WOLB facts for kids
 |
|
| Broadcast area | Baltimore, Maryland |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1010 kHz |
| Branding | Newstalk 1010 WOLB AM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Urban talk |
| Affiliations | Syndicated One |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
|
Sister stations
|
WERQ-FM, WWIN, WWIN-FM |
| History | |
|
First air date
|
November 27, 1947 |
|
Former call signs
|
WSID (1947–1982) WYST (1982–1991) WERQ (1991–1993) |
|
Former frequencies
|
1570 kHz (1947–1950) |
|
Call sign meaning
|
WOL Baltimore |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 54711 |
| Class | D |
| Power | 250 watts daytime 30 watts nighttime |
| Links | |
| Website | www.wolbbaltimore.com |
WOLB (1010 AM) is a talk radio station in Baltimore, Maryland. It focuses on news and discussions important to the local community.
The station is owned by a company called Urban One. WOLB broadcasts from its studios in Woodlawn. Its signal is sent out from a transmitter located in the Orangewood area of east Baltimore.
Contents
The Story of WOLB Radio
WOLB has a long and interesting history, starting way back in the 1940s. It has changed its name and what it broadcasts several times over the years.
Early Days as WSID
The station first started broadcasting on November 27, 1947. Back then, it was known as WSID. It was located in Essex and used a frequency of 1570 kHz.
WSID broadcast during the daytime with 1,000 watts of power. This was a good amount of power for a radio station at that time.
A New Owner and Focus
In 1948, a company called United Broadcasting Company bought WSID. This company also owned WOOK, a radio station in Washington, D.C. WOOK was special because it was the first station in that area to focus on the African-American community.
After buying WSID, United Broadcasting Company immediately hired a black announcer. This showed their plan to make WSID also serve the African-American community in Baltimore.
Moving Frequencies and Locations
In July 1950, WSID changed its frequency to 1010 kHz, which is what WOLB uses today. Two years later, the station officially began serving both Essex and Baltimore.
By 1956, the main studio in Essex closed. The station's license then moved completely to Baltimore.
Famous Voices on WSID
Many talented people worked at WSID. Jocko Henderson started his radio career there in 1952. He was known as "Doug Henderson" at the time.
In 1959, Pauline Wells Lewis began her popular gospel music show, "Inspiration Time." She was a well-known voice in Baltimore radio for many years. Another famous DJ, Paul "Fat Daddy" Johnson, also worked at WSID. He was popular with both black and white listeners.
Expanding to TV
United Broadcasting Company also launched other stations in Baltimore. In 1961, they started WYOU, which later became WSID-FM (now WERQ-FM).
In 1967, they even launched a TV station, WMET-TV channel 24. This was the first independent TV station in Baltimore. WMET-TV showed some local programs and also shared shows with its sister TV station in Washington.
Changes to WYST and WERQ
On December 23, 1982, WSID changed its name to WYST. This name was already being used by the FM station, which was called "Star 92."
WYST AM played adult contemporary music, which was popular at the time. A well-known Baltimore DJ named Jack Edwards hosted the morning show.
New Ownership and Format
In 1989, the company that owned WYST-AM-FM agreed to sell the stations. However, the sale did not go through at that time.
On August 16, 1991, WYST-AM-FM relaunched as WERQ-AM-FM. They were known as "92Q" and played rhythmic contemporary hit music. In 1992, WERQ AM stopped playing music and started broadcasting the audio from CNN Headline News.
Becoming WOLB
In 1993, a company called Radio One bought WERQ-AM-FM for $9 million. This was a big step for the stations.
On November 19, 1993, WERQ became WOLB. It started as a talk radio station, at first sharing programs with its sister station, WOL, in Washington, D.C. By 1995, WOLB began creating its own programs from Radio One's new studios in Baltimore.
WOLB continues to be an important voice in the Baltimore community, providing news and talk programs.
Images for kids
-
The logo for WOLB radio station.
