Bay, Wisconsin to resume using the WTAQ calls).
In January 2000, WDDZ went off the air and remained silent until early 2001. In the spring of 2002, the station returned to the air, once again simulcasting WRDZ with Radio Disney. The simulcast ended after the station was sold to Multicultural Broadcasting of Chicago in the summer of 2002.
In July 2007, the station stopped broadcasting in AM stereo and switched to theHD Radio.
On August 13, 2014, Disney put WRDZ and twenty-two other Radio Disney stations up for sale, with the exception of KDIS (nowKWVE) in Los Angeles, to focus on digital distribution of the Radio Disney network.[21][22] Disney originally planned to temporarily shut down the station on September 26.[23] However, the station remained on the air and continued carrying Radio Disney until it was sold.[24]
On July 30, 2015, Radio Disney Chicago filed an application to sell WRDZ to Polnet Communications.[25] The agreed purchase price for the station is $3,450,000.[26] Polnet is the owner ofWEEF,WKTA,WNVR andWPJX (former Radio Disney O&O and former satellite of WRDZ).[27] The station went silent on October 30.[28]
The sale was completed on December 2.[29] The station returned to the air with aPolish language format branded "Polskie Radio", simulcastingWNVR 1030 AM.[30] The station was taken silent on November 1, 2023, after the property where its transmitter site was located was sold.[31]