The history of WMAQ-AM by Scott Childers

On August 1, 2000, Chicago lost a big chunk of radio history. On that day Chicago's oldest radio station, WMAQ-AM (670) faded out - replaced with the format and call letters of The Score WSCR-AM, CBS Radio's all-sports station, moved from 1160 to 670. The 1160 frequency became a simulcast outlet for WXRT-FM and was eventually sold off to satisfy federal ownership requirements. In March 2001, 1160 was purchased by Salem Communications which transformed it into WYLL "Chicago's Word." This is the second time that WSCR has displaced a legendary station. In 1997, WJJD's long history was erased when WSCR moved over from 820 AM (which, ironically, was once again a sports station for awhile - One On One's WYPA).

As a result, 78 years of WMAQ vanished. The call letters disappeared from the radio dial as they once again become the exclusive property of NBC. When the station was sold to Group W-Westinghouse in 1988, an arrangement was worked out to keep the WMAQ calls on 670. NBC retained the calls WMAQ-TV on Channel 5 and now WMAQ-DT (for digital broadcasts). Incidentally, this is the second instance that CBS has had ties with WMAQ. Prior to 1931, WMAQ ran programming from the CBS Network as well as the NBC Red Network and the old AT&T Network..

(linked, and I'm not sure when this was written)