WTMJ-WISN

[Jay F]

I was reading a Milwaukee newspaper from 1930 on google. In the radio section the only two local stations listed were WTMJ and WISN. Everything else listed was from Chicago. Here it is 80 years later, so much in the world has changed radically, yet those first two Milwaukee radio stations are ranked #1 and #2 in the latest ratings.

I read that this is the highest ratings WISN has had since 1982. That was the year the Brewers were in the World Series and if I remember correctly it was a rare seson where WISN not WTMJ carried the Brewers games.

Also in the 1930 newspaper there was an article about the FCC opening up 50K clear channel signals that would reach multiple states at night. I wonder why Milwaukee never got one? Especially considering it was one of the nations larger cities at that time. Maybe it's because Chicago had multi-50K stations? Or maybe Detroit?

Speaking of Detroit, There was an article in the 1930 Sentinal taking pride in Milwaukee being a "law and order town"...especially compared to "America's most violent city" Detroit. Some things never change.

 

[Prais]

"...especially compared to "America's most violent city" Detroit.

Or Gary, Indiana, or St. Louis, MO or Chicago where they want tO call in the National Guard to help the city cops this Summer.

Signed
Al Capone

 

[w9wi]

I was reading a Milwaukee newspaper from 1930 on google. In the radio section the only two local stations listed were WTMJ and WISN. Everything else listed was from Chicago. Here it is 80 years later, so much in the world has changed radically, yet those first two Milwaukee radio stations are ranked #1 and #2 in the latest ratings.

I read that this is the highest ratings WISN has had since 1982. That was the year the Brewers were in the World Series and if I remember correctly it was a rare seson where WISN not WTMJ carried the Brewers games.

Also in the 1930 newspaper there was an article about the FCC opening up 50K clear channel signals that would reach multiple states at night. I wonder why Milwaukee never got one? Especially considering it was one of the nations larger cities at that time. Maybe it's because Chicago had multi-50K stations? Or maybe Detroit?

Yep, WEMP (now WSSP) came along in 1935 & until 1946 that was it.

Detroit had only one 50k clear-channel station pre-WW2. (WJR) The other 50k stations there came along after the war. Michigan was certainly entitled to one.

The Radio Act of 1927 created a system for allocating clear channels among the states according to their population. Wisconsin's quota was 0.88 clear channels. Of course, the state didn't get any. Illinois' quota was 2.21, but Chicago alone had 4.57. (It's not clearly explained how you get 0.57 of a clear channel. I would imagine time-sharing is involved. 1930 Radex lists four clear channels with only Chicago stations operating at night. One clear channel (770) was shared by two Chicago stations and KFAB in Lincoln, Neb.. And three clear channels had Chicago stations operating limited time, limited by KJR Seattle (WCFL-970); WBT Charlotte (WMBI & WCBD on 1080); and KSL Salt Lake. (WJJD-1130))

Randall Davidson's 9XM Talking lists three 1933 attempts to reallocate Chicago clear channels to Wisconsin:

- Madison's WIBA proposed to move from 1280 to 720, increasing power from 500 watts to 25,000. The move would of course have displaced WGN.
- Milwaukee's WTMJ proposed to move from 620 to 670, increasing power to 5,000 watts and displacing WMAQ.
- The State of Wisconsin proposed to merge Stevens Point's WLBL and Madison's WHA into a single station, located at Stevens Point but with studios in Madison. The frequency would change to 670 with 5,000 watts, again displacing WMAQ.

Both of the first two proposals would, for some reason, result in the deletion of WHA and WLBL. I might guess they proposed to assign one of the state stations' frequencies to the displaced Chicago station. The State's proposal didn't propose to displace any station besides WMAQ. All three proposals were withdrawn in early 1934.

Possibly little-known fact: WISN has only been on 1130 since 1965.

 

[w9wi]

For what little it's worth, stations in Wisconsin in 1930:

Eau Claire:
WTAQ-1330 1,000 watts (shares time with KSCJ Sioux City, Ia.; later moved to Green Bay)

Fond du Lac:
KFIZ-1420 100 watts (seems awfully close to WHBL-1410)

Green Bay:
WHBY-1200 100 watts (St. Norbert's College)

Janesville:
WCLO-1200 100 watts

La Crosse:
1380 WKBH 1,000 watts (shares time with KSO, then in Clarinda, Ia.)

Madison:
WISJ-780 500/250 watts (would eventually merge with WIBA)
WHA-940 750 watts daytime only
WIBA-1280 500 watts

Manitowoc:
WOMT-1210 100 watts

Milwaukee:
WTMJ-620 2,500/1,000 watts NBC
WHAD-1120 250 watts (Marquette University; shares time with WISN) (not related to today's WHAD-FM)
WISN-1120 250 watts CBS (shares time with WHAD)

Poynette:
WIBU-1310 100 watts (yes, 1310. Moved to 1210 then 1240 later.)

Racine:
WRJN-1370 100 watts

Sheboygan:
WHBL-1410 500 watts (shares time with KFLV Rockford, Ill.)

Stevens Point:
WLBL-900 2,000 watts daytime only

Superior:
WEBC-1290 2,500 watts/1,000 watts NBC