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Happy Birthday WLS

F

FRR

Today is the birthday on WLS Radio. It went on the air today in 1924, and was awarded the call letters that stood for Worlds Largest Store, since it was owned by Sears. Dusty Rhodes on WDJO in Cincinnati which streams at www.oldies1160.com had a nice piece about the station this morning on his show. This station was THE midwest powerhouse in the sixties and early seventies.
 
Just to show you how old I am, I remember WENR as a very young boy.

Back then, they shared the 890 frequency with WLS who was known as the Prairie Farmer Station, named after the Magazine that owned WLS at the time.

When ABC bought WLS, they also picked up a handful of targeted market magazines in the deal. That is how ABC got into the magazine business for several years.

I remember as that same yuoung boy going to Downers Grove to find the old tower footings off of 63rd street. MCI/Verizon has a major facility there. 8)
 
Dick Biondi remembers cueing up the first song in 1924. Even then he was complaining about the spot load.
 
I wished WLS a bad Birthday.

Over ten years of broadcasting fascist radio.

This radio station fired the Best Talk Radio Show Host: Mike Malloy !!!

Plus, WLS online stream is censored, as well !!!
 
FRR said, 'This station was THE midwest powerhouse in the sixties and early seventies."

FACT POLICE
WELL........................
You may have been inhaling too much exhaust from Mr. Norm's Grand Spaulding Dodge who sponsored alot of the all-night show onn WLS, or jet fuel from "Eastern Airlines Flight Facts, who bought 24 ads daily on the hour on WLS.

You may also consider WGN, WMAQ, and WBBM, also midwest "powerhouses." Same power, but probably more ratings and revenue than WLS in the 60's and 70's.

Actually,, The Big 89 was NOT an instant hit. They spent a few years in the 60's not doing so well. Add WCFL who was a contender for a while.

And my geography book would also include St. Louis as midwest - so KMOX (the wgn of St. Louis with even a bigger share) would also be in that bunch.
 
they did have alot of competition both in format from WCFL and other stations, as well as stations in another format both in the city and the suburbs...but if memory serves me right..'CFL only beat WLS in the ratings once.
 
WLS and WCFL played music that influenced the entire country. Ron Smith, who was the long-time Music Director at a Chicago oldies station has compiled books of all the songs those two stations played - the music we all listened to. These books belong in every library. Ron is highly respected in the industry for his thorough research and knowledge of music. If you're interested, check out: www.oldiesmusic.com
 
Actually (you guys check the dates and years), that WLS started on 870 (before the great frequency shifts) and shared it with the Hot Dog of the Pork Bellies and Futures of WENR... Thank God they kept the WLS calls when going solo.. We would of had "The Hot Dog Of Chicago....Dup-du-dah! Dubba-U-EEEEE-Ennnn-Arrrrrr! Or, "Porkenality Radio, 8-9-0....W.E.N.R...In Chi-cargo!"..... Would it have been the top "DOG" with the WENR calls??? ;D ;D ;D
 
hammondo said:
FRR said, 'This station was THE midwest powerhouse in the sixties and early seventies."

FACT POLICE
WELL........................
You may have been inhaling too much exhaust from Mr. Norm's Grand Spaulding Dodge who sponsored alot of the all-night show onn WLS, or jet fuel from "Eastern Airlines Flight Facts, who bought 24 ads daily on the hour on WLS.

You may also consider WGN, WMAQ, and WBBM, also midwest "powerhouses." Same power, but probably more ratings and revenue than WLS in the 60's and 70's.

Actually,, The Big 89 was NOT an instant hit. They spent a few years in the 60's not doing so well. Add WCFL who was a contender for a while.

And my geography book would also include St. Louis as midwest - so KMOX (the wgn of St. Louis with even a bigger share) would also be in that bunch.

Well, if you can't say anything nice, why chime in at all. I guess just to show how SMART you are. Well, we are all impressed. I can only tell you that when were a kids in Southern Ohio listening to your little AM radio, WLS was the powerhouse that we listened to at night. I only meant to compliment the station and its' birthday, not to get into a urinating contest. Lighten up!
Click to expand...
 
Why chime in at all? That's what the board is for. Just commenting as you did.

I'm glad you are impressed. (your words). Urinating contest? No sir, you may zip it up and please wash your hands. Never asked for a contest.

Chicago is much more than one station, even a "giant" (if you believe the slogan). As great as the big 89 was, I was just saying that "midwest" and "powerhouse" mean alot more than only one local place, and Chicago had a few.

Thanks.
 
skippertthomas said:
Actually (you guys check the dates and years), that WLS started on 870 (before the great frequency shifts) and shared it with the Hot Dog of the Pork Bellies and Futures of WENR... Thank God they kept the WLS calls when going solo.. We would of had "The Hot Dog Of Chicago....Dup-du-dah! Dubba-U-EEEEE-Ennnn-Arrrrrr! Or, "Porkenality Radio, 8-9-0....W.E.N.R...In Chi-cargo!"..... Would it have been the top "DOG" with the WENR calls??? ;D ;D ;D
Click to expand...

Actually, the WENR calls remained on 94.7 after the merger - until the late '60s, I believe, when it became WLS-FM. IIRC, WLS didn't have an FM under Prairie Farmer's ownership.
 
Actually WLS and WCFL were powerhouse AM Rock stations that carried a lot of influence both inside the industry and outside with listeners from all areas of North America. Paul Schafer was once asked how he as a kid from Thunder Bay, Ontario could have learned so much about rock n roll music and his response was that he listened to WLS and WCFL at night. He's not alone, hundreds of rock musicians and rock deejays from around the nation started by listening to the talent on both those stations. WLS stayed longer than CFL but the influence both stations had on the country was as big as KHJ or WABC in their heyday. Just as news reporters always talk about listening to WGN and country deejays cite WMAQ along with WSM as their influences. WBBM was orignally WAIT and a beautiful music station so their influence on news started much later. But all the Chicago 50K AM stations were huge and continue to be huge in spite of the fact that so many programmers believe AM radio to be dead.
 
Great comment "Boogie"... Getting into the Win-die-cit-tie often, I find the AM side more listenable and creative (down to the neighborhood AM talkers) than the cardboard on FM.... :D
 
Dear Boogie,
YOu said; "WBBM was orignally WAIT and a beautiful music station"
Huh? Exactly what do you mean by this?
Thanks

I knew 2 of the 3 "original owners" of WAIT and we often told "war stories." I was also friends of the Atlass family. WBBM started as WBBM in 1924 and WAIT didn't start til 1941.

WAIT -- formerly on 820, from 1941 (after being WCBD on 1080) into the mid-80s, when dropped in favor of WCZE. Shared time with yet another WCBD 1947-59. Operated most of its life as "limited hours", from local sunrise to Fort Worth sunset, until granted fulltime in the early 80s.

WBBM - Chicago/780 Began its life in downstate Lincoln, in 1924, but by the end of the year the Atlass Investment Corp. moved it up to Chicago. As often happened in the early days, calls were randomly assigned by the Dept. of Commerce. Studio at 630 N. McClurg Ct,
 
Times change and talkradio took away musicradio.

I owe my career in radio to WLS Musicradio. If I had not heard all the talented voices mixed between the jingles and music, I would not be the person I am today. Almost 29 years in the radio business -- and it started when I had a little old AM radio, spending the nights listening to the Big 89 while living deep in the Missouri Ozarks.

Good luck to the station in the future.
 
Music Radio... What part of the WLS/KAAY skywave did you live in (within The Ozarks)?? 8)
 
This coming Friday, XM is going to have a 5 hour special with WLS airchecks and jocks from the sixites. They do it every Friday and highlight stations across the nation from that era. If you loved the old WLS you may want to check it out. It was great when they did it earlier.
 
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