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WYBC (AM)

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Coordinates: 41°17′33″N 72°57′12″W / 41.29250°N 72.95333°W / 41.29250; -72.95333
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WYBC
Simulcasts WSHU, Westport, Connecticut
Broadcast areaGreater New Haven
Frequency1340 kHz
BrandingWSHU Public Radio
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatNews/talk (public radio)
Affiliations
Ownership
OwnerYale Broadcasting Company, Inc.
OperatorSacred Heart University
History
First air date
December 1944; 80 years ago (1944-12)
Former call signs
WNHC (1944–1998)
Call sign meaning
Yale Broadcasting Company
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID72820
ClassC
Power
  • 1,000 watts (day)
  • 880 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
41°17′33″N 72°57′12″W / 41.29250°N 72.95333°W / 41.29250; -72.95333
Translator(s)105.5 MHz W288DV (New Haven)
Links
Public license information
Websitewww.wshu.org

WYBC (1340 AM) is a radio station operating on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The station is owned by Yale Broadcasting Company, Inc.; however, it is programmed by Sacred Heart University under a time brokerage agreement. WYBC is a public radio station, airing a news/talk format.

History

[edit]

The 1340 AM frequency first signed-on in December 1944[2] as WNHC, under the ownership of the Elm City Broadcasting Corporation. Elm City was principally controlled by Patrick J. Goode, U.S. postmaster for New Haven and former co-owner of WELI radio; and Aldo DeDominicis, a former WELI sales person.[3] Triangle Publications acquired the station, along with WNHC-FM (99.1, now WPLR) and WNHC-TV (channel 8, now WTNH), from Elm City in 1956.[4]

Triangle had sold its stations, including WNHC-AM-FM-TV, to Capital Cities Communications in 1971.[5][6] However, the new owners were forced by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to spin off the radio stations to comply with then-current ownership limits; WNHC was sold to Westerly Broadcasting Company.[7] By this time, the station had a contemporary format;[8] this gave way in 1976 to a middle-of-the-road/talk format.[9]

WNHC again attempted a top 40 format starting in June 1979 in an attempt to compete against WAVZ; however, just weeks later, WAVZ swapped formats with its sister station, WKCI.[10] With minimal promotion, WNHC struggled to compete with WKCI's stronger FM signal, and in March 1980 it flipped to an urban format.[10][11] However, the station ran into financial problems during the 1990s, forcing owner Willis Communications to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 1997.[12][13] The bankruptcy resulted in a battle between Yale Broadcasting Company, which wanted to eliminate a competitor to WYBC-FM, and Buckley Broadcasting over the sale of WNHC, as well as protests against Yale Broadcasting in New Haven's African American community.[13][14] The dispute ended on June 3, 1998, when Yale Broadcasting purchased the station in bankruptcy court; the next morning, WNHC was shut down at the order of a United States bankruptcy judge for the District of Connecticut.[15] It returned to the air under Yale Broadcasting's control on September 15;[16] on October 5, the call sign was changed to WYBC.[17] Starting in 1941, Yale students had operated an unofficial AM radio station using weak-signal carrier current technology tolerated by the FCC and common among student-run stations at the time, renamed WYBC and changed to 640 AM in 1945, but that station ceased operations by the early 1980s.[18]

WYBC's logo as a college radio station.

In the station's first decade as WYBC, unlike many college campus radio stations, it featured both student and non-student programming, some professional. However, interest in the station eventually dwindled (in sharp contrast, sister station WYBC-FM, largely programmed by Cox Radio, is one of the highest-rated urban adult contemporary stations in the country), and its college radio programming was transitioned to an Internet radio station, WYBCX, by 2010.[19] WYBC then adopted its current public radio programming, provided by Sacred Heart University, on April 4, 2011 (WYBC-FM continues to operate as a commercial station).[20] The time brokerage agreement with Sacred Heart University provides funding for WYBCX's operations.[21] The AM station uses a small ValCom fiberglass antenna in place of the original metal tower which stood on the site.[22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WYBC". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "WNHC takes the air." Broadcasting - Broadcast Advertising, December 4, 1944, pg. 14.
  3. ^ "FCC grants FM, standard permits." Broadcasting - Broadcast Advertising, August 21, 1944, pg. 66.
  4. ^ "Triangle makes 4th purchase in year, buys WNHC-AM-FM-TV for $5.4 million." Broadcasting - Telecasting, May 28, 1956, pg. 82.
  5. ^ "Capcities buys 9 Triangle outlets." Broadcasting, February 16, 1970, pg. 9.
  6. ^ "Last minute clearance for Capcities." Broadcasting, March 1, 1971, pp. 19-20. [1] [2]
  7. ^ "WNHC-AM-FM sold." Broadcasting, April 6, 1970, pp. 9-10. [3] [4]
  8. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1972 (PDF). 1972. p. B-46. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
  9. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 (PDF). 1977. p. C-36. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2010. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
  10. ^ a b "WNHC (AM)". CT Broadcast History. Retrieved February 24, 2011.
  11. ^ Fybush, Scott (May 30, 1998). "WNEQ, R.I.P?". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
  12. ^ "Application Search Details". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
  13. ^ a b Mele, Linda (February 23, 1998). "Air War". Business New Haven. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
  14. ^ Fybush, Scott (January 29, 1998). "A Sinclair Sale". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
  15. ^ Fybush, Scott (June 4, 1998). "Tornado Topples WIVT". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
  16. ^ Fybush, Scott (September 18, 1998). "WERS Makes the Big Move". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
  17. ^ "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
  18. ^ see WYBC, Yale University Archives[permanent dead link‍]
  19. ^ Lewis, Miranda (April 23, 2010). "WYBC makes waves, draws serious fans". The Yale Herald. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
  20. ^ Brensilver, David (April 7, 2011). "WSHU Programs Airing On WYBC". Breaking Arts. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
  21. ^ Fybush, Scott (April 11, 2011). "WBEN Adds FM". NorthEast Radio Watch. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
  22. ^ "An Interesting AM Broadcast Antenna: The Valcom".
[edit]
  • Official website
  • Facility details for Facility ID 72820 (WYBC) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
  • WYBC in Nielsen Audio's AM station database

FCC History Cards for WYBC

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