WIBA (AM)

WIBA (1310 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Madison, Wisconsin. Owned by iHeartMedia, the station airs a Conservative Talk format, under the slogan "Madison's News/Talk Station."

WIBA
Broadcast areaMadison metropolitan area
Frequency1310 kHz
BrandingNews/Talk 1310 WIBA
Programming
FormatConservative talk
AffiliationsFox News Radio
Compass Media Networks
Premiere Networks
Westwood One
Packers Radio Network
Ownership
Owner
WIBA-FM, WMAD, WTSO, WXXM, WZEE
History
First air date
April 2, 1925 (1925-04-02)
Call sign meaning
"WIsconsin" and "BAdger Broadcasting" (former owner)
Technical information
Facility ID17384
ClassB
Power5,000 watts
Transmitter coordinates
42°59′58″N 89°25′47″W
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitewiba.iheart.com

WIBA operates at 5,000 watts around the clock. By day, the station is non-directional but at night it uses a directional antenna to protect other stations on 1310 AM. The studios, offices and transmitter are located off South Fish Hatchery Road at Lacy Road in Fitchburg, Wisconsin.[1]

Programming

WIBA broadcasts mainly syndicated conservative talk shows. Most of the syndicated programming comes from Premiere Networks, a subsidiary of iHeartMedia, along with other programming from sister station WISN (1130) in Milwaukee. The first local show on weekdays is Madison in The Morning with Robin Colbert and Shawn Prebil. WISN's Dan O'Donnell follows, then Clay Travis & Buck Sexton, and local talk with Vicki McKenna (although sister WISN simulcasts her first hour) from 2 to 5 p.m. The remainder of the weekday schedule includes Sean Hannity, a best-of program featuring content from Madison in the Morning, then Mark Levin, Coast to Coast AM with George Noory and This Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal.

Weekends feature shows on money, health and law, including syndicated shows from Dave Ramsey, Bill Handel, Somewhere in Time with Art Bell, Bill Cunningham, as well as repeats of weekday shows. Some paid brokered programming also airs.

Sports

WIBA serves as the flagship station for the Wisconsin Badgers radio network. It is also the Madison outlet for Green Bay Packers football broadcasts.

History

WIBA is the oldest commercial radio station in Wisconsin, signing on the air on April 2, 1925.[2] It was owned by the Capital Times newspaper.[3] It is the second-oldest station in the state overall, with the University of Wisconsin's WHA getting its license three years earlier but never as a commercial broadcaster. WIBA had its studios at 111 King Street. It eventually became an NBC Red Network affiliate.

On October 8, 1935, the Federal Communications Commission authorized WIBA to increase its power to 5,000 watts (daytime) and 1,000 watts (nights).[4]

WIBA logo until March 2020

In 1969, it added WIBA-FM at 101.5. At first, the FM station simulcast AM 1310. It eventually broke away, to start a free form rock format.

Throughout WIBA's history the station has gradually pivoted from a local news and sports outlet to primarily an outlet for syndicated conservative political programming with the morning news show the only remaining local programming aside from Badgers play by play. The station also retains Packers and Brewers play by play. [5]

Willard Waterman, who later gained fame playing the title role on The Great Gildersleeve, was a member of a quartet at WIBA in his early years in radio. In 1963, he recalled, "[W]e sang musical interludes between programs."[6] Johnny Olson, known for his announcing work with Goodson-Todman game shows, had his first radio job at WIBA.

References
  1. Radio-Locator.com/WIBA-AM
  2. https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1935/Stations-by-State-Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201935%20Complete.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1925
  3. Broadcasting Yearbook 1977
  4. "Actions of the Federal Communications Commission" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 15, 1935. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  5. "Mitch Henck: The latest casualty of corporate radio ownership".
  6. Leadabrand, Russ (September 22, 1963). "A Pro in Evoking Stitches". Independent Star-News. p. 58. Retrieved June 13, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. open access
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