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750 AM

Posted by detectivetom <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=detectivetom' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on June 2, 2025, 7:39 am

While driving yesterday I tuned into WNDZ (750AM) to listen to the commercial free all day long music. When it came time for the station break they gave the ID for WSBC (1240 AM). I quickly switched over to see if it was a simulcast. Nope.

I notice 1240 sometimes has brokered shows but none on 750. The 750 signal is much stronger. Wouldn’t a program want to broadcast on a signal with a larger audience potential?

Re: 750 AM

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on June 2, 2025, 8:11 am, in reply to "750 AM"

DetectiveTom, you would think so, but, the target audience for the brokered programming might not want to target someone in Grand Rapids, they might want to ethically target someone in the Chicago area. Also, some of these brokers have been on for a long time. No good reason to upheaval your audience to another frequency and possibly lose them?

I think they might be unloading programming on 750 over to 1240, to sell it. Less likely to broker full time or horse trade it. You cant pair a daytimer to an FM translator, you are toast. 750 is becoming darker burnt toast every day this situation does not change. I believe a fire sale is possible, it will not garner top dollar like AM signals used to, but I do not think they will take it dark either. Bottom line, the days of 750 and AM daytimers are over.

Z

Re: 750 AM

Posted by Jeremy Andrews <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeremy+Andrews' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on June 2, 2025, 9:05 am, in reply to "Re: 750 AM"

750 hasn't had any brokered programming on it since last year. Just filler music. Same music it ran for years to fill time. Newsweb used music to fill time for many years. Going back to 2001. Nine FM played a lot of that music.

I feel they're planning to shut the station down and sell the land.

They probably ran the wrong Legal ID. They used to have board ops if I remember right. Sometimes they would run late signing on the station. Carrier would come on automatically but it would be with silence and they would eventually fade up the sign on

Re: 750 AM

Posted by detectivetom <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=detectivetom' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on June 2, 2025, 9:55 am, in reply to "Re: 750 AM"

They actually ran the wrong ID twice in an hour period. The same recorded announcer voice for WNDZ is a female and WSBC is male.
Last year EWTN ran on the station. Tuned in the last day and the local host said the station was changing format.

Re: 750 AM

Posted by AM Radio Fan <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=AM+Radio+Fan' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on June 3, 2025, 2:29 am, in reply to "Re: 750 AM"

Wow, I didn't know that. Yes, you have it right. 750 uses a female announcer (with a Chicago accent). And, they don't use the national anthem, to sign on/off. WSBC (as well as WAIT and WCFJ) has a male announcer. Both are obviously recorded.

I recorded oldies and other songs, off WCFJ back between 2008-15 (still had blank CDs/software to use). During WCFJ's unsold time, they would play ID's from: an African American man, and WSBC's announcer. If both stations played music at the same time, it would be WSBC's announcer (only).

There was a time (between 2010 and 2015), when WCFJ stopped simulcasting (WSBC). Some trivia for you all.

Re: 750 AM

I agree with this post. It's all about the target audience. With that said, "Dukat," which was on 750 (for years), moved to 1240 (along with Radio Avala), and is now on Sundays, from 3-4. 750 has an awesome signal, but so does 1240, and just enough to cover Chicagoland, or where the target audience lives/works.

No, it is not changing at all. I like how you said "darker, burnt toast." It really is. Stick a fork in it, 750's done. The end of stations like these started years ago. Only recently, has this ramped up.

Re: 750 AM

I too get a tad ticked when these smaller stations go dark. I have picked up 750 from the Loop all the way up in Michigan City. There is another smaller station (1270 AM) from Gary which broadcasts Catholic radio.

Re: 750 AM

That's odd. I've been listening to 750 a lot less these days. It could've been a mistake. 750 wiped out its schedule, and its shows, last October. I'd say so. Hopefully, 750 turns around soon.

BTW, 1240 had mornings and afternoons full for about 10 years (solid Russian, long time there on 1240). The evenings were a different story, starting after 2010. About fall 2018 thru 2020, they signed off at 8 PM. Between then, and late 2023 (when got the current, 850 simulcast), they had an hour of music (9-10 PM).

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